Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree: salary, jobs & colleges
14 colleges offer a bachelor's in philosophy, politics, and economics. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in general social sciences earn $52,793, $9,256 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is elementary and middle school teachers (4%).
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $39,102–$71,068. 627 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "General Social Sciences"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$17,155/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs philosophy, politics, and economics graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in general social sciences actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 4% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Social Workers, All Other | 4% | $71,900 | +2.3% | Bachelor's degree | — |
| Secondary School Teachers | 3% | $70,930 | -0.2% | — | — |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 2% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Human Resources Workers | 2% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Teaching Assistants | 2% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
| Police Officers | 2% | $76,250 | +3.5% | — | — |
| Educational, Guidance, And Career Counselors And Advisors | 2% | $64,330 | +2.9% | Master's degree | SCE |
These 8 jobs account for 21% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| California | — | $55,860 (132) |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Related degrees
Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree questions
Is a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in general social sciences earn a median $52,793: $9,256 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $17,155 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Philosophy, Politics, and Economics graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in general social sciences, the most common jobs are elementary and middle school teachers (4%), social workers, all other (4%), secondary school teachers (3%). Elementary And Middle School Teachers earn a U.S. median $64,170.
Census field of degree matched to this major by EducationGuide (Philosophy Politics and Economics -> General Social Sciences).
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all degrees
Cite this: “Philosophy, Politics, and Economics degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/philosophy-politics-and-economics.