### SUMMARY

 Majoring in Anthropology is a valuable choice and commonly a critical first step for undergraduates wanting to pursue a career as an excavator consultant, an ethnomusicology, or an anthropologist. Interestingly, nationally, anthropology is fairly common ranking as the 56th most popular degree. Last academic year, there were 9,040 anthropology diplomas received. In-state tuition for anthropology at private institutions is, on average, 4.9 times more costly than their public counterparts.

 There are 461 institutions that offer anthropology. This number of colleges is on par with other majors offered in the United States. If you're hoping to surround yourself with other anthropology undergrads, consider institutions in California which have the most students admitted to anthropology annually. More generally, the best region to study anthropology is in the Far West region with [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), [University of California-Riverside](/colleges/university-of-california-riverside), and [University of California-Santa Barbara](/colleges/university-of-california-santa-barbara) best representing the region. Interestingly, our pick for the best conference to study anthropology is the Pacific-12 Conference with [University of California-Berkeley](/colleges/university-of-california-berkeley), [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), and [University of Colorado Boulder](/colleges/university-of-colorado-boulder) representing the conference. That being said, our selection for the best university for anthropology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You may also want to check out our list of the [best colleges](/rankings/best-colleges).

 The best school does not mean it is the best school for every student. There might be a bunch of factors to weigh when choosing ​university. External stuff such as campus amenities, transportation services, and food might alter one's decision on which university to attend. Here at authority.org, we weighed the pros and cons for you. If, for example, you want to know which anthropology school has the top campus, the answer is [Harvard University](/colleges/harvard-university). If, for example, you are primarily interested in which university has the finest campus, we have an entire page [dedicated to that](/rankings/best-college-campuses). We have carefully pored through government databases, professor reviews, student reviews, and more so we can compare every major in an unbiased and informative way. Here you can explore our well researched list for the universities with the [best student life](/rankings/best-student-life)&nbspand, from that list, our pick of the university with the best student life for anthropology is [University of Michigan-Ann Arbor](/colleges/university-of-michigan-ann-arbor). Are you curious why? Keep scrolling to find out more about Authority's top recommendations. Many of our conclusions just might surprise you.

 If price is a major factor in your decision on where to go to university, you might consider avoiding [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york). [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspappears to be our most expensive school for anthropology, at least regarding out of state enrollment. We do have a list of the [most expensive](/rankings/most-expensive-colleges)&nbspuniversities that might put the cost at [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york)&nbspinto perspective. You could also care to know that anthropology is the 34th most expensive major in the nation, with an average bill of $51,100. To zoom out a little, the most expensive state for anthropology nationally is District of Columbia with expenses at the primary three colleges American University of $49,070, George Washington University of $54,453, and costs at Georgetown University of $54,453. To zoom out even further, the most expensive region of the country for anthropology is the New England region which is best demonstrated with [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with a cost of $57,640, [Tufts University](/colleges/tufts-university) with a cost of $57,324, and [Brown University](/colleges/brown-university) with a cost of $57,112.

 Our cheapest region for anthropology is the Rocky Mountains region which is represented by [Brigham Young University-Provo](/colleges/brigham-young-university-provo) with a cost of $5,790, [Weber State University](/colleges/weber-state-university) with a cost of $14,973, and [University of Wyoming](/colleges/university-of-wyoming) with a cost of $13,392. In better news, the most affordable school for anthropology is [Binghamton University](/colleges/binghamton-university). Authority.org's entire list of the most affordable universities can be explored [here](/rankings/most-affordable-colleges).

 In-state learners can expect to pay about $10,300 for a degree in anthropology. That price inflates dramatically to an average of $24,900 for an out-of-state public-school undergrad. On that note, our pick for the university representing the best value for anthropology: [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). Through this link you can find our comprehensive list of the universities we believe to be the [best value](/rankings/best-value-colleges)&nbspin general. Bear in mind, this discussion is based on out-of-state tuition costs. The value proposition changes when in-state tuition costs are considered, as such, we are using out-of-state tuition as the baseline.

 Earnings for anthropology majors differ a lot, but within two-years of completing the major students will regularly make in the neighborhood of $42,900. While there is a lot of variation in earnings potential; highest paid earners can bring in up to $81,700. Right out of school, the lowest end positions within the anthropology space make $22,900, which could be worse. The highest earning graduates from anthropology have come from [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university)&nbspand if you want to find the universities with all of the [highest earning graduates](/rankings/highest-earning-graduates), we have that too.

