Education

  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Administration
  • Library/Information science
  • Community education
  • Higher education:
    • Admissions
    • Financial aid
    • Academic advising
    • Development
    • Alumni affairs
    • International education
    • Programs abroad
    • Career services
    • Residence life
    • Student activities
    • Greek life
    • Orientation
    • Leadership

Employers

  • Universities/colleges/community colleges
  • University research institutes or laboratories
  • Campus museums
  • Zoos
  • Nature centers

Strategies

  • Earn a Ph.D. in Anthropology for university and college faculty positions or an M.A./M.S. for community college positions.
  • Earn a graduate degree in College Student Affairs, Library/Information Science or related field for work in student affairs, administration, or libraries.
  • Gain research experience by assisting professors or participating in independent studies.
  • Maintain a high GPA and develop strong personal recommendations.
  • Develop excellent communication and presentation skills.
  • Get involved in campus leadership positions such as Resident Assistant, Peer Advisor, or Admissions Tour Guide.

Museums and Archives

  • Functions:
    • Curation/Management/Administration
    • Acquisition
    • Preservation/Conservation/Restoration
    • Arrangement
    • Cataloguing/Categorizing
    • Exhibition/Installation
    • Describing
    • Analyzing
    • Authenticating
    • Maintaining records
    • Research
    • Education
    • Development

Employers

  • Natural history or history museums
  • Historical homes
  • Art galleries
  • Libraries
  • Special collections
  • Historical societies
  • Universities and colleges
  • State and local government
  • Federal government: National Archives and Records Administration
  • Corporations
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Research institutions

Strategies

  • Earn a graduate degree in museum studies, conservation, information science, or related area.
  • Research prerequisites and take the necessary courses. The most competitive candidates may have more than one graduate degree.
  • Acquire strong computer knowledge and experience.
  • Obtain an internship in a related organization.
  • Volunteer at campus or community museums.
  • Get involved with relevant student organizations.
  • Develop excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational skills, and an attention to detail.
  • Learn about grant writing, budgeting, and legal issues surrounding historical artifacts.
  • Join professional associations to have access to industry news and job information.
  • Attend relevant conferences, seminars, and trainings.
  • Earn the “Certified Archivist” designation.
  • Most curators specialize in a material or objects.
  • Be prepared to relocate to access the most employment opportunities.

Archaeology

  • Cultural resource management
  • Research
  • Excavation
  • Field work

Employers

  • Consulting firms
  • Environmental/Engineering companies
  • Firms specializing in archaeological investigation
  • Historic preservation societies
  • Government:
    • Urban and city planning offices
    • United States Department of Agriculture
    • Department of the Army

Strategies

  • Field positions require a bachelor’s degree and previous field experience. Get involved with faculty research or other research programs.
  • Obtain a graduate degree for more opportunities and to direct field crews.
  • Be willing to travel and possibly endure adverse living/working conditions during field studies or excavations. Conditions and hours vary with the type of work or research performed.

Government

  • Administration
  • Cultural resource management
  • Surveying
  • Site management
  • Excavation
  • Research
  • Museum conservation
  • Legislative compliance review
  • Program management and evaluation
  • Impact assessment:
    • Social
    • Environmental
  • Policy analysis
  • Urban planning
  • Translation/Interpretation
  • Immigration
  • Epidemiology

Employers

  • Federal agencies:
    • Bureau of Indian Affairs
    • Bureau of Land Management
    • Central Intelligence Agency
    • Federal Bureau of Investigation
    • National Institutes of Health
    • National Park Service
    • Public Health Service
    • Smithsonian Institute
    • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
    • U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
    • U.S. Department of State
    • U.S. Forest Service
  • Departments of:
    • Conservation
    • Health and Human Services
    • Housing and Urban Development
    • Natural Resources
  • State agencies:
    • Historic Preservation Offices
    • Parks Departments
    • Highway Departments
    • Medical Examiners/Coroners
    • Tennessee Valley Authority

Strategies

  • Learn federal or state application procedures.
  • A graduate degree is generally required for higher level positions.
  • Gain related experience through internships in areas of interest.
  • Develop statistical, analytical and computer skills and learn various research methodologies.
  • Get involved in campus organizations to develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.
  • Consider earning a minor or double major to qualify for particular areas of interest. Learn a foreign language for translating/interpreting positions.

