Anthropologists and Archeologists Salary

The median anthropologists and archeologists salary in the United States is $70,770 per year ($34.02/hour). Salaries range from $49,050 at the entry level to $108,060+ for the top 10% of earners. There are 8,990 anthropologists and archeologists jobs nationwide. Employment is projected to grow 3.7% through 2034.

Last updated: June 2026 Β· Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Also known asAnthropologistArchaeologist
Median Salary
$70,770
per year
Hourly Rate
$34.02
per hour
Employment
8,990
jobs in the U.S.

Salary Distribution

10th percentile
$49,050
25th percentile
$59,400
Median
$70,770
75th percentile
$89,670
90th percentile
$108,060

Job Growth (2024-2034)

+3.7%
As fast as average

Annual Openings

800
jobs/year (growth + replacements)

Education Required

Master's degree

Anthropologists and Archeologists Career Guide

Interview questions, resume templates, and a career ladder written specifically for anthropologists and archeologistss.

Anthropologists and archeologists study human societies, past and present β€” through fieldwork, cultural analysis, and material evidence. Careers split between academia (tenure-track), cultural resource management (CRM), federal and tribal government, and industry UX research. Entry field technician $32-48k; CRM Project Archaeologist $50-72k; senior CRM PI or federal GS-12 $75-115k; senior industry UX research anthropologist $135-215k+. Most jobs require an MA; academic and PI-level roles require a PhD.

Core Skills Hiring Managers Screen For

Field methods (survey, excavation, ethnography)
Systematic archaeological survey, controlled excavation, site recording, and photogrammetry. Cultural anthropology uses ethnographic interviewing, participant observation, and community-based research.
Material culture analysis
Lithics, ceramics, faunal remains, and increasingly biomolecular (ancient DNA, isotopes, residue analysis) in archaeology. Requires typology, taxonomy, and lab technique.
Compliance archaeology (Section 106, NAGPRA)
National Historic Preservation Act, NEPA, and NAGPRA govern almost all CRM work. Knowing the regulatory framework is non-negotiable in the private sector.
Report writing and technical communication
CRM reports, journal articles, and public-facing summaries. Deliverables must satisfy state historic preservation offices (SHPOs), tribal historic preservation officers (THPOs), and clients.
GIS and spatial analysis
ArcGIS or QGIS for site mapping, viewshed analysis, and predictive modeling. Every CRM firm expects GIS proficiency.
Qualitative and quantitative research design
Mixed-methods for cultural anthropology; systematic sampling for archaeology; statistics for industry UX applications.
Community engagement and consultation
Tribal consultation, descendant community collaboration, and participatory research. Now considered essential ethics β€” not optional.

How to Become a Anthropologists and Archeologists

  1. 1
    Earn a bachelor's in anthropology, archaeology, or a related field
    Coursework in the four fields (cultural, biological, archaeological, linguistic) plus a field school. Field school is the entry gate for archaeology jobs.
  2. 2
    Complete a field school
    $3-6k for 6-8 weeks of supervised excavation or ethnographic fieldwork. Required by RPA and most CRM employers.
  3. 3
    Earn a master's for compliance archaeology, CRM Principal Investigator, or professional practice
    MA in anthropology, archaeology, or cultural resource management. Funded assistantships at many programs.
  4. 4
    Pursue a PhD for academic, senior industry, or research-lead positions
    5-8 year PhD with dissertation fieldwork. Funded through TA/RA. Postdoc common before tenure-track.
  5. 5
    Take a role at a CRM firm, museum, federal or tribal government, or industry UX team
    $48-115k depending on level and setting. Industry UX research (Google, Meta, Microsoft, IDEO) pays 2-3x academic salaries for anthropologists with mixed-methods skills.

