Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Understanding written information and communicating ideas clearly in writing.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Communicating clearly through speech while listening carefully to understand others.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become an Anthropologist or Archeologist Students assist in the surveying of proposed building sites for artifacts. To enter the occupation, anthropologists and archeologists typically need at least a master’s degree in anthropology or archeology. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have experience doing fieldwork in their discipline.
Education
Anthropologists and archeologists typically need at least a master’s degree to enter the occupation. Some positions require a Ph.D. Master’s degree programs usually take 2 years to complete. Programs in anthropology or archaeology often include field or laboratory research that may take place in the United States or abroad. Students may have the opportunity to attend archeological field schools, which teach them how to excavate archeological sites and how to record and interpret findings and data. A Ph.D. takes additional years of study beyond a master’s degree and typically involves completing a dissertation. Although most positions require a graduate degree, some anthropologists and archaeologists begin their careers with a bachelor’s degree and related experience. They may work as field or laboratory technicians or research assistants, increasing their responsibilities as they get additional education. Other Experience Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have experience in anthropology or archeology. Candidates gain this experience through field
Training
or internships while still in school.
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Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of anthropologists and archeologists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. About 800 openings for anthropologists and archeologists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Corporations are expected to continue to use anthropological research to gain a better understanding of consumer demand within specific cultures or social groups. Anthropologists also will likely be needed to analyze markets, allowing businesses to serve their clients better or to target new customers or demographic groups. Demand for archeologists will likely stem from the need to ensure that builders, museums, and other organizations comply with federal regulations pertaining to the preservation and handling of archeological and historical artifacts. Because anthropological and archeological research may depend on research funding, federal budgetary decisions can affect future employment of these scientists in research. Anthropologists and Archeologists Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Anthropologists and archeologists 6% Social scientists and related workers 4% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Anthropologists and Archeologists Do
Anthropologists and archeologists study the origin, development, and behavior of humans. They study the culture and characteristics of living or past civilizations throughout the world.
Duties
Anthropologists and archeologists typically do the following:
- Plan and oversee cultural research
- Design and coordinate data collection appropriate for a particular region, specialty, or project
- Collect information through methods such as observation and interviews
- Document and manage records of information collected in the field
- Analyze data, artifacts, and other sources of information to uncover patterns about human life, culture, and origins
- Write reports and present research findings
- Advise organizations on the cultural impact of policies, programs, and products
Anthropologists and archeologists use knowledge from the humanities and sciences to examine human behavior. Anthropologists focus on the ways of life, languages, and other characteristics of people throughout the world. Archaeologists research past cultures’ impacts on the customs, values, and habits of societies in the present.
Anthropologists and archaeologists apply their insights to businesses, schools, and other organizations in a variety of ways. For example, an anthropologist may collect and analyze data on a particular culture or social group for purposes of market research on product demand. An archeologist may assess potential construction sites to ensure compliance with federal regulations related to historic preservation.
The equipment used by anthropologists and archeologists varies by task and specialty. For example, they may use audio and video equipment to record research in the field; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to evaluate potential excavation sites; trowels and sieves to collect soil, artifacts, and other objects; and scales and calipers to measure samples in the laboratory.
Anthropologists and archaeologists typically specialize in a particular field, geographic area, or time period. For example, biological and physical anthropologists study evolution and the changing nature of humans and primates. Cultural and social anthropologists study the societal consequences of human issues, such as poverty, over time. Linguistic anthropologists study how languages develop and what they teach us about history and culture.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Anthropologists and archeologists held about 10,200 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of anthropologists and archeologists were as follows:
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 28% |
| Research and development in the social sciences and humanities | 23 |
| Federal government, excluding postal service | 19 |
| Engineering services | 6 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state | 4 |
Archeologists work in a variety of settings, such as in museums, at historical sites, and in laboratories.
Fieldwork usually requires travel for extended periods, sometimes to remote areas that involve rugged living conditions and strenuous physical exertion. Anthropologists and archaeologists may work outdoors in all types of weather, including extreme heat or cold. Depending on the project, they also may need to learn a foreign language.
Anthropologists’ and archaeologists’ work may be stressful because they often face limited funding for their projects.
Work Schedules
Many anthropologists and archeologists work full time. When doing fieldwork, they may be required to work irregular schedules, including long hours, evenings, and weekends.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Analytical skills. Anthropologists and archeologists need to understand scientific methods and data to assess artifacts and other findings from their research. Communication skills. Anthropologists and archeologists must be able to write reports or papers and to present their research findings to a variety of audiences. Critical-thinking skills. Anthropologists and archeologists must be able to draw conclusions and answer questions based on observations, laboratory experiments, and other methods of research. Observational skills. Anthropologists and archeologists study people, sites, and objects, paying particular attention to the surroundings and other sources relevant to their research. Physical stamina. When conducting fieldwork, anthropologists and archeologists may need to hike or walk several miles while carrying equipment to a research site.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about anthropologists and archeologists by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.