From Philosophy to FAANG: How to Build a Tech Career Without a STEM Degree

It's a common assumption that a successful career in technology is reserved for those with a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM). However, a look at the journeys of numerous industry professionals reveals that this is far from the truth. Many have forged successful, long-term careers—spanning from software engineering and DevOps to founding startups—with backgrounds in fields like philosophy, history, media studies, and art, or even without a college degree at all.

The Path of the Self-Taught

A common thread among these stories is an early, self-driven passion. Many veterans recall getting their start as teenagers, tinkering with BASIC on an Apple II or Commodore 128, learning C on a Unix shell account, or writing game mods. This hobby-driven learning often evolved into freelance work and eventually, a full-time career. For others, the entry point was a career change, moving from fields like journalism, firefighting, or even professional juggling into tech by identifying a need and teaching themselves the necessary skills. Key entry points include:

Building a Strong Portfolio: The most critical advice for aspiring developers without a formal degree is to build and ship projects. A killer portfolio that demonstrates what you can do is often more persuasive than a credential.
Open Source Contributions: Getting involved in open source projects is a powerful way to gain experience, learn from others, get your code reviewed, and build a public reputation.
Apprenticeships and Bootcamps: Paid apprenticeships that offer a direct path to employment were highlighted as a particularly effective route, providing both structured learning and a crucial foot in the door.
Tech-Adjacent Roles: Not everyone starts as a developer. Paths like technical writing, product management, and IT support have served as gateways into more technical roles over time.

Experience and Perspective Over Credentials

While getting the first job is the biggest hurdle, professionals find that after a few years, experience and proven ability become far more important than a degree. Many with 20, 30, or even 40 years of experience note that their educational background rarely comes up in interviews anymore.

Furthermore, some argue that a non-STEM background can be an asset. Philosophy majors, for example, point to their training in formal and symbolic logic as excellent preparation for programming. They suggest that a humanities education fosters a different framework for thinking, which can be invaluable in a team where most people share a similar engineering-focused mindset.

A Changing Landscape: Concerns for Today's Newcomers

Despite the many success stories, there's a strong sense of caution from experienced professionals. Many believe the path they took is much harder to replicate in today's market. They observe a few key shifts:

Reluctance to Train: Companies seem less willing to invest in mentoring and on-the-job training for junior talent. Instead, they often rely on HR, recruiters, and AI to find candidates who already check every box on a long list of specific skills.
Market Saturation: The job market is perceived as far more competitive, with an overwhelming number of applicants for every open role. One commenter shared a grim story of submitting over 10,000 applications over two years with very few callbacks, despite extensive experience, blaming a broken hiring system overwhelmed by AI and spam.
Credential Creep: While experience used to quickly supplant a degree's importance, some feel the pendulum is swinging back, with more job descriptions explicitly requiring a degree.

In conclusion, while a career in tech without a STEM degree is absolutely achievable, it requires immense self-discipline, a passion for continuous learning, and a strategic focus on building a demonstrable track record. The gates may not be as wide open as they once were, but the core principle of proving your worth through your work remains the key to success.