The 10 Best Careers for INTPs

As an INTP have you struggled with finding the perfect career choice? Maybe you have a lot of different ideas in your head about paths that you could take and its hard to narrow it down. Today, were going to look at some common career choices for INTPs and explain why INTPs tend to end up in those fields. The goal today is just to give you a starting point – some insight. Don’t take this list as the only possible choices for an INTP! Remember, at the end of the day, any type can do anything if they put in the effort.

Let’s get Started!

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What INTPs look for in a career

1 – Mental Stimulation

INTPs are known first and foremost for their intellectual tendencies – they lead with introverted thinking as their primary cognitive function. They often find enjoyment in being able to flex their mental muscles and solve complex problems, specifically ones that don’t necessarily have an answer that is set in stone (being that they are also an intuitive type who enjoy exploring ideas and possibilities). Because of this INTPs are not typically going to enjoy environments where they feel like their intellect is going to waste.

2 – Independence

Being an introverted type, INTPs won’t probably veer towards a work environment where they feel like they are being crowded or micromanaged. INTPs are especially going to want time to themselves when they get into problem solving mode. This isn’t to say that INTPs can’t enjoy the occasional work collaboration, and in fact many INTPs enjoy bouncing their ideas off of others. At the end of the day though, they are going need some time to recharge their social battery and get into their analytical flow. Naturally, having the ability to have that alone time will make a workplace all the more appealing to an INTP.

3 – Creative Freedom

Most NP types are known for their ability to come up with ideas (and rather quickly at that). Those ideas aren’t going to mean much though if they are in an environment where they aren’t valued or given a chance. When an INTP is solving a problem or finding a solution to an issue, they might want to try and explore outside of the box and try things that haven’t been tried before. Being in a workplace that respects the INTPs desire to experiment can really make them feel appreciated and included.

4 – Progress

INTPs are NT types, and one of the core desires of NTs is to have their ideas change the world. For this reason, many INTPs find themselves energized and motivated when the work they do will actually impact the field they are working in or the world as a whole. They tend to get bored or stressed when they are in positions that involve routine maintenance as opposed to work that is attempting to progress things in a forward direction.

5 – Inspiration

Just as INTPs are likely to bring great new ideas to their workplace, they also might find that they want a workplace where others can give that to them in return. In many job fields professionals work together to bounce their ideas and thoughts off of each other and to an INTP each of those ideas could lead to a wide array of more. For these reasons many INTPs feel as if their work environment is best when it is filled with like-minded individuals who are also excited by knowledge, progress, and innovation.

INTP Career Strengths

So, we know what INTPs like in their career choices, but what strengths do INTPs bring to the table that really compliment these preferences?

1 – Intellectualism

Above all types INTPs tend to be the most cerebral. They are patient, methodical, and thorough in their search for the truth, willing to take time to fully understand any problem they come across. While they can certainly have an experimental side, most INTPs are completely willing to switch into “analyze and understand” mode when they come across exciting and new information. This level of understanding allows them to bring a heightened level of intellect and knowledge to any workplace they dedicate their mind to.

2 – Creativity

If you are looking for someone to shake things up, to keep your company from spinning its wheels and not going anywhere new, then an INTP can be a great choice. One of their greatest strengths is the ability to creatively problem solve, to not only think of one solution but many. This propensity towards a wide array of solutions can be great for workplaces that are able to appreciate outside of the box thinking.

3 – A surprising attention to detail

Now, if you know type, you might know that types with the sensing preference are typically more likely to be better at paying attention to the details. There is a caveat to this though with the INTP in that when it comes to their desire to learn and understand things, they will make sure they are doing things properly. This is due to their combination of preferences for their introverted thinking function (which gives them a desire to understand fully) and introverted sensing (which gives them a desire to follow a process). So, while they may not react to the details in their environment rapidly in real time, they are quite good at methodically processing details when it comes to their area of knowledge.

4 – Passion for their Ideas

If any INTP has an idea (or a few) that they are really excited about, they will put in a LOT of energy and effort into seeing it through (or at least getting it started). This translates to a workplace strength in that INTPs who get to work on projects they care about will often be willing to work on them on their own time, seeing the project as something they enjoy putting effort into. This also means that if they like an idea the business/workplace has they can potentially be willing to put this same level of dedication in, even if it isn’t necessarily “their” idea.

10 Careers INTPs Excel At:

Alright, we have talked about the INTPs desires and strengths, now lets actually get into what you came for: 10 careers INTPs can excel at.

