Most of you will change careers multiple times in your life. The study of philosophy develops skills that will serve you throughout your life in any chosen career.
A recent survey of employers conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that of all the practical and intellectual skills that employers are looking for in potential employees, the “ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing” and “critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills” are the most important. These are precisely the sorts of skills that the standardized tests for admittance to graduate, business, and law school are designed to test for, and the data demonstrate that philosophy majors do extraordinarily well on them.
Preparation for Graduate, Business, and Law School
Philosophy majors outperform all other majors on both the Verbal Reasoning section and the Analytic Writing section of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), and all humanities and social science majors except Economics on the Quantitative Reasoning section. Philosophy majors outperform Business, Finance, Marketing, Information Systems, International Business, and Accounting majors on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), and outperform every undergraduate major except Mathematics and Physics. Although they make up a small percentage of the applicant pool (.5 percent), philosophy majors have the second highest acceptance rate to medical school.
Philosophy majors outperform all other pre-law majors on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT), and all other majors except physics/math. Here's what Brian Leiter, Karl N. Llewellyn Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Chicago Law School, says about the value of studying philosophy (you can also view the full article):
“We talk about a liberal arts education teaching critical thinking. And sometimes it does—I think a lot of times it doesn’t. But philosophy always does. A legitimate department, engaged with the major figures of the history of Western philosophy as well as with contemporary work in philosophy, really does teach people to think, read and analyze at a very high level—and I’m inclined to think that’s a good intellectual skill. I think that philosophy teaches it more reliably than almost any other major. ... What we do in most law school classes is we read the judicial opinion and then have an extended argument with it. The students who come out of a philosophy major know how to do that because what you do in philosophy is you argue with everything you read—it’s just an ongoing argument. There’s no such thing as ‘Plato said, therefore.’ It’s rather ‘Plato said. Why did he say it? Does it make any sense? What were the reasons for saying it? Is it correct? How does it square with this other thing he says? Philosophy cultivates the intellectual skills that are very useful for legal analysis.”
And here's what the American Bar Association says about the value of taking philosophy courses for admission to law school (you can also view the full publication):
"In assessing a prospective law student's educational qualifications, admissions committees generally consider the chosen curriculum, the grades earned, and the reputation of the colleges attended. They also view favorably scholastic honors, awards, and special recognition. Solid grades in courses such as logic, philosophy, and abstract mathematics are generally considered a plus. ... Contrary to popular belief, law schools do not favor political science, criminal justice, and government majors over others. Choose major and elective courses that you will genuinely enjoy, instead of those you were told were required for prelaw students. You are likely to get better grades in a field you find interesting. And even if you don’t, law schools will respect your pursuit of subjects you find challenging. This is especially true if the courses you take are known to be more difficult, such as philosophy, engineering, and science. Also, look for courses that will strengthen the skills you need in law school. Classes that stress research and writing are excellent preparation for law school, as are courses that teach reasoning and analytical skills."
Give Yourself an Edge in the Job Market
Whatever your chosen career path, majoring or double-majoring in philosophy can give you a competitive edge in the job market. Employers know that philosophy majors are well trained in ethics and in critical thinking. They know philosophy majors will be good communicators, and are well trained in the basic skills of reasoning and problem solving. They naturally expect philosophy majors to be disciplined, determined, ambitious, agile, open minded, and highly intelligent. These are the traits that will take you beyond entry level positions into mid- and high-level positions. Indeed, a recent study of 1.2 million people reported in the Wall Street Journal found that the mid-career median salary of philosophy majors is $81,200—the highest among all humanities and social science majors except economics. As a recent article in Forbes magazine points out, “if you looked at the pay of people 15 years out, philosophy is in the top 10%.” Whether you’re headed for a career in business, information technology, social services, law, or the health professions, having majored or double-majored in philosophy will distinguish you from the pack.
Philosophy as a Second Major: A New Perspective on Your Primary Major
Coursework in metaphysics (PHIL 420), the philosophy of science (PHIL 330), and the theory of knowledge (PHIL 421) can deepen your understanding of the methods and assumptions of natural science and social science. Coursework in the history of ideas can deepen your understanding of academic pursuits, generally (PHIL 324, 325, 326, and 410). Coursework in ethics (PHIL 222) and political philosophy (Phil 323) will provide you orientation for work in social science, business, criminology, the health professions, or safety science. Philosophers also take a distinctive perspective on aesthetic questions of interest to fine arts majors (PHIL 223), and questions about the mind of interest to psychology majors (PHIL 360).
Articles on the Value of a Philosophy Degree:
“Salary by Major” — Wall Street Journal. Of the undegraduate majors offered at IUP, Philosophy majors are seventh overall for mid-career median salary, behind Economics, Physics, Computer Science, Mathematics, Finance, and MIS.
“Philosophy is Back in Business” — Business Week. “Forget economics. Philosophy offers a deeper, broader way of thinking to help guide companies through times made tougher by overspecialized experts.”
“In a New Generation of College Students, Many Opt for the Examined Life” — New York Times. “If you study humanities or political systems or sciences in general, philosophy is really the mother ship from which all of these disciplines grow.”
“I Think, Therefore I Earn” — The Guardian. “A philosophy degree has trained the individual’s brain and given them the ability to provide management-consulting firms with the sort of skills that they require and clients demand. These skills can include the ability to be very analytical, provide clear and innovative thinking, and question assumptions.”
“Philosophers Find the Degree Pays Off in Life and Work” — New York Times
“The Management Myth” — The Atlantic. “If you want to succeed in business, don’t get an M.B.A. Study philosophy instead.”
“The College Degrees with the Biggest Salaries” — Forbes
“50 Ways to Improve your Life.” On the list? Study Philosophy. — U.S. News and World Report
