SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Study the origin, development, and behavior of human beings. May study the way of life, language, or physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world. May engage in systematic recovery and examination of material evidence, such as tools or pottery remaining from past human cultures, in order to determine the history, customs, and living habits of earlier civilizations.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-3091.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $49,050 | $4,088 | $943 | $23.58 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $59,400 | $4,950 | $1,142 | $28.56 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $70,770 | $5,898 | $1,361 | $34.02 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $89,670 | $7,472 | $1,724 | $43.11 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $108,060 | $9,005 | $2,078 | $51.95 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Anthropologists and Archeologists is $70,770, which is 39% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 35 by median pay. With 8,990 jobs, it makes up about 0.6 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Anthropologists and Archeologists pay by state
The highest median pay was in Massachusetts ($121,300), Nebraska ($94,520) and Connecticut ($91,420). The lowest was in Kansas ($41,870), Louisiana ($47,750) and Maryland ($54,160). The most jobs were in California (2,060), Florida (620) and Arizona (500). The occupation is most concentrated in Alaska, where its share of all jobs is 6.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 80 | $121,300 | $107,710 | $58.32 |
| Nebraska | 40 | $94,520 | $92,050 | $45.44 |
| Connecticut | not published | $91,420 | $79,770 | $43.95 |
| Alaska | 130 | $89,810 | $92,630 | $43.18 |
| Idaho | