Philosophy

Types of Degrees Philosophy Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many philosophy graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	7,161
Master’s Degree	703
Doctor’s Degree	366
Associate Degree	360
Basic Certificate	45
Graduate Certificate	24
Undergraduate Certificate	3

What Philosophy Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to philosophy were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Philosophy Majors

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

• 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 Majors

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

• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Abilities for Philosophy Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a philosophy student include the following:

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

What Can You Do With a Philosophy Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with philosophy:

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

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy?

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 majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	531
Black or African American	371
Hispanic or Latino	1,143
White	4,020
International Students	507
Other Races/Ethnicities	589

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Philosophy. About 7.1% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Philosophy

Some careers associated with philosophy 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 careers below.

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 Philosophy Programs

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)	3	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	2	0
Associate’s Degree	123	15
Bachelor’s Degree	12	1
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	157	2
Post-Master’s	5	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	102	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Philosophy

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

Major	Number of Grads
Other Philosophy	304
Applied & Professional Ethics	173
Ethics	171
Logic	21

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.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.