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Anthropologist

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What Do Anthropologist Do?

Anthropologist Example Research, evaluate, and establish public policy concerning the origins of humans; their physical, social, linguistic, and cultural development; and their behavior, as well as the cultures, organizations, and institutions they have created.

A Day in the Life of an Anthropologist

  • Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
  • Explain the origins and physical, social, or cultural development of humans, including physical attributes, cultural traditions, beliefs, languages, resource management practices, and settlement patterns.
  • Collaborate with economic development planners to decide on the implementation of proposed development policies, plans, and programs based on culturally institutionalized barriers and facilitating circumstances.
  • Examine museum collections of hominid fossils to classify anatomical and physiological variations and to determine how they fit into evolutionary theory.
  • Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
  • Construct and test data collection methods.

What an Anthropologist Should Know

These are the skills Anthropologists say are the most useful in their careers:

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.

  • Researcher
  • Forensic Anthropologist
  • Ethnologist
  • Research Anthropologist
  • Egyptologist

Job Demand for Anthropologists

In the United States, there were 7,600 jobs for Anthropologist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 3.9% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 300 new jobs for Anthropologist by 2026. The BLS estimates 700 yearly job openings in this field.

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The states with the most job growth for Anthropologist are Washington, Nebraska, and Utah. Watch out if you plan on working in Pennsylvania, Wyoming, or West Virginia. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of an Anthropologist

The salary for Anthropologists ranges between about $36,840 and $97,170 a year.

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Anthropologists who work in Massachusetts, Hawaii, or Idaho, make the highest salaries.

How much do Anthropologists make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $54,390
Arizona $64,660
Arkansas $58,240
California $67,030
Colorado $63,940
Florida $54,130
Georgia $67,550
Hawaii $82,550
Idaho $71,520
Illinois $62,650
Kentucky $59,740
Louisiana $68,690
Maryland $53,680
Massachusetts $91,140
Missouri $56,880
Montana $62,690
Nebraska $74,280
Nevada $60,480
New Jersey $64,950
New Mexico $58,300
New York $67,860
North Carolina $63,690
North Dakota $62,110
Ohio $63,280
Oklahoma $56,150
Oregon $63,090
Pennsylvania $70,770
South Carolina $62,230
South Dakota $52,340
Tennessee $59,690
Texas $71,590
Utah $66,410
Virginia $72,480
Washington $74,300
West Virginia $50,550
Wisconsin $55,720
Wyoming $67,400

What Tools do Anthropologists Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Anthropologists may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Microsoft Access
  • Word processing software
  • Data visualization software
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Autodesk AutoCAD
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Structured query language SQL
  • The MathWorks MATLAB
  • SAS
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Illustrator
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign

How do I Become an Anthropologist?

What education is needed to be an Anthropologist?

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What work experience do I need to become an Anthropologist?

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Who Employs Anthropologists?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Anthropologists employed by various industries.

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Similar Careers

Those thinking about becoming an Anthropologist might also be interested in the following careers:

Those who work as an Anthropologist sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:

References:

Image Credit: Deror avi via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic license.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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