Career Progression

Field Technician / Crew Chief
0-3 yrs$32-48k (typical hourly $18-24, seasonal)
  • β€’Excavate, screen, and document under PI supervision
  • β€’Complete site forms, level notes, and photos
  • β€’Assist with lab processing and cataloging
  • β€’Field school and RPA-compliant field experience
Next: Project Archaeologist or Ethnographer at 2-5 years.
Project Archaeologist / Cultural Anthropologist
3-8 yrs$52-78k
  • β€’Direct field crews of 4-15 on Section 106 surveys and excavations
  • β€’Author or contribute to technical reports
  • β€’Coordinate with SHPO, THPO, and client stakeholders
  • β€’Analyze artifact assemblages
Next: Sr Archaeologist or PI at 6-12 years.
Sr Archaeologist / PI / Sr Research Anthropologist
7-14 yrs$78-125k
  • β€’Serve as Principal Investigator for CRM projects
  • β€’Manage $200k-$2M project portfolios
  • β€’Own client relationships and business development
  • β€’Publish in peer-reviewed or professional venues
Next: Director, Chief Archaeologist, or academic tenure at 12-20 years.
Director / Chief Archaeologist / Full Professor / Sr Design Researcher
14+ yrs$115-235k+
  • β€’Direct CRM regional office or academic program
  • β€’Lead multi-year research programs or lab operations
  • β€’Represent the profession publicly and with regulators
  • β€’Mentor graduate students and early-career professionals
Next: SVP CRM, endowed chair, or executive research leadership.

Interview Questions & Answers

5 free questions below. Career Kit unlocks 13 total plus resume bullets for every level.

Q1. Walk me through your last field project.technical
Project scope (Phase I survey, Phase II testing, or Phase III mitigation), the regulatory driver (Section 106, state law), the crew size, the methods used, and the outcome β€” did we identify NRHP-eligible sites? Numbers matter: acres surveyed, shovel tests, features documented, artifacts cataloged.
Q2. How do you approach tribal consultation?situational
Consultation isn't a checkbox β€” start early, follow tribal protocol on communication, respect confidentiality of sacred site information, and be prepared to modify project scope if consultation surfaces concerns. THPOs are peer professionals; consultation is government-to-government where applicable.
Q3. Describe a project that had a compliance issue and how you resolved it.behavioral
STAR. Situation: unanticipated discovery of human remains during monitoring on a linear utility corridor. Task: stop-work, follow the state and federal protocols. Action: immediate stop-work, notified SHPO, THPO, and law enforcement, consulted with descendant tribal community, and worked out an in-situ preservation plan with the client. Result: project rerouted, remains left in place, tribal community trust preserved.
Q4. Why anthropology or archaeology?culture
It's the field that treats humans holistically β€” history, biology, culture, material. I like both the fieldwork and the writing, and the discipline is grappling honestly with its colonial past through indigenous archaeology, community-based approaches, and repatriation. That evolution is where I want to work.
Q5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?closer
Sr PI or Sr Research Anthropologist with an active portfolio of Section 106 or applied research. Longer term I'd consider director-level CRM leadership or a shift into industry UX research where mixed-methods depth is valued.

Resume Template β€” Project Archaeologist / Cultural Anthropologist (3-8 yrs)

Copy these bullets into your resume as a starting point. Career Kit includes bullets for every level of the ladder.

Project Archaeologist / Cultural Anthropologist (3-8 yrs)
  • β–ΈDirected 12 Phase I and Phase II projects across [state], surveying 4,200 acres and documenting 68 archaeological sites.
  • β–ΈAuthored or co-authored 15 technical reports for federal agencies (BLM, FS, USACE) and state SHPOs.
  • β–ΈRegister of Professional Archaeologists (RPA) certified. MA Anthropology with archaeology emphasis, [university].
  • β–ΈGIS proficient (ArcGIS Pro). Fluent Spanish for descendant community consultation.

What Gets You Rejected

  • βœ—No field school or RPA-qualifying field experience β€” a dealbreaker at CRM firms.
  • βœ—Weak Section 106 or NAGPRA knowledge β€” the regulatory framework is 80% of the job.
  • βœ—Poor report writing β€” CRM lives or dies on technical deliverables.
  • βœ—Dismissive of tribal consultation β€” a career-ending attitude and increasingly a legal exposure.
  • βœ—Shallow analytical skills (artifact typology, GIS, statistics) β€” CRM firms screen for hands-on capability.
  • βœ—Overreliance on academic framing in an applied job β€” CRM and industry roles need practical output.