1 – Researcher

A researcher is someone who, as the name suggests, researches something. There are literally hundreds of ways to be a researcher – a scientist studying how the world works, a doctor experimenting with new medicines, or a market researcher studying how different trends in marketplaces influence the economy. All of these share the common traits of taking the time to analyze something and then project out into the future with ideas that form from that knowledge, two skills INTPs excel at.

2 – Programmer

Coder or programmer is one of the most common job choices for all NT types, especially the INTP and INTJ types, due to it meeting a large quantity of desired workplace traits. Solitary workplace opportunities? Check. Work that can impact the future? Check. Being involved with technology and advancement? Check. Infinite creative opportunities? Check. The list goes on. For these reasons it is no surprise that INTPs find themselves in this widely diverse field.

3 – Engineer

Engineering is also a wide field in that there are many types of engineering: Aerospace, medical, mechanical, chemical – you get the point. The main point here is that engineers work to solve problems by quite literally creating solutions for them, whether physically or conceptually (so someone else can do the actual building). This is a field where INTPs can really flex their creativity by coming up with solutions that are innovative and ingenious.

4 – Astronomer

What bigger question is there than how space works? The infinite cosmos – billions and trillions of stars, planets, and galaxies exist in the universe and to an astronomer this is their sandbox. This is a particularly interesting field for INTPs because there isn’t really a “final answer.” The questions of space and the universe are so incredibly massive that INTPs thousands of years from now will still be trying to answer them. This means that astronomy is a great choice for INTPs who never want to run out of things to learn.

5 – Digital Artist

While the traditional arts might be a bit too hands-on for many INTPs, it is not really surprising that the dawn of graphic arts and digital art mediums has led to many INTPs embracing their creativity. Creating digital art is fascinating because it can be done in a large variety of ways – with an art tablet, through a photo editing software, or even advanced AI that can create art with specific inputs. What draws many INTPs into this field in particular is that their advanced understanding of the digital medium can allow them to create art that goes far beyond what many could dream of.

6 – Professor

INTPs love knowledge so what better job field than one that allows them to learn more while also sharing their understanding with the bright new minds of the future. The reason “professor” is listed here as opposed to teacher is that many INTPs will want to be involved in an academic setting that can challenge them intellectually, A college setting also puts them in touch with the curious minds of students who are actually learning a chosen major, rather than students who are forced by families to attend a K-12 classroom setting. This isn’t to say younger age group focused teachers aren’t important are as intelligent but more so that the INTP is going to crave the intellectual stimulation of higher-level thinking that is usually only provided in Academia.

7 – Mathematician

A mathematician is someone who excels at one or many areas of math and then applies that knowledge to solve problems in a wide variety of areas. You might call in a statistician to run statistical analysis on how well your company is performing compared to others, or a geometry expert to help solve problems involving construction. Many in this field also focus on mathematical theory, attempting to prove or disprove complex questions about how the world works numerically.

8 – Lawyer

Being a lawyer requires more than just a forward personality and the ability to shout “objection!” It also requires a deep understanding of the specifics and nuances of laws and legal structures related to whatever case is being covered. INTPs have the intellectual patience to deep dive into the amazingly intense world of political intricacies and also the creativity to know how to use that knowledge to their advantage.

9 – Investigator/Detective

This one might sound silly, but hear me out – the greatest fictional detective of all time (Sherlock Holmes) is almost always typed as an INTP. INTPs have a unique ability to formulate hypotheses about their environment quickly and a deep enough knowledge about the world to guess whether or not they could actually be plausible. Many crimes in the world are committed with the intent to deceive anyone looking into them, and as such, the INTP is a great counter to this with their ability to think in unique and original ways about problems with seemingly only one solution.

10 – Medical Doctor

Medical professionals, especially doctors responsible for diagnosis, have to keep an impressive amount of knowledge in their mind. Medical school is famously competitive just due to the fact that students need to be able to pass a wide variety of exams with a wide array of knowledge from different categories, something INTPs tend to be quite adept at. Also in medicine a professional needs to be able to make a “differential diagnosis” which is when they attempt to think of all of the possible roots to a problem that a patient is facing. The INTP’s knowledge base, alongside their impressive brainstorming powers, leads them to be competent medical professional.

What Are Your Thoughts?

Did you enjoy this article? Do you have any insights or experiences from your own life to add? Let us know in the comments!

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About the Author:

Hey there, I’m Chris and I run the YouTube channel AsuraPsych. I am a post-bac student of psychology involved in academic research as well as a part time life coach and writer to help fund my academic goals. I am also a certified MBTI® practitioner and I like writing about and studying personality theories in my free time. You can see more of my writing at my web site ChrisGPsych.com