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Academic Field / Philosophy & Religion

Philosophy

Students study fundamental questions about existence, knowledge, ethics, logic, and the nature of mind through rigorous analytical reasoning and the examination of major philosophical traditions. Graduates typically pursue careers in law, business ethics, public policy, technology ethics, consulting, and education, or continue to graduate school or law school. Philosophy majors consistently score among the highest on the LSAT and GRE, and mid-career earnings are surprisingly competitive.

Schools
77
Programs analyzed
Earnings
$32,298
Avg 1-yr grad earnings
Range $10,363–$73,053
AI Risk
Very High
65% task exposure
Field Overview

What Philosophy graduates do

Your training in formal logic and ethics opens doors to surprisingly technical and lucrative careers. A common path is into natural sciences management, where you’ll direct research and development teams, oversee complex budgets, and guide project strategy. Here, your job is less about being in the lab and more about using rigorous analysis to resolve technical and ethical dilemmas. Others pursue the academic track in philosophy or even mathematics, which involves designing syllabi, leading seminars, publishing research, and mentoring students. Advancement in these fields typically involves moving from a hands-on role to a senior position focused on leadership and high-level strategy.

While management roles see healthy growth, some traditional academic paths are growing slowly or even shrinking. Be prepared for the significant impact of AI. With an average exposure of 64%, AI is fundamentally reshaping these careers by automating the routine analysis and modeling junior staff once performed. Your professional value will shift from doing the calculations to architecting the problems AI tackles, critically evaluating its outputs, and making tough judgment calls. This world demands sharp, structured thinking, making your philosophical training a direct and practical asset.

Students weighing Philosophy often also consider Mathematics & Statistics and Mathematics and Computer Science — compare earnings, ROI, and AI outlook side by side.

Career Trajectories

Where Philosophy graduates work

Common career paths for Philosophy graduates, with median salaries, projected growth, and AI exposure per role. Roughly 15,000 combined openings per year across these roles.

Role Median Pay Annual Openings 10-yr Growth AI Exposure
Natural sciences managers
$161,180
$114K–$215K
8,500 +3.7% High · 50%
Mathematicians
$121,680
$86K–$153K
100 -0.7% Very High · 100%
Mathematical science teachers, postsecondary
$79,350
$61K–$106K
4,400 +2.3% High · 54%
Philosophy and religion teachers, postsecondary
$78,050
$61K–$102K
2,000 +0.7% High · 51%
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Top Institutions

Best schools for Philosophy

Schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score (earnings × AI resilience × ROI × job-market size). Top 10 of 77.

Rank #1 · DegreeOutlook Score 45
Utah Valley University
Orem, UT · Public
$43,699 1-yr earnings
16.4x ROI multiple
Very High AI risk
# School DW Score 1-yr Earnings ROI
5 The University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX · Public
42 $40,881 10.8x
6 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC · Public
42 $34,284 15.7x
7 Rutgers University-Newark
Newark, NJ · Public
41 $40,113 8.3x
8 University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA · Private nonprofit
40 $73,053 1.8x
9 Rutgers University-Camden
Camden, NJ · Public
40 $40,113 8.1x
10 Rutgers University-New Brunswick
New Brunswick, NJ · Public
40 $40,113 8.0x
11 University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD · Public
40 $35,608 11.9x
12 University of Washington-Seattle Campus
Seattle, WA · Public
39 $42,072 9.2x
13 University of Washington-Bothell Campus
Bothell, WA · Public
39 $42,072 9.3x
14 University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI · Public
39 $35,975 11.6x
15 University of Florida
Gainesville, FL · Public
39 $24,048 26.4x
16 Florida International University
Miami, FL · Public
38 $31,583 18.6x
17 University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA · Private nonprofit
37 $38,380 2.5x
18 University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, MA · Public
36 $36,581 8.1x
19 University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL · Public
36 $35,179 12.8x
20 CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice
New York, NY · Public
36 $30,851 16.3x
View the complete Philosophy school rankings — 77 programs analyzed →

Highest Earnings Top 5

University of Pennsylvania
PA
$73,053
Columbia University in the City of New York
NY
$52,668
Boston College
MA
$47,345
Utah Valley University
UT
$43,699
CUNY Lehman College
NY
$43,311

Related majors

Similar fields of study often offered alongside Philosophy.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Philosophy

How much do Philosophy graduates earn?

The median first-year salary across 77 Philosophy programs is $32,298. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($10,363) and highest ($73,053) earning programs is significant.

Will AI affect Philosophy careers?

Our analysis classifies Philosophy as "Very High" for AI risk — approximately 65% of typical job tasks overlap with current AI capabilities. That puts most of the daily work in the automation-sensitive category.

Where should I study Philosophy?

Our data ranks Utah Valley University first among 77 Philosophy programs. Its score of 45/100 reflects strong outcomes across earnings ($43,699/yr), return on investment, and career durability.

What's the outlook for a Philosophy degree?

On average, Philosophy graduates earn 8.0x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly.