Philosophy Performs
Critical thinking is not just an abstract skill. It shows up in tests, careers, and the future of work.
Philosophy trains students to read carefully, reason precisely, evaluate arguments, write clearly, and think through complicated problems. Those are the same skills tested by graduate and professional-school exams, and they are also the skills employers need in a world shaped by artificial intelligence, automation, data, law, medicine, business, and public life.
Philosophy is especially strong preparation for students who want to keep multiple futures open: law school, graduate school, business, public service, technology, health care, writing, education, nonprofit work, and more.
View Current Courses Why Study Philosophy?Why philosophy performs
Philosophy is a strong major for students who want intellectual flexibility. It does not train students for only one job or one graduate program. It trains students to think well across changing situations. Philosophy courses ask students to interpret difficult texts, reconstruct arguments, test assumptions, respond to objections, and explain complex ideas clearly.
That combination of skills helps explain why philosophy students perform well on exams that reward reading, reasoning, writing, and argument analysis. It also helps explain why philosophy remains valuable in a job market where routine tasks can change quickly.
“In 10 years, a liberal arts degree in philosophy will be worth more than a traditional programming degree.”
—Mark Cuban, discussing artificial intelligence, automation, and the long-term value of critical thinking
Cuban’s point is not that everyone should avoid technical training. The point is that specific tools change, while the ability to ask better questions, evaluate evidence, understand consequences, and think critically remains valuable.
Philosophy Leads the Humanities on the LSAT
The American Philosophical Association reports that philosophy majors outperform students with any other humanities degree on the LSAT. In 2022–2023, philosophy ranked second among the large undergraduate fields listed, behind only economics.
Why it matters: the LSAT rewards reading comprehension, logical reasoning, argument analysis, and careful attention to language—skills that philosophy courses practice directly.
Stronger Reasoning, Even After Controls
A study in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association found that, after adjusting for baseline differences, philosophy majors ranked first on GRE Verbal, first on the LSAT, and first on a measure of good habits of mind.
Why it matters: philosophy is not just attracting strong students. The evidence suggests that philosophical study is connected to measurable gains in reasoning, verbal ability, intellectual rigor, curiosity, and open-mindedness.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $65,000 for workers with degrees in philosophy and religion. BLS data also show philosophy and religion degree holders working in management, education, legal, community and social service, business, financial operations, and other occupations.
Why it matters: philosophy prepares students for many paths rather than one narrow track. It builds transferable skills for fields where judgment, communication, analysis, and ethical reasoning matter.
Critical thinking in the age of AI
Artificial intelligence can automate routine tasks, but it does not remove the need for human judgment. Students still need to know how to ask the right questions, evaluate results, understand consequences, communicate clearly, and make responsible decisions.
That is where philosophy is especially valuable. Philosophy courses ask students to slow down, clarify concepts, identify assumptions, test arguments, and consider ethical implications. These are not narrow technical skills. They are habits of mind that remain valuable as tools, technologies, and professions change.
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Evidence and context
Philosophy performs well because it trains students in the habits that graduate schools, professional programs, and employers continue to value: close reading, critical thinking, clear writing, argument analysis, ethical reasoning, and intellectual flexibility.
The American Philosophical Association reports that philosophy majors outperform students with any other humanities degree on the LSAT and rank second among large undergraduate fields in the 2022–2023 data. The APA table lists philosophy with an average LSAT score of 159.47, behind economics and ahead of history, English, finance, political science, psychology, communications, sociology, business administration, criminal justice, and other listed areas.
American Philosophical Association: Philosophy Student Performance on the LSAT
A study published in the Journal of the American Philosophical Association examined a large dataset of undergraduate students and found that, after accounting for baseline differences, philosophy majors outperformed other students on GRE Verbal and LSAT measures. The study also reports that philosophy majors ranked first among majors on GRE Verbal, LSAT, and a measure of habits of mind.
Read: “Studying Philosophy Does Make People Better Thinkers”
Daily Nous maintains a collection of “Value of Philosophy” charts and graphs that gathers publicly circulated data visualizations on philosophy majors and standardized tests, including GMAT, LSAT, GRE Verbal, GRE Analytical Writing, GRE Quantitative, and salary-related charts. These charts are useful for building visual sections or image cards, but any image should be uploaded into Modern Campus or used with appropriate permission rather than hotlinked directly.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics field-of-degree page for philosophy and religion reports employment, median wage, occupational distribution, advanced-degree rates, and top-employing occupations for workers with degrees in philosophy and religion. This is useful for showing that philosophy graduates work across multiple fields, including management, education, legal occupations, community and social service, and business and financial operations.
Mark Cuban has argued that artificial intelligence will change the value of specific technical skills and increase the value of broad, critical thinking. The point is especially useful for students wondering whether philosophy is practical: philosophy trains students to ask better questions, evaluate claims, and think about consequences in situations where the answer is not automatic.
SMU Dedman College: Mark Cuban on Philosophy and Computer Science
Test-score and salary data should be read carefully. These numbers do not guarantee any individual student outcome. They do show that philosophy develops skills that are visible in important measures: reading, reasoning, writing, argument analysis, intellectual curiosity, and problem-solving. That is the real point of the page.
Ready to put critical thinking to work?
Philosophy is a strong choice for students who want to ask better questions, prepare for professional and graduate study, and build flexible skills for a changing world.
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