Anthropology programs prepare students to study human cultures, societies, and evolution through scientific research and fieldwork. With 225 schools offering this major, students should prioritize programs with strong research opportunities, diverse faculty specializations, and hands-on experience through archaeological digs or ethnographic studies.
Graduates typically earn around $26,086 annually in entry-level positions, often in museums, cultural resource management, or research organizations. When evaluating programs, look for schools with active fieldwork components, modern laboratory facilities, and connections to professional networks. The best programs combine theoretical coursework with practical experience, offering specializations in areas like cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, or biological anthropology to match your specific career interests.
Graduates typically earn around $26,086 annually in entry-level positions, often in museums, cultural resource management, or research organizations. When evaluating programs, look for schools with active fieldwork components, modern laboratory facilities, and connections to professional networks. The best programs combine theoretical coursework with practical experience, offering specializations in areas like cultural anthropology, archaeology, linguistic anthropology, or biological anthropology to match your specific career interests.
25
Schools Ranked
$36,565
Avg. Program Earnings
73.0%
Avg. Graduation Rate
Top 25 Schools
| # | School | Median Earnings | Graduation Rate | School Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Monmouth University
West Long Branch, New Jersey
|
$50,606 | 70.3% | private-nonprofit |
| 2 |
Colby College
Waterville, Maine
|
$44,971 | 90.2% | private-nonprofit |
| 3 |
George Washington University
Washington, District of Columbia
|
$41,565 | 85.2% | private-nonprofit |
| 4 |
Duke University
Durham, North Carolina
|
$40,467 | 95.8% | private-nonprofit |
| 5 |
University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, Maryland
|
$39,729 | 88.6% | public |
| 6 |
Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, New York
|
$38,289 | 95.0% | private-nonprofit |
| 7 |
CUNY Lehman College
Bronx, New York
|
$38,289 | 49.3% | public |
| 8 |
University of Massachusetts-Boston
Boston, Massachusetts
|
$37,208 | 51.1% | public |
| 9 |
Rhodes College
Memphis, Tennessee
|
$37,208 | 81.6% | private-nonprofit |
| 10 |
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
|
$36,668 | 90.9% | private-nonprofit |
| 11 |
Temple University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
|
$36,308 | 74.7% | public |
| 12 |
Dartmouth College
Hanover, New Hampshire
|
$35,060 | 96.0% | private-nonprofit |
| 13 |
Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
|
$35,060 | 95.9% | private-nonprofit |
| 14 |
University of Houston
Houston, Texas
|
$34,603 | 64.9% | public |
| 15 |
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York
|
$34,526 | 95.1% | private-nonprofit |
| 16 |
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver, Colorado
|
$34,420 | 47.4% | public |
| 17 |
Syracuse University
Syracuse, New York
|
$33,993 | 81.4% | private-nonprofit |
| 18 |
Washington College
Chestertown, Maryland
|
$33,938 | 74.1% | private-nonprofit |
| 19 |
CUNY Hunter College
New York, New York
|
$33,565 | 61.0% | public |
| 20 |
Ashford University
San Diego, California
|
$33,459 | 8.8% | private-forprofit |
| 21 |
California State University-Dominguez Hills
Carson, California
|
$33,281 | 46.9% | public |
| 22 |
Brandeis University
Waltham, Massachusetts
|
$32,925 | 86.1% | private-nonprofit |
| 23 |
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
|
$32,925 | 85.0% | private-nonprofit |
| 24 |
CUNY City College
New York, New York
|
$32,569 | 54.7% | public |
| 25 |
California State University-Sacramento
Sacramento, California
|
$32,498 | 55.8% | public |
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Cost & Value
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See our methodology for how rankings are calculated.