Philosophy & Ethics
What you'll do in college
Philosophy majors learn to read difficult texts, think carefully about hard questions, and write rigorous arguments. Coursework covers metaphysics, ethics, logic, epistemology, philosophy of science, and the history of philosophy from the ancient Greeks through today. Ethics tracks dig into applied and professional ethics—bioethics, business ethics, technology ethics—connecting abstract reasoning to real-world dilemmas.
The major is small, discussion-heavy, and writing-intensive, with senior thesis projects on topics students care deeply about.
What you'll do after college
Philosophy majors go into law (they consistently score among the highest on the LSAT), journalism, business, consulting, tech (especially in AI ethics and policy), publishing, education, and graduate school.
The major teaches analytical writing and clear thinking—skills employers value highly. Pay varies, but the major is associated with strong long-term career outcomes despite the stereotype of the unemployable philosopher.
Famous graduates
- Carly Fiorina — Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard; B.A. in Philosophy and Medieval History from Stanford University
- Wes Anderson — Acclaimed filmmaker; B.A. in Philosophy from University of Texas at Austin
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosophy & Ethics | 702 | 6,075 | 54% / 46% | 5% | $53,137 | 92% |
| Philosophy | 656 | 5,082 | 55% / 45% | 5% | $51,794 | 92% |
| Science, Technology and Society | 24 | 472 | 44% / 56% | 2% | $61,632 | 94% |
| Science, Technology, and Society | 7 | 117 | 52% / 48% | 5% | $62,569 | 97% |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies | 40 | 78 | 53% / 47% | 1% | $50,506 | 89% |
| Artificial Intelligence (Liberal Arts) | 1 | 78 | 72% / 28% | 10% | $61,792 | |
| Applied and Professional Ethics | 7 | 75 | 48% / 52% | 1% | $53,093 | 96% |
| Science, Technology, and International Affairs | 1 | 72 | 35% / 65% | 14% | $67,091 | |
| Philosophy and Religion | 10 | 25 | 20% / 80% | 4% | $47,865 | 94% |
| Bioethics/Medical Ethics | 3 | 25 | 12% / 88% | 0% | $59,737 | |
| Ethics | 6 | 15 | 40% / 60% | 7% | $50,245 | 87% |
| Bioethics | 2 | 13 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $60,180 | |
| Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior | 1 | 7 | 14% / 86% | 0% | $46,958 | 87% |
| Philosophical Studies | 1 | 5 | 100% / 0% | 0% | $56,281 | |
| Science & Technology Studies | 1 | 5 | 0% / 100% | 20% | $73,203 | |
| Philosophy, Religion and Society | 1 | 3 | 33% / 67% | 0% | $55,558 | |
| Philosophy (Course 24-1) | 1 | 2 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $92,788 | |
| Applied Ethics | 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $50,139 |