Salary Negotiation Levers

  • βœ“RPA (Register of Professional Archaeologists) certification β€” required for PI status on most federal projects.
  • βœ“PhD commands 25-40% premium over MA at senior CRM and academic positions.
  • βœ“Bioanthropology, zooarchaeology, or GIS specialty β€” pay premium at CRM and academic institutions.
  • βœ“Industry UX research (Google, Meta, Microsoft, IDEO) β€” 2-3x academic salaries for anthropologists with mixed-methods depth.
  • βœ“Federal (GS-12 to GS-14) and tribal government β€” strong benefits and pension, though pay bands are fixed.
  • βœ“Metro premium: CRM in California, Colorado, and DC-area federal offices pay 15-25% above baseline.

Anthropologists and Archeologists Resume Review β€” $29

Personalized resume review from someone who has hired anthropologists and archeologistss. Purchase, email your resume to support@weblabra.com, and receive detailed written feedback within 7 days.

  • βœ“ Occupation-specific critique (not generic)
  • βœ“ Rewrite suggestions for weak bullets
  • βœ“ Missing skills / keywords flagged
  • βœ“ Formatting + ATS-readability feedback
  • βœ“ 7-day turnaround, 100% refund if we miss it

Anthropologists and Archeologists Career Kit β€” $19

  • βœ“ All 13 interview questions with expert answers
  • βœ“ 6 real questions aggregated from Glassdoor, Blind, Reddit, LinkedIn
  • βœ“ Interview format intel for 6 top employers
  • βœ“ 3 copy-paste salary negotiation emails
  • βœ“ Resume bullets for every level of the career ladder
  • βœ“ 30–60–90 day plan for your first role
  • βœ“ Cover letter templates specific to this occupation
  • βœ“ Detailed salary negotiation script
  • βœ“ Ranked list of certifications with cost + ROI
  • βœ“ Downloadable PDF for offline access
  • βœ“ Instant access, no expiration, no subscription
βœ“ 7-day money-back guarantee β€” no questions asked

One-time purchase. 7-day refund guarantee.

Sample reviews β€” real customer reviews will appear here as they come in.

β€œThe interview question bank saved me. I got the exact question about 'walking through a DCF' at my Goldman Sachs superday, verbatim.”

β€” Anonymous, Financial Analyst

β€œCopy-paste negotiation emails are worth the price alone. I used the 'accepting with counter' template and got an extra $8k signing bonus.”

β€” Anonymous, Software Developer

β€œThe 30-60-90 day plan for a new grad RN was better than the orientation my hospital gave. Wish I'd bought this in nursing school.”

β€” Anonymous, Registered Nurse

Anthropologists and Archeologists Salary by State

Best Cities (cost-adjusted) β†’

Salary Map β€” Click a state for details

$42K
$121Kβ–  No data

Top Paying States

Massachusetts
$121K
+71%
Nebraska
$95K
+34%
Connecticut
$91K
+29%
Alaska
$90K
+27%
Idaho
$89K
+25%
Oregon
$85K
+20%
Hawaii
$85K
+19%
Virginia
$80K
+13%
Pennsylvania
$80K
+13%
Montana
$79K
+12%
Vertical line = national median. Click a state for full details.
StateMedianvs. National
Massachusetts$121,300+71.4%
Nebraska$94,520+33.6%
Connecticut$91,420+29.2%
Alaska$89,810+26.9%
Idaho$88,710+25.3%
Oregon$84,970+20.1%
Hawaii$84,530+19.4%
Virginia$80,230+13.4%
Pennsylvania$79,660+12.6%
Montana$79,420+12.2%
1–10 of 45

Anthropologists and Archeologists Salary by Metro Area

Metro AreaMedianvs. National
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$117,080+65.4%
Boise City, ID$104,250+47.3%
Anchorage, AK$94,210+33.1%
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$87,400+23.5%
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$85,160+20.3%
Urban Honolulu, HI$84,530+19.4%
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC$80,270+13.4%
Richmond, VA$80,230+13.4%
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$79,780+12.7%
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$79,530+12.4%
1–10 of 56
Data Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Data reflects the most recent annual survey.
How does this compare to pro athletes?
A anthropologists and archeologists earning $70,770/year would need 842 years to match Stephen Curry's NBA salary, or 904 yearsto match Patrick Mahomes' NFL contract.
See all sports & celebrity salaries β†’
πŸ“ˆ See how anthropologists and archeologists salaries have changed over the past decade.
View Anthropologists and Archeologists salary trend (2011–2024) β†’