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What can you do with a philosophy degree?
Also called: Moral philosophy · Philosophy and ethics · Philosophical studies
Updated How we use data
Quick answer
A philosophy degree trains you to think clearly about difficult questions, such as what we can know, what is right and wrong, and how minds, language and societies work. You learn to build and test arguments and to write precisely. Graduates go into law, policy, journalism, writing, consulting and academic research, and the skills fit many other careers.
Careers with a philosophy degree
Philosophy does not train you for one specific job, but its skills in reasoning, writing and argument are useful in many. Some graduates train as lawyers, where the ability to analyse arguments is central. Others become policy officers in government and charities, journalists, writers, or management consultants who help organisations solve complex problems. A smaller number continue to postgraduate study and become university lecturers. Philosophy graduates also work in technology, for example on AI ethics, and in teaching, publishing and business.
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Policy officer
Policy officers research problems, analyse evidence and advise decision makers on laws, programmes and strategies.
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Writer
Writers create written work such as novels, non-fiction books, scripts, poems, articles, advertising copy and website content.
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Journalist
Journalists find, check and report news and stories for newspapers, websites, television, radio, podcasts and social media.
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University lecturer
University lecturers teach students in higher education, carry out research in their subject and publish their findings.
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Management consultant
Management consultants help organisations solve problems and improve performance, for example by changing strategy, reducing costs, reorganising teams or introducing new technology.
Other roles graduates go into: Civil servant · Ethics adviser · Editor · Speechwriter · Mediator · Think tank researcher
What you study and the skills you gain
Typical topics
- Logic and critical reasoning
- Ethics and moral philosophy
- Epistemology: the theory of knowledge
- Metaphysics and philosophy of mind
- Political philosophy
- History of philosophy, from ancient to modern thinkers
- Philosophy of science and language
- World philosophies, including Chinese, Indian and African traditions
Skills you gain
- Building clear, logical arguments
- Spotting weaknesses and hidden assumptions in reasoning
- Writing precisely about complex ideas
- Reading and understanding difficult texts
- Discussing and debating ideas with respect
- Thinking independently about problems with no clear answer
How the degree differs around the world
In the UK and much of Europe, a philosophy bachelor's degree usually takes three or four years, and it is often combined with another subject such as politics, economics or theology. In the United States and Canada, philosophy is a common major within a four-year degree, and many students use it as preparation for law school. Programmes differ in focus: some emphasise logic and analytic philosophy, others European traditions, and some include Asian, African or Islamic philosophy. Philosophy has no professional accreditation, so the content of programmes varies widely.
How do philosophy graduates do?
Earnings and employment by country
The OECD compares graduates by field of study. This subject falls under “Humanities (except languages)”. The first column compares the median earnings of tertiary-educated adults in this field with all tertiary-educated adults (100 = average).
| Country | Earnings index (all graduates = 100) | Employment rate, this field | Employment rate, all graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | 108 (2023) | 84.8% (2024) | 85.7% |
| Latvia | 108 (2023) | 78.0% (2024) | 87.7% |
| Switzerland | 96 (2023) | 87.4% (2024) | 89.5% |
| United States | 96 (2023) | 84.1% (2017) | 84.3% |
| Romania | 95 (2023) | 92.8% (2024) | 91.5% |
| Mexico | 93 (2023) | 83.6% (2024) | 81.5% |
| Canada | 91 (2020) | 79.0% (2021) | 80.4% |
| Finland | 88 (2022) | 90.9% (2024) | 88.8% |
| Sweden | 86 (2023) | 89.4% (2024) | 89.6% |
| Denmark | 86 (2023) | 75.5% (2021) | 87.8% |
| South Korea | 86 (2023) | — | — |
| Australia | 85 (2020) | 86.9% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Norway | 85 (2023) | 81.7% (2024) | 89.3% |
| Estonia | 84 (2023) | 95.4% (2024) | 89.2% |
| Austria | 84 (2023) | 86.8% (2024) | 86.4% |
| Portugal | 81 (2020) | 85.6% (2024) | 90.7% |
| Slovenia | 79 (2020) | 85.3% (2024) | 90.8% |
| United Kingdom | 77 (2020) | 82.0% (2021) | 84.6% |
| Chile | 75 (2023) | 90.0% (2022) | 85.7% |
| Germany | 71 (2020) | 87.1% (2024) | 88.7% |
| Costa Rica | 53 (2023) | 74.8% (2024) | 79.2% |
| Lithuania | — | 92.9% (2024) | 90.4% |
| Poland | — | 90.9% (2024) | 91.6% |
| Czechia | — | 90.6% (2024) | 88.4% |
| Iceland | — | 90.4% (2016) | 93.6% |
| Slovakia | — | 87.9% (2024) | 90.5% |
| Belgium | — | 86.6% (2024) | 88.5% |
| Netherlands | — | 86.1% (2024) | 90.6% |
| Croatia | — | 85.1% (2024) | 89.7% |
| France | — | 83.2% (2024) | 87.3% |
| Greece | — | 80.5% (2024) | 82.3% |
| Peru | — | 80.1% (2024) | 81.7% |
| Italy | — | 79.7% (2024) | 84.7% |
| Spain | — | 77.3% (2024) | 83.9% |
| Ireland | — | 72.1% (2021) | 86.9% |
| Hungary | — | 71.4% (2024) | 76.2% |
| Türkiye | — | 66.5% (2016) | 72.9% |
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance. Adults aged 25–64 with tertiary education; latest year available, full-time earners where published. Values are for the whole field of study, not this subject alone. Where a country publishes only broad fields, we use “Arts and humanities”.
