Use the University Catalog links below to explore degree options in Philosophy.
What Can I Do with a Philosophy Degree?
Philosophy is very useful as an undergrad degree. If you’re interested in going on to graduate school, law school, seminary, or business administration programs, the skills that you develop as a philosophy major can help you compete for admission to these programs.
Philosophy majors are top performers on both the LSAT and the GRE, and, according to the American Medical School Association, a very high proportion of philosophy majors are accepted to medical school.
In recent years, philosophy majors from Chico State have gone on to PhD programs at top institutions like Stanford and UCLA. Philosophy prepares you not only for further graduate work, but a variety of other fields.
A 2009 study of over 300 CEOs, presidents, and vice presidents revealed that the top two skills that business leaders seek in college graduates are "the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing", and "critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills", two skills central to success as a philosophy major.
Salary-wise, philosophy majors are tied with mathematics majors for the highest percentage in salary increase from beginning to mid-career salary, with a mean salary of over $81,000 after 15 years on the job.
Chico State philosophy majors have taken jobs at Oracle and other Silicon Valley tech firms, and found careers in business consulting, law, teaching, higher education, counseling, financial advising, public service, humanitarian organizations, and the military.
Philosophy majors include important public figures like David Souter, Angela Davis, Pope John Paul II, and Thomas Jefferson; entertainers such as Stephen Colbert, Harrison Ford, Ricky Gervais, Alex Trebek, Susan Sarandon, and Steve Martin; writers like Ken Follett, Susan Sontag, Wallace Shawn, Kazuo Ishiguro, Umberto Eco, Iris Murdoch, and David Foster Wallace; filmmakers like Terrence Malick, Ethan Coen, and Wes Anderson; and business leaders such as Damon Horowitz, George Soros, Carly Fioina, and Carl Icahn.
