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Government and Public Agencies
National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, Smithsonian Institution
Anthropologists and Archeologists
Anthropologists and archeologists study people through artifacts, site evidence, interviews, and records, then turn that research into reports, theories, or advice for agencies and communities. The job stands out because it mixes fieldwork and analysis with public-facing work, and the main tradeoff is that careful, slow research has to fit into tight budgets, short project timelines, and a very small job market.
Also known as ArchaeologistAnthropologistCultural AnthropologistApplied AnthropologistField Archaeologist
Median Salary
$64,910
Mean $71,070
U.S. Workforce
~8K
0.8K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+3.7%
8.8K to 9.2K
Entry Education
Master's degree
+ None experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Anthropologists and Archeologists sits in the Science category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~8K workers, with a median annual pay of $64,910 and roughly 0.8K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 8.8 K in 2024 to 9.2K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Doctoral Degree, and employers typically expect none of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Field Archaeology Technician and can progress toward Lead Consultant / Program Manager. High-value skills usually include Qualitative Research Methods & Ethnography, ArcGIS, QGIS & Spatial Analysis, and SPSS, R & Excel Data Analysis, paired with soft skills such as Speaking, Writing, and Active Listening.
Core Responsibilities
- Gather clues from sites, documents, interviews, and observations to understand how people lived or how a community might be affected by a project.
- Advise agencies, nonprofits, or local leaders on development plans, land use, and policies that could affect cultural places or community life.
- Work with communities to study how people organize work and daily activities, then suggest better systems, tools, or layouts.
- Record findings with notes, photos, audio, and video so the material can be reviewed and analyzed later.
Keep exploring: more Science careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Gather clues from sites, documents, interviews, and observations to understand how people lived or how a community might be affected by a project.
02 Advise agencies, nonprofits, or local leaders on development plans, land use, and policies that could affect cultural places or community life.
03 Work with communities to study how people organize work and daily activities, then suggest better systems, tools, or layouts.
04 Record findings with notes, photos, audio, and video so the material can be reviewed and analyzed later.
05 Study artifacts and other evidence to build explanations about how past cultures began, changed, and interacted.
06 Use interviews, focus groups, and direct observation to design practical ways to reduce conflict or improve programs and services.
Industries That Hire
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Universities and Research Centers
Harvard University, University of Arizona, University of California, Berkeley
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Cultural Resource Management and Consulting
SWCA Environmental Consultants, AECOM, TRC Companies
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Museums and Heritage Institutions
The Field Museum, American Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
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Tribal Governments and Indigenous Organizations
Navajo Nation, Cherokee Nation, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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The pay is solid for a research career, with a mean annual wage of $71,070 and a median of $64,910.
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BLS says no work experience or on-the-job training is typically required, so once you have the degree, there is not usually a long apprenticeship period.
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The work is varied: one week may involve field observation, the next may be interviews, document review, or writing reports.
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The job can affect real decisions about land use, museums, and public policy, so the research often has visible results.
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Strong speaking, writing, and listening skills transfer well to government, nonprofit, academic, and consulting settings.
Challenges
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The field is very small, with only about 8,070 jobs now and projected growth of just 3.7% by 2034, or about 0.3 thousand new jobs.
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There are only about 0.8 thousand annual openings, so getting a spot can be competitive even for well-qualified applicants.
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The education bar is high for the pay: BLS lists a master's degree as the typical entry level, and many workers have doctorates.
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Many jobs depend on grants, contracts, or public budgets, so hiring can slow down when funding dries up.
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A lot of the best opportunities are tied to specific sites, agencies, or universities, which can limit where you can live and work.
Career Progression
Field Archaeology Technician
0-2 years
$36K-$48K
Supports surveys, digs, interviews, cataloging, and note-taking while learning how research projects are run.
Anthropologist / Archeologist
3-7 years
$55K-$80K
Plans studies, collects evidence, writes reports, and explains findings to clients, agencies, or the public.
Senior Researcher THIS ROLE
8-12 years
$80K-$105K
Leads projects, supervises junior staff, and turns field and interview data into conclusions that can guide decisions.
Lead Consultant / Program Manager
13+ years
$105K-$140K
Oversees budgets, proposals, and stakeholder relationships while setting the direction for larger research or compliance work.
Education Paths
Doctoral Degree
The most common path, held by 40% of workers, especially for university, museum, and research-heavy roles.
Master's Degree
A major entry route, held by 30% of workers, and it matches the BLS typical entry expectation for the occupation.
Bachelor's Degree with Field School or Research Experience
A smaller path, held by 20% of workers, often leading first to technician or support roles before moving into full professional work.
Graduate Certificate, Field School, or Museum/CRM Training
Not a standard share in the distribution data, but this can help someone qualify for entry support work or build experience for a later degree.
Key Skills
Technical
Qualitative Research Methods & Ethnography 84%
ArcGIS, QGIS & Spatial Analysis 78%
SPSS, R & Excel Data Analysis 75%
Archaeological Field Methods & Excavation 73%
Audio, Photo & Video Documentation 71%
NVivo, Zotero & Research Documentation 68%
Soft Skills
SpeakingWritingActive ListeningCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionComplex Problem Solving Job Outlook and Trends
+3.7%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
0.8K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 8.8K to 9.2 K over the next decade, representing 3.7% growth. Around 0.8 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Limited. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.