One reason the study of philosophy is useful is that the methodology of philosophy is applicable to any subject matter whatsoever, since it involves careful reasoning, precise application of logic, and thorough analysis of concepts.
In the Graduate Record Exam (GRE), those intending to major in philosophy perform better than students in all other fields by a wide margin. In the Verbal Reasoning section and in the Analytic Writing section of the GRE those intending to major in Philosophy did better than those in all other subjects. In the Quantitative Reasoning section those intending to major in Philosophy did better than all other non-scientists. Philosophy majors consistently do well in the Law School Aptitude Test (LSAT) and have a higher rate of acceptance at law schools than any other major.
Studying philosophy translates into skill sets that employers consider valuable. According to a 2015 study of salary and undergraduate majors by Payscale.com, Philosophy majors nationally had higher than average median starting salaries ($42,200) and mid-career salaries ($85,000). These median salaries are higher than in many other popular majors including Communication, Criminal Justice, and Psychology.