 The general diversity of anthropology ranks near the top, ranking in the 78th percentile of majors nationally. The university with the most composite diversity for anthropology is [New York University](/colleges/new-york-university)&nbspand here you can find our general list for the schools with the [most diversity](/rankings/most-diverse-colleges). The overall financial diversity of Anthropology is only in the 44th percentile compared to all other majors. Racial diversity is greater than financial diversity, ranking in the 73rd percentile. White undergraduates make up the largest proportion at 54% of scholars studying anthropology. Additionally, 72% of undergraduates seeking an anthropology major are women.

 The median score of anthropology professors is 4 stars, a score that is surprisingly the median for all majors; which is a fine. If you are curious about the most popular anthropology professor in the nation, look no further than Britton Shepardson at [Northern Arizona University](/colleges/northern-arizona-university). This may be a shock, but the highest rated professors for anthropology according to students are found at [Temple University](/colleges/temple-university). As we incorporate data other than simply rankings we find that the school possessing the overall best professors for anthropology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). You will find more detail on our ever evolving ranking methodology of the [best overall professors here](/rankings/best-professors), as well as some of the finest professors in the country.

 Finally, the hardest school to get into for anthropology is [Stanford University](/colleges/stanford-university). While we are unsure why you would be interested, we do have a comprehensive page for the [hardest colleges to get into](/rankings/hardest-colleges-to-get-into). That being said, here at Authority we do hope you believe that considering higher education from context only formed from superlatives could be said to be the root of many of higher education's fundamental issues. We encourage you to read our more nuanced pages on different colleges and explore a couple of our background articles on beneficial things to consider as you continue your college search.



 ### POPULARITY

 Anthropology is the 56th most popular degree in America, with 9,040 students receiving their bachelors degree last year. It just beat out #57 [Special Education and Teaching](/rankings/best-colleges-for-special-education-and-teaching), and narrowly lost to #55 [Econometrics and Quantitative Economics](/rankings/best-colleges-for-econometrics-and-quantitative-economics).

 The degree is offered at a total of 461 colleges across the nation, and is the 43rd most widely offered degree. Given that anthropology is offered at 78% of the Top 100 [Best Colleges](/rankings/best-colleges) in America, you can be sure this is a critical degree and the skillsets acquired are likely to last for a long time.

 It is also worth noting that 67% of colleges offering anthropology are public making it a quite accessible field.

 The far west produces the most anthropology graduates, largely led by [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles), while it’s the Pacific-12 Conference that leads conference totals. As far as states, California ranks highest, with particular help from [University of California-Los Angeles](/colleges/university-of-california-los-angeles) and [University of California-Riverside](/colleges/university-of-california-riverside).

 All that being said, no individual school produces more anthropology graduates than [Pima Community College](/colleges/pima-community-college), which graduated 244 students last year alone. Although size is critical, another important factor to consider is the program’s density (the percent of all students that study anthropology). More students studied anthropology as a percentage of total students at [Beloit College](/colleges/beloit-college) than any other college.



 ### COST

 Anthropology is the 34th most expensive major in the United States, with a median cost of $51,103 among the top 50 programs (just ahead of #35, [Sociology](rankings/best-colleges-for-sociology), with a median cost of $51,014).

 New England has the most expensive colleges with top 50 anthropology programs predominantly led by [Amherst College](/colleges/amherst-college) with an annual cost of $57,640. District of Columbia is the most expensive state for anthropology led by [American University](/colleges/american-university) and [George Washington University](/colleges/george-washington-university).

 Public schools with solid programs typically charge 79.48% less than private schools for in-state students. However, when looking at out-of-state tuition, the median top 50 Public school charges 50.32% less than the median private school. So, if you're trying to find a state school, make sure you're eligible for in-state tuition as soon as possible.

 The most high-priced option in the top 25 is [Columbia University in the City of New York](/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york), which is the 3rd most expensive college in the US. The most affordable option in the top 100 is [University of South Florida-Main Campus](/colleges/university-of-south-florida-main-campus). It costs just $15,473 per year, but it is ranked 52nd for its anthropology program. If you’re looking for a higher ranked, but still affordable school, [Binghamton University](/colleges/binghamton-university)  is probably for you, ranked #12 with an in-state cost of just $7,070. Another more affordable option would be #3, [University of Florida](/colleges/university-of-florida) in Alachua County, FL with a cost of $4,477 for in-state students and $25,694 for out-of-state students.



### SALARY

 Starting college is a large investment for most undergraduates. It is critical to make sure you increase your future earning power. Therefore, we hope the following job placement and earnings facts help you in deciding your major at college.

