Since it seems to be a popular topic today, you might be wondering if you, one of the many accountants across this great land, make more than a philosopher. And according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, you do! But it's closer than you might like.
The annual mean wage for accountants and auditors is $73,760. Philosophy and Religion Teachers, Postsecondary have a mean wage of $71,350. If you're an analyst — financial, credit, budget, etc. — you're likely, on average, to make even more according to the BLS stats.
However! This Yahoo report from back in January says that midcareer median salaries for philosophy majors is higher than accountants and architects. I'd still wager that over the long haul, accountants will earn more than philosophers, but I would have never guessed it would be this close.
Of course, the really interesting question is, how many philosophy majors ended up becoming accountants and are now having regrets? We know of at least one who questions the Big 4 path, anyway.