Graduate earnings in the UK
The UK government links tax records to university records to measure what graduates earn. These figures are for “Philosophy” first-degree graduates who were employed in the 2023–24 tax year.
| Time since graduating | Median | Lower quartile | Upper quartile | In work or study |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | £24,500 | £17,900 | £30,400 | 86.6% |
| After 3 years | £29,600 | £23,800 | £37,300 | 86.3% |
| After 5 years | £34,000 | £27,100 | £46,500 | 86.4% |
| After 10 years | £41,000 | £28,200 | £61,100 | 82.7% |
Source: UK Department for Education, Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO), tax year 2023–24. Earnings are annual and include only graduates in sustained employment.
Is a philosophy degree right for you?
It may suit you if
- You enjoy arguing about big questions and changing your mind when you meet a better argument.
- You like reading closely and writing long, carefully reasoned essays.
- You are comfortable with problems that have no single right answer.
Think twice if
- You want a degree that leads directly to one particular job.
- You prefer practical, hands-on learning to reading and discussion.
- You find it frustrating when questions remain open after long debate.
Further study
Many philosophy graduates go on to further study. Law is a common choice, through law school in the United States and Canada or through a conversion course or second degree in countries such as the UK. Others take master's degrees in public policy, journalism, teaching or business. A master's and PhD in philosophy are needed for university teaching and research, but academic jobs are few and competition for them is strong.
Questions about studying philosophy
What jobs can you get with a philosophy degree?
Philosophy graduates work as lawyers, policy officers, journalists, writers, management consultants and university lecturers. They are also found in the civil service, charities, publishing, teaching, marketing and technology, including roles in AI ethics. Because the degree is not linked to one job, building work experience while you study makes a big difference.
Is a philosophy degree useless?
No, but its value depends on how you use it. Philosophy builds strong skills in reasoning, writing and analysing problems, which employers in law, policy, consulting and many other sectors value. However, it does not lead directly to a specific job, so graduates usually need to explain their skills clearly to employers and gain relevant experience.
Is philosophy good preparation for law?
Yes. Philosophy trains you to analyse arguments, read difficult texts closely and write precisely, which are all central to legal work. In the United States and Canada, it is a common undergraduate major for people applying to law school. In countries where law is a first degree, philosophy graduates usually need a conversion course or a second degree in law.
Is philosophy a hard degree?
Philosophy is demanding in a different way from science subjects. There is a lot of difficult reading, and you are assessed mainly on the quality of your arguments in essays and exams. Logic modules can feel similar to mathematics. Students who enjoy discussion, read carefully and are willing to rewrite their work usually do well.
Related subjects
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History
A history degree studies how societies, cultures, economies and ideas have changed over time, using evidence such as documents, objects and people's memories.
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Politics
A politics degree, often called political science, studies how power works: how governments are chosen and run, how laws and policies are made, and why people and countries cooperate or come into conflict.
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English literature
An English literature degree teaches you to read, analyse and write about novels, poetry, plays and other texts written in English, from medieval writing to the present day.
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Law
A law degree teaches how legal systems work and how to find, interpret and apply the law, from contracts and crime to human rights.
Sources
- OECD — Education at a Glance, labour-market outcomes — Earnings and employment by field of study, adults 25–64
- UK Department for Education — Graduate labour market outcomes (LEO) — CAH CAH20-02-01 — Philosophy
- UNESCO — ISCED-F 2013 — ISCED-F 0223
How to cite this page: CourseToJob (2026). What can you do with a philosophy degree? Jobs and salaries. https://coursetojob.com/subjects/philosophy/ (accessed September 26, 2026)