Anthropology major

Anthropology: courses, careers, and where to study

Anthropology studies humanity across cultures, languages, and time, suiting students drawn to fieldwork, qualitative research, and questions about how human societies live and change.

An Anthropology major is usually a bachelor's degree that examines humanity through several traditional subfields: cultural anthropology (societies, beliefs, and customs), archaeology (past peoples through their material remains), biological/physical anthropology (human evolution, genetics, and primatology), and linguistic anthropology (language and communication). Programs combine ethnographic and qualitative methods with research design, and many include a field school, lab work in excavation or skeletal analysis, or a senior research project.

A bachelor's in Anthropology prepares graduates for work in cultural resource management, museums, market and user research, international development, nonprofits, and public health, where ethnographic and cross-cultural skills are valued. Many research and academic positions in the field, however, typically require a master's degree or higher. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of anthropologists and archeologists to grow 3.7% from 2024 to 2034, with a 2024 median annual wage of $64,910 reported by BLS.

Anthropology pairs well with sociology, biology, history, or a foreign language, and students leaning toward archaeology or biological anthropology often add coursework in geology, statistics, or laboratory science.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Anthropology maps to CIP 45.0201, Anthropology, General, within the SOCIAL SCIENCES family. The official definition:

A program that focuses on the systematic study of human beings, their antecedents and related primates, and their cultural behavior and institutions, in comparative perspective. Includes instruction in biological/physical anthropology, primatology, human paleontology and prehistoric archeology, hominid evolution, anthropological linguistics, ethnography, ethnology, ethnohistory, socio-cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, research methods, and applications to areas such as medicine, forensic pathology, museum studies, and international affairs.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Cultural anthropology and ethnographic theory
  • Archaeology and excavation methods
  • Biological/physical anthropology and human evolution
  • Linguistic anthropology and language analysis
  • Qualitative research and participant observation
  • Field school or laboratory fieldwork
  • Cross-cultural analysis and research ethics
  • Senior research project or thesis

Typical careers

Typical salary range: BLS, 2024 anthropologists and archeologists median $64,910Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Related occupations

Occupations the federal CIP–SOC crosswalk associates with Anthropology. Linked titles open a CampusPin career page with BLS pay and outlook data; others are listed for reference.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Crosswalk: CIP 2020 to SOC 2018. A program of study does not guarantee any specific occupation.

Before you commit to a Anthropology major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Anthropology program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Anthropology department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Most Anthropology programs are covered by their institution's regional accreditation; specialized programmatic accreditation is less common in this field. Confirm any field-specific accreditation or licensure that matters for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Anthropologycareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Anthropology program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Anthropology programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

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How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.