“I frequently interact with recent college graduates that are absolutely brilliant and can optimize the outcome of almost any quantitatively oriented test. Unfortunately, there is no answer key in business and when it comes to synthesizing a complex situation and communicating a suggested direction they are relatively inept. This phenomenon is happening at the same time that businesses are in increasing need of leaders possessing these skills. I firmly believe that my study of philosophy at St. Olaf helped provide me with the skills needed to think critically and communicate clearly in business.”
—Josh Baltzell ‘91, Venture Partner at SightLine Partners/10K Lakes Capital
Philosophy majors develop a unique combination of skills in analytical reasoning, textual analysis, and systematic, imaginative thought. This provides the foundation for a wide range of professional paths that integrate abstract thinking with diverse areas of practice, including law, finance, marketing, medicine, technology, film, education, and many others. Some majors use philosophy as a direct springboard to their career. For others, philosophy complements skills they’ve developed elsewhere to give them a unique perspective.
Did you know?
- Philosophy majors have the highest starting salary and the highest lifetime earnings of any humanities major.
- Philosophy majors earn more at mid-career than chemistry, political science, accounting, business management, biology, communications, and psychology majors.
- Philosophy majors earn the highest composite GRE scores of any major.
- Philosophy majors earn the second highest LSAT scores, behind only economics.
- Philosophy majors earn the 4th highest GMAT scores of any major, behind only physics, engineering, and mathematics.
“For me, philosophy was in large part about coming to develop an appreciation for the nature and role of language and systems. That has certainly been helpful in becoming more than just another technical software guy, and would be essential in many practices where language and other forms of symbolism are key.”
– Karl Rosenquist ‘94, Senior Java Engineer, Medica
“My St. Olaf philosophy courses taught me to think critically, to form a cohesive argument, to understand conflicting views and create a substantive dialogue, and to appreciate the intrinsic value of the life of the mind. These skills are crucial to my work as a Consular Officer and diplomat.”
– Sarah Schuurman ‘02, US Foreign Service Officer, Jerusalem
“Through studying philosophy I became much better at distilling arguments down to their bare assumptions and logical structure. This ability is crucial to any area of study, but I find it especially useful in science when thinking about hypotheses and predictions, and the methods used to test them.”
– Jon Lambert ‘11, Science Correspondent, NPR News
“My philosophy major continues to play an important role in my journey through life because it made me more perceptive and analytical, which are critical skills in medicine and life in general. Philosophy also made me comfortable with not having all of the answers and realizing that things are not always black and white, which has been vital to my medical career.”
– Kelsey Watt ‘07, Pediatrician, Kaiser Permanente
“Philosophy helped me in the way that I expected and hoped it would: to live life beautifully and teach others how to live beautifully…It matters that my students become independent, rational thinkers equipped with the curiosity for learning…. Philosophy enables a person to find freedom.”
– Fran Deram ‘12, Head of Business Operations, ESF Explore, Hong Kong
“I discovered that even though I was a mediocre student at best (I failed my first computer science class and got a D on the retake), I was a rock star at work because I could take a problem, analyze it and most importantly explain the issues to non technical people. This is where I credit my Philosophy degree. Computer Science taught me a skill but Philosophy taught me how to be a nimble thinker.”
– Nina Palit ‘93, IT Manager in Human Resources Services at Alight Solutions
You can find many more profiles of our alumni here.