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General Philosophy & Religion Major

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General Philosophy & Religion

138 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
15 Master's Degrees Annually
#278 in Popularity
$82,420 Median Salary

Types of Degrees General Philosophy & Religion Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many philosophy and religious studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 138
Doctor’s Degree 22
Master’s Degree 15
Graduate Certificate 4
Basic Certificate 3
Associate Degree 2

What General Philosophy & Religion Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, philosophy and religion majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Philosophy & Religion Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in philosophy and religion should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Philosophy and Theology - Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • History and Archeology - Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
  • Sociology and Anthropology - Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

Skills for Philosophy & Religion Majors

A major in philosophy and religion prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Philosophy & Religion Majors

A major in philosophy and religion will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

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  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

What Can You Do With a General Philosophy & Religion Major?

People with a philosophy and religion degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Philosophy and Religion Professors 12.3% $71,890

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in General Philosophy & Religion?

138 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
41% Percent Women
23% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 138 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and religious studies in 2021, making it rank #278 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 59% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of philosophy and religion majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 1
Black or African American 9
Hispanic or Latino 18
White 90
International Students 9
Other Races/Ethnicities 11

Geographic Diversity

Philosophy & Religion appeals to people across the globe. About 6.5% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • China
  • South Korea
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • Australia

How Much Do General Philosophy & Religion Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Philosophy and Religion majors often go into careers with median salaries of $82,420. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a General Philosophy & Religion Major  82,420
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Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some careers associated with philosophy and religion require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for philosophy and religion careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Master’s Degree 12.9%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 0.6%
Doctoral Degree 72.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 12.3%

Online General Philosophy & Religion Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 70 schools offered some type of philosophy and religious studies program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 2 1
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 1
Associate’s Degree 4 3
Bachelor’s Degree 3 3
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 10 3
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 5 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in General Philosophy & Religion Worth It?

The median salary for a philosophy and religion grad is $82,420 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 107% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $850,400 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to philosophy and religion.

Major Number of Grads
Philosophy 10,054
Religious Studies 9,470
Other Philosophy & Religious Studies 285

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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