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Anthropology

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 45.0201 - 45.0299.

Types of Degrees Anthropology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Anthropology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	28
Associate’s Degree	887
Bachelor’s Degree	8,166
Master’s Degree	1,202
Doctor’s Degree	464

What Anthropology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Anthropology develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Anthropology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Anthropology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Anthropology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Anthropology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Anthropology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Anthropology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Anthropology graduates include:

• Compliance Director
• Membership Director
• Board of Education Secretary
• Oil Well Drilling Manager
• Supervisor, Road, Administrator
• Dental Services Director
• House Manager
• Camp Manager
• Research Development Director
• Property Utilization Officer
• Extermination Supervisor
• Water Control Supervisor
• Power Superintendent
• Concert Manager
• Hospitality House Supervisor

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Anthropology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	45.8%
Doctoral degree	17.7%
Master’s degree	12.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.3%
High school diploma or equivalent	5.5%
Postsecondary certificate	3.6%
Some college courses	2.8%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.3%
Post-master’s certificate	1.5%
First professional degree	0.9%
Post-doctoral training	0.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Anthropology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 72.3% of Anthropology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	7,780	72.3%
Men	2,988	27.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Anthropology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	6,100	56.6%
Asian	641	6.0%
Hispanic or Latino	2,155	20.0%
Black or African American	517	4.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native	67	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	16	0.1%
Two or More Races	618	5.7%
Race Unknown	248	2.3%
International Students	406	3.8%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Anthropology Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Anthropology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$29,017
4 years	$40,107
5 years	$48,105

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $48,105 — roughly 66% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Anthropology Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Anthropology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	17	15
Bachelor’s	13	15
Master’s	3	4

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Anthropology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Anthropology graduates earn a median of $40,107 four years after completion — roughly 6% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Social Sciences	185,019
Economics	45,628
Political Science and Government	44,942
Sociology	31,380
Social Sciences, General	17,510
International Relations and National Security Studies	13,035
Criminology	10,365
Geography and Cartography	7,105
Social Sciences, Other	1,942
Urban Studies/Affairs	1,343
Sociology and Anthropology	496
Archeology	393

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.