Skip to content

Philosophy is a Great Major

Choose your career. Get a job. Be prepared for the unexpected.

Search
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Follow me on Instagram
  • Home
    • AboutLearn about this site, its creator, and The Institute for Philosophy in Public Life
    • Free Poster DownloadDownload a free “Philosophy is a Great Major” poster advertising the philosophy major.
    • SubscribeSubscribe to our blog and get the latest evidence that philosophy is a great major.
    • ContactAsk us questions or send us your philosophy success stories. Be featured on this web page and show pride in your degree.
    • DonateHelp support this site and the other work of the Institute for Philosophy in Public Life.
  • Skills and SalariesHow philosophy compares to other jobs, in terms of salaries and lifetime earnings. You’ll be surprised how well it stacks up.
  • People with Philosophy DegreesArticles discussing the many careers and experiences of philosophy degree holders
  • Which Courses?Don’t know which philosophy courses to take? Explains what’s best for first-timers and how to compare course numbers.
  • More than a jobThe economic argument for philosophy is strong, but having a good, well-balanced life is also important. Philosophy can help.
    • What’s it Like Being a Philosophy Student?

Author: Jack Russell Weinstein

Dr. Jack Russell Weinstein is a Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of North Dakota and the host of the public radio show Why? Philosophical discussions about everyday life (WHY? Radio for short). He is the author of three books and dozens of articles, and has edited four collections. He is the recipient of the 2007 UND Foundation/McDermott Award for Individual Excellence in Teaching, the top teaching award at his university. He received his Ph.D. in philosophy from Boston University in 1998. He is the author of three books On Adam Smith and On MacIntyre, both volumes in the Wadsworth Philosophers Series, and most recently Adam Smith's Pluralism: Rationality, Education, and the Moral Sentiments, from Yale University Press.
Skills and Salaries

The myth of the unemployed Humanities Major

20 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
Humanities majors are often caricatured. Sometimes it is said that liberal arts students go to college to ultimately end up asking "Do you want fries with that?" Other times people…
Skills and Salaries

Salaries of Philosophy Majors Over Time

20 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
A philosophy degree is not quite what it seems. In fact, it is much more. A recent report by PayScale noted that of all the humanities bachelors degrees, philosophy is the best.…
People with Philosophy Degrees

Peter Thiel

20 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
B.A. in philosophy from Stanford University (1989)Co-Founder of PayPal, President of Clarium Capital, Board member of Facebook, Chairman of Plantir, and Chair of Mithril Capital Peter Thiel's philosophical background has…
Skills and Salaries

Philosophers make much more than welders

20 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
In the fourth Republican Debate of the 2016 election, candidate Marco Rubio made the comment that "Welders make more than philosophers," suggesting that students should pursue trade occupations rather than the…
Skills and Salaries…

Philosophy Projected as Top-Paid Class of 2016 Humanities Major

20 Feb 2017January 4, 2021
National Association of College Employers (NACE) has philosophy projected as the highest earning 2016 humanities major. Read about it here at  naceweb.org

Philosophers Don’t Get Much Respect, But Their Earnings Don’t Suck

17 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
538 is the nations most respected site for sports, politics, and economic statistical analysis. They took issue with presidential candidate's Marco Rubio's comment that "welders make more than philosophers, we need more…
People with Philosophy Degrees…

Philosophy degree holders Peter Thiel (PayPal Founder), Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn Founder), Paul Graham (inventor of the Y Accelerator) are “the philosopher kings of Silicon Valley.”

17 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
Philosophy degrees have been incredibly useful in Silicon Valley leading to both riches and ideas that have changed the world. Consider Peter Thiel, who earned a B.A. in Philosophy at Stanford University in 1989.…
Skills and Salaries

Return on Investment in a Philosophy Major Is Comparable To That Of an Engineering Major

17 Feb 2017January 5, 2021
The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has shown that philosophy is at least as good of an investment as engineering and health fields. A new study published by the National Bureau of…
People with Philosophy Degrees

George Soros

2 Feb 2017January 4, 2021
London School of Economics (1952)Chairman of the Open Society Foundations, and Founder and adviser of the Quantum Fund

Posts navigation

Newer posts
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow me on Twitter
  • Follow me on Instagram
Create a website or blog at WordPress.com
 

Loading Comments...