Anthropology is a versatile degree that can lead to jobs and careers in many different areas. Visit the department website, watch the videos below, or scroll down and select an option under Related Career Fields to see more information about potential careers you can pursue.
Anthropology
Related Career Fields
Select a career field below to see some of the various areas it encompasses, types of employers, and some sample occupations.
Education
Career Areas
- Teaching
- Research
- Administration
- Student affairs
- Information/Library science
- Non-classroom education
Types of Employers
- Universities/colleges/community colleges
- University research institutes or laboratories
- Campus museums
- Zoos
- Nature centers
Sample Occupations
Museums and Archives
Career Areas
- Management/Administration
- Curatorship
- Conservation
- Restoration
- Research
- Education
- Libraries
- Development
Types of Employers
- Natural history or history museums:
- Universities
- State, federal or local
- Private
- Archives
- Historical societies
Sample Occupations
Archaeology
Career Areas
- Cultural Resource Management
- Research
- Excavation
- Field Work
Employers
- Consulting firms
- Environmental/engineering companies
- Firms specializing in archaeological investigation
- Federal, state and local government
- Urban and city planning offices
- Historic preservation societies
Sample Occupations
Government
Career Areas
- 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
Employers
- Federal agencies including:
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
- Bureau of Land Management
- Central Intelligence Agency
- Departments of: Conservation, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, and Natural Resources
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- National Institutes of Health
- National Park Service
- Public Health Service
- Smithsonian Institute
- Tennessee Valley Authority
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
- U.S. Department of State
- U.S. Forest Service
- State agencies including:
- Historic Preservation Offices
- Parks Departments
- Highway Departments
General Information
Non-Profit
Career Areas
- Administration
- Program Management and Development
- Policy Analysis
- Fund Raising/Development
- Research
- Grant Writing
- Counseling
Employers
- Nonprofit organizations
- Social service agencies
- Hospitals and medical centers
- Private foundations, e.g. The Ford Foundation
- International organizations, e.g. The World Health Organization, The International Red Cross, and the United Nations
General Information
Business
Career Areas
- Management
- Sales/Marketing
- Human Resources
- Public Relations
- Consulting
Employers
- Business corporations in various industries such as:
- Banking
- Retailing
- Insurance
- Financial
- Services
- Travel and tourism
- Cultural resource firms
- International companies
- Consulting firms: management, scientific, technical
Communications
Career Areas
- Documentary Film Production
- Photography/Photojournalism
- Journalism
- Writing/Editing
- Publishing
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
Join Organizations
Being active in both student and professional organizations can help boost your career. You'll have the opportunity to network with and learn from peers, mentors, and professionals. Working within these groups helps build leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. You'll gain hands-on experience, showing employers your proactive attitude and commitment to growth, making you a stronger job candidate.
Student Organizations
Check out the organizations listed below, search Laker Life, or talk with a Career Coach to find others.
Search for Employers
General Guidelines and Strategies
- Most professional anthropological jobs require a graduate degree.
- Those interested in anthropology may specialize in one of its four branches:
- archaeology
- cultural anthropology
- linguistics
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Contact Us
145 Marano Campus Center
Phone: 315-312-2255
Email: [email protected]
Connect with a Career Coach
Meet with a Career Peer Intern
Career Tools
Discover the best online tools available to help you explore majors and careers, find internships and jobs, develop amazing documents, and connect with others!
Follow Us
