Other Philosophy & Religion

Types of Degrees Other Philosophy & Religion Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many other philosophy and religious studies graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	98
Doctor’s Degree	7
Graduate Certificate	1

What Other Philosophy & Religion Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, other philosophy and religious studies majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Other Philosophy & Religious Studies Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in other philosophy and religious studies 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 Other Philosophy & Religious Studies Majors

A major in other philosophy and religious studies 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.
• 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 Other Philosophy & Religious Studies Majors

Other Philosophy and Religious Studies majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

• 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 Other Philosophy & Religion Major?

People with a other philosophy and religious studies degree often go into the following careers:

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

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

This major tends to be male dominated. About 78% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	9
Black or African American	7
Hispanic or Latino	7
White	50
International Students	15
Other Races/Ethnicities	10

Geographic Diversity

Other Philosophy & Religious Studies appeals to people across the globe. About 15.3% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• United Kingdom
• Mexico
• Canada
• South Korea

How Much Do Other Philosophy & Religion Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The median starting salary of students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in other philosophy and religious studies was $61,522 per year. These stats come from the U.S. Department of Education. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $61,522 (25th percentile) and $61,522 (75th percentile).

It is possible that some of these people may have taken positions that were not related to other philosophy and religious studies.

Salaries According to BLS

Other Philosophy and Religious Studies 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 Other Philosophy & Religion

Some careers associated with other philosophy and religious studies 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 other philosophy and religious studies 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 Other Philosophy & Religion Programs

In 2020-2021, 62 schools offered a other philosophy and religious studies program of some type. 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)	1	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	3	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	7	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Other Philosophy & Religion Worth It?

The median salary for a other philosophy and religious studies 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 Other Philosophy & Religion

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

Major	Number of Grads
Religious Studies	1,769
Philosophy	1,220
General Philosophy & Religious Studies	41

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 The wub under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.