General Philosophy & Religion

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
Doctor’s Degree	22
Master’s Degree	15
Graduate Certificate	4

What General Philosophy & Religion Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to philosophy and religion and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Philosophy & Religion Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• 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

philosophy and religion majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

• 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

As a philosophy and religion major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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?

Below is a list of occupations associated with philosophy and religion:

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

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

This major tends to be male dominated. About 80% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	2
Hispanic or Latino	0
White	10
International Students	0
Other Races/Ethnicities	3

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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to General Philosophy & Religion

Some degrees associated with philosophy and religion may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. 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.

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!

Majors Related to General Philosophy & Religion

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

Major	Number of Grads
Religious Studies	1,769
Philosophy	1,220
Other Philosophy & Religious Studies	106

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
• Image Credit: By Fyodor Bronnikov under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.