 The average Anthropology alumni brings home a first year salary of $27,793 per year (bottom 13%). Further into their careers, they can generate as high as $81,699 to as little as $22,913, but average roughly $42,907. Just so you know, that's 11% north of the national average.

 The most popular job title for an Anthropology graduate is Sales Assistant, which often earn approximately $24,000; next are Analyst and Account Executive, which normally make more or less $54,000 and $36,000 respectively.

 The highest earning region for Anthropology graduates is The Southwest. ME has the highest earning Anthropology graduates of any state. New England Small College Athletic Conference has the best paid Anthropology graduates of any conference..



### PROFESSORS

 Fast Facts for Anthropology: Median Professor Rating: 4 / 5, which is average.

 Instructors again and again have a mighty influence your college experience, no matter what you major in. A thoughtful instructor can provide inspiration and even make a difficult subject seem fun. On the other hand, a bad professor can interrupt your schooling or even worse... flunk you!

 Anthropology professors have a median student rating of 4 out of 5, which puts them in the top 48th percentile in America based on overall professor effectivness. Suprisingly, this major is exactly the median for professor rating, which, in our opinion, is remarkably average! Anthropology professors barely edged-out those from ["Business Administration and Management"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-business-administration-and-management), whereas ["Marketing"](/rankings/best-colleges-for-marketing)&nbspprofessors ranked one slot above Anthropology.

 Now for some statistics about Anthropology professors. Colleges located in remote rural areas tend to have the best Anthropology professors. The Conference Carolinas has the highest rated Anthropology professors. The Far West region has the highest rated Anthropology professors. Public schools tend to have higher rated Anthropology professors than private institutions. Finally, Wyoming has the highest rated Anthropology professors in the US.

 Britton Shepardson, professor at [Northern Arizona University](/colleges/northern-arizona-university)&nbspin Flagstaff, AZ is the most popular Anthropology professor in America. Sarah Wessler, professor at [CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College](/colleges/cuny-borough-of-manhattan-community-college)&nbspin New York, NY is the highest rated Anthropology professor in the United States, with a rating of 5 / 5.

 See which schools have the [Best Professors](/rankings/best-professors)!



### STUDENTS

 College often is a particularly momentous time of one's life; it's an occasion for individual progress and expansion. Pupils start to capture who they dream to be and forge many of the required skills to be a thriving adult. But growth is more than what one learns in the classroom - the discussions one has with their schoolmates, the life lesson gained from a tenured instructor, the exposure to a different attitude. As such, finding a diverse college vastly improves what one gains from the time at university.

 Anthropology is a more ethnically diverse focus than average\*. 54% of the United States' Anthropology majors are white students, followed by latino students (19%), students of other races\*\*(13%), and asian students (9%). The most ethnically diverse college\* in the top 100 is [University of California-Irvine](/colleges/university-of-california-irvine)&nbspin Irvine, CA.

 Moreover, Anthropology significatly skews female, with more or less five in seven students majoring in Anthropology identifying as women. The most gender balanced school in the top 100 is [Trinity College](/colleges/trinity-college) in Hartford, CT.

 Another substantial type of diversity is class diversity. Anthropology ranks pretty close to the median for income diversity (56th percentile). 30% of its majors come from families earning more than $110,000 per year, 16% are from households with $48,000 to $75,000 annual incomes, and 24% grew up in homes that bring in less than $30,000 a year. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-at-chapel-hill) has the most fiscally diverse students in the top 100.

 Considering each type of diversity, overall NJ is the most diverse state for Anthropology. The Far West is the most diverse region, and the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference is the most diverse conference.

   \* diversity calculations and comparisons are based on [Simpson's Diversity Index](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diversity_index)   
  \*\* other races is used to refer to non asian, black, latino, or white

  #### Diversity Statistics

  ##### Racial Diversity

 * Asian: 9%
* Black: 5%
* Latino: 19%
* White: 54%
* Other: 13%
  ##### Gender Diversity

 * Male: 28%
* Female: 72%
  ##### Socioeconomic Diversity (By Household Income)

 * Under 30k: 24%
* 30k - 48k: 15%
* 48k - 75k: 16%
* 75k - 110k: 14%
* Over 110k: 30%
  ##### Geographic Diversity

 * In State: 61%
* Out of State: 30%
* International: 9%


2023 Anthropology Salary

There are about 31,855 students enrolled in Anthropology in the USA.

SALARY