Non-Profit

  • Administration
  • Program management and development
  • Fundraising/Development
  • Grant writing
  • Research
  • Policy analysis
  • Service delivery
  • Volunteer coordination
  • Community education
  • Public relations and marketing

Employers

  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Social service agencies
  • Hospitals and medical centers
  • Private foundations:
    • Ford Foundation
  • International organizations:
    • World Health Organization
    • International Red Cross
  • Special interest groups
  • Trade or professional associations
  • Libraries
  • Educational institutions

Strategies

  • Seek multiple volunteer and internship positions to gain experience and build contacts in the field.
  • Obtain leadership roles in relevant campus and community organizations.
  • Develop strong communication and research skills.
  • Learn how to write grants and gain an understanding of budgeting and fiscal management.
  • Investigate term of service or service corps positions as a way to gain entry into the field.
  • Research organizations’ values to find a good fit with yours.
  • Consider earning a graduate degree for more job opportunities and advancement.

Business

  • Sales
  • Customer service
  • Public relations
  • Marketing
  • Management
  • Human resources:
    • Workforce diversity issues
  • Insurance:
    • Claims management
    • Underwriting
  • Real Estate:
    • Sales
    • Property management

Employers

  • Service providers
  • Wholesalers
  • Manufacturers
  • Retail stores:
    • Department stores
    • Specialty stores
    • Discount stores
    • Super retailers
    • Online retailers
  • Call centers
  • Financial institutions
  • Insurance companies
  • Real estate companies
  • Property management firms
  • Apartment complexes
  • Public relations departments of large companies or nonprofit organizations

Strategies

  • Develop career goals and seek relevant experiences to prepare for those goals.
  • Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with business or communication courses.
  • Obtain relevant experience through part-time jobs or internships.
  • Work a part-time or summer job in a retail store.  Demonstrate a willingness to take on additional responsibilities such as Assistant Manager.
  • Participate in student organizations and seek leadership roles.
  • Learn to work well with different types of people
  • Develop a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.
  • For sales, develop the ability to work well under pressure and be comfortable in a competitive environment.
  • Be willing to start in a management-trainee program or other entry-level/developmental positions.
  • When job searching, seek employers interested in hiring “any major.”
  • Understand the top skills employers desire and be prepared to demonstrate them, such as communication (oral and written), computer, interpersonal, leadership and teamwork, etc.

Communications

  • Documentary film production
  • Photography/Photojournalism
  • Journalism

Employers

  • Colleges and universities
  • Government agencies
  • Government or private museums
  • Local historical societies or sites
  • Television and motion picture industry
  • Internet media companies
  • Independent production companies
  • Publishing houses
  • Newspapers and magazines
  • Freelance/self-employed

Strategies

  • Minor or double major in a communications field.
  • Develop excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
  • Submit articles or books for publication.
  • Work for campus or student run publications.
  • Demonstrate talent, persistence, assertiveness, competitive spirit, and enthusiasm.
  • Compile a portfolio of writing, graphics and ideas.
  • Develop strong computer skills.
  • Obtain internship, summer or part-time experience with book, magazine, or newspaper publishers.
  • Develop an attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.

General Information

  • Most professional anthropological jobs require a graduate degree. Those interested in anthropology may specialize in one of its four branches: archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, or physical anthropology.
  • Many subfields exist within the larger specialties such as forensic anthropology, a subfield of physical anthropology. Typically students take a general curriculum as an undergraduate and specialize through graduate studies.
  • Ample preparation is advised as graduate school admissions are increasingly competitive.
  • Those interested in Archeological may look for specialized field work within specific subgroups. These subgroups are divided by time periods and historicity; they include: environmental, ethnoarcheology, landscape, household, marine, aviation, aerial, battlefield, commercial, industrial, salvage, experimental, forensic, and historic.
  • As the demand for university/college faculty positions decreases, most openings will exist in consulting firms and government agencies.To increase your employment opportunities with a bachelor’s degree, consider minoring or double majoring in another field such as sociology, business, urban planning, or public administration. Anthropology provides a solid background for a variety of graduate programs including law, medicine, forensics, or genetic counseling. Research admissions requirements and take prerequisite courses.
  • Anthropology is good preparation for jobs that involve people skills and require an understanding of cultural differences.
  • Spend a summer in field school or travel and study other cultures.
  • Pursue research experience by working on faculty projects through independent study classes, as a student employee, or through other departmental programs.
  • Gaining relevant work experience through internships, summer jobs, or volunteer positions is critical. Join professional associations such as American Association of Physical Anthropologists.Forensic anthropology has become increasingly popular as well as competitive. Career opportunities exist within the national network of state and county medical examiners and coroners. Training at the graduate level should include supplemental work in legal evidence, pathology, criminology, or forensic lab methods along with supervised casework.

Professional Associations

Occupational Outlook

Employment Opportunities