Anthropologists and archeologists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $49,050 | $23.58 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $70,770 | $34.02 |
| Mean (average) | $75,620 | $36.35 |
| 90th percentile | $108,060 | $51.95 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Anthropologists and archeologists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 46 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $75,690 | $40,960 | $82,880 | 170 | 1.43 |
| Alaska | $89,810 | $62,550 | $130,270 | 130 | 6.69 |
| Arizona | $65,290 | $49,500 | $105,060 | 500 | 2.69 |
| Arkansas | $62,160 | $49,430 | $100,420 | 60 | 0.76 |
| California | $72,240 | $55,140 | $104,770 | 2,060 | 1.96 |
| Colorado | $68,620 | $42,300 | $116,060 | 250 | 1.5 |
| Connecticut | $91,420 | $46,550 | $117,070 | ||
| Florida | $59,270 | $44,660 | $95,180 | 620 | 1.07 |
| Georgia | $58,990 | $45,750 | $99,030 | 150 | 0.52 |
| Hawaii | $84,530 | $60,530 | $143,840 | 210 | 5.81 |
| Idaho | $88,710 | $63,130 | $104,250 | 170 | 3.4 |
| Illinois | $59,560 | $50,280 | $90,660 | 140 | 0.39 |
| Indiana | $63,730 | $46,180 | $94,490 | 70 | 0.37 |
| Iowa | $67,270 | $47,770 | $94,290 | 40 | 0.4 |
| Kansas | $41,870 | $36,400 | $63,130 | 60 | 0.78 |
| Kentucky | $72,230 | $41,650 | $106,330 | 70 | 0.57 |
| Louisiana | $47,750 | $40,490 | $103,380 | 110 | 1 |
| Maryland | $54,160 | $46,760 | $105,420 | 220 | 1.35 |
| Massachusetts | $121,300 | $78,750 | $126,420 | 80 | 0.38 |
| Michigan | $64,700 | $60,270 | $97,470 | ||
| Minnesota | $65,920 | $48,390 | $102,910 | 140 | 0.83 |
| Missouri | $66,930 | $63,130 | $100,420 | 80 | 0.47 |
| Montana | $79,420 | $60,900 | $110,190 | 80 | 2.57 |
| Nebraska | $94,520 | $50,440 | $131,270 | 40 | 0.66 |
| Nevada | $64,390 | $55,320 | $99,640 | 230 | 2.61 |
| New Hampshire | $61,160 | $47,590 | $92,600 | 40 | 0.95 |
| New Jersey | $66,230 | $56,320 | $101,810 | 140 | 0.57 |
| New Mexico | $68,180 | $47,840 | $98,530 | 230 | 4.47 |
| New York | $67,220 | $40,110 | $114,880 | 120 | 0.21 |
| North Carolina | $73,130 | $52,370 | $109,300 | 200 | 0.69 |
| North Dakota | $63,830 | $46,730 | $87,310 | ||
| Ohio | $59,160 | $40,580 | $79,750 | 70 | 0.22 |
| Oklahoma | $71,740 | $46,070 | $97,470 | 90 | 0.87 |
| Oregon | $84,970 | $63,130 | $119,570 | 240 | 2.1 |
| Pennsylvania | $79,660 | $49,750 | $99,560 | 130 | 0.37 |
| Puerto Rico | $70,950 | $36,910 | $111,310 | 40 | 0.69 |
| South Carolina | $63,130 | $51,310 | $100,420 | 50 | 0.36 |
| South Dakota | $63,130 | $50,110 | $97,470 | 40 | 1.35 |
| Tennessee | $60,310 | $43,450 | $93,370 | 160 | 0.85 |
| Texas | $67,700 | $57,340 | $109,270 | 430 | 0.52 |
| Utah | $73,920 | $53,380 | $103,380 | 120 | 1.21 |
| Virginia | $80,230 | $47,420 | $107,620 | 320 | 1.34 |
| Washington | $74,790 | $54,560 | $116,210 | 260 | 1.25 |
| West Virginia | $54,340 | $37,020 | $106,330 | 50 | 1.21 |
| Wisconsin | $63,130 | $33,430 | $97,470 | 40 | 0.21 |
| Wyoming | $76,400 | $40,070 | $100,420 | 80 | 5.14 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for anthropologists and archeologists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 8.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for anthropologists and archeologists
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Ancient Studies/Civilization CIP 30.2201
- Classical and Ancient Studies, Other CIP 30.2299
- Human Biology CIP 30.2701
- Geoarcheaology CIP 30.4201
- Linguistics and Anthropology CIP 30.4701
- Anthropology, General CIP 45.0201
- Physical and Biological Anthropology CIP 45.0202
- Medical Anthropology CIP 45.0203
- Cultural Anthropology CIP 45.0204
- Forensic Anthropology CIP 45.0205
- Anthropology, Other CIP 45.0299
- Archeology CIP 45.0301
- Sociology and Anthropology CIP 45.1301
- Geography and Anthropology CIP 45.1501
- Medical/Health Humanities CIP 51.3204
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
- Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
- Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
- Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
- Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
- Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
- Identify culturally specific beliefs and practices affecting health status and access to services for distinct populations and communities, in collaboration with medical and public health officials.
- Apply traditional ecological knowledge and assessments of culturally distinctive land and resource management institutions to assist in the resolution of conflicts over habitat protection and resource enhancement.
Technology skills
- ESRI ArcGIS software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- ESRI ArcGIS Survey 123 (in demand)
- Geographic information system GIS systems (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Autodesk AutoCAD (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Instructing, Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Systems Analysis.
Common job titles: American Indian Policy Specialist, Applied Anthropologist, Applied Cultural Anthropologist, Archaeologist, Communication and Folklore Specialist, Forensic Anthropologist, Historical Archaeologist, Research Archaeologist, Researcher.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do anthropologists and archeologists make?
The national median annual wage for anthropologists and archeologists was $70,770 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $49,050 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $108,060. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do anthropologists and archeologists need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is anthropologists and archeologists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of anthropologists and archeologists to change +6.0% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay anthropologists and archeologists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Massachusetts ($121,300), Nebraska ($94,520), Connecticut ($91,420). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.