Northern Illinois University
Department of Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Studying philosophy teaches you critical thinking and writing skills that are conducive to success in a variety of careers and occupations. It prepares graduates for diverse employment opportunities in an ever-changing economy.

• College graduates who major in philosophy earn more over their lifespans than graduates from any other humanities field.
• The mid-career salary for philosophy majors is higher than for marketing majors and many other business majors (2015 PayScale data).
• According to a recent article in The Economist, U.S. graduates of philosophy programs are more likely to have jobs than US graduates of computer science programs. Indeed, many AI labs have begun hiring philosophers to address thorny issues raised by emerging technologies.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the top occupational groups for philosophy degree holders as management, educational and library, legal, community and social service and business and financial occupations.

A major in philosophy is also outstanding preparation for advanced study in a range graduate and professional programs, including business, medicine and law.

• Philosophy majors are among the very top performers on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).
• Philosophy majors have the highest mean composite score of all majors on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), which is typically required for admission to graduate programs.
• Philosophy majors score among the highest of all majors on the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), which is typically required for admission to M.B.A. (graduate business) programs.

Career Outcomes

But what do NIU philosophy alumni do? Top fields for undergraduate alumni include:

• Legal
• Finance
• Health care
• Technology
• Human resources

According to Steppingblocks data, job titles for NIU undergraduate philosophy degree holders include attorney, partner, professor, project manager and software engineer, among many others.

Overall, the average salary for alumni of NIU’s undergraduate philosophy major is about $98,000, higher than for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences overall (Steppingblocks 2026, for B.A./B.S. alumni with bachelor’s degree or higher).

Most graduates of our master’s program go on to doctoral programs elsewhere and the most common occupation for our master’s alumni is professor (Steppingblocks 2026). Alumni of our graduate program have also secured a range of other positions, with several working as attorneys and software engineers.

In short, the national success of philosophy majors has been replicated at NIU.

Career Resources

Wondering what to do with your degree? NIU Career Services provides a host of resources, including the following:

• Braven at NIU/UNIV 301 enables you to get a jumpstart on your career while earning NIU credit.
• Career counseling offers customized sessions to meet your needs.
• Huskies Get Hired enables you to search and apply for internships and jobs.
• Career fairs connect you with employers.

In addition, the philosophy department’s internship, PHIL 395, enables you to complete an approved internship while earning credit toward the major.