“Philosophy Projected as Top-Paid Class of 2016 Humanities Major,” National Association of Colleges and Employers

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Source: http://www.naceweb.org/s02242016/top-paid-humanities-graduates-2016.aspx

 

“Surprise: Humanities Degrees Provide Great Return on Investment,” Forbes

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Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffreydorfman/2014/11/20/surprise-humanities-degrees-provide-great-return-on-investment/#c8a455b94a9f

 

“The Earning Power of Philosophy Majors,” The Atlantic

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Source: http://www.theatlantic.com/notes/2015/09/philosophy-majors-out-earn-other-humanities/403555/

 

“Welders make more money than philosophers,” presidential candidate Marco Rubio, during the fourth Republican debate.

In reality:

welders

Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2015/11/10/actually-philosophy-majors-make-way-more-than-welders-marco-rubio/


Philosophy majors develop many skills which transfer to the workplace, including:

Utilizing Sources

  • Research and integrate the ideas of experts on a given topic
  • Write papers which reflect one’s own ideas while also building on the shared research program of a community
  • Gain familiarity with a wide variety of sources, including literary, statistical, and scientific

Organizing Information

  • Organize complex bodies of information
  • Present abstract material simply and succinctly
  • Structure long-term research projects into manageable and coherent parts

Analyzing Information

  • Learn the tools of formal and informal logic, as well as how to avoid fallacies of reasoning
  • Synthesize empirical data with one’s own insights into a cohesive argument
  • Think critically about a variety of practical as well as theoretical issues

Evaluating One’s Work

  • Revise one’s work in light of comments and criticism from peers
  • Realistically evaluate what it is that one has accomplished
  • Understand how one’s own contributions fit into a broader program of existing work, and which future directions one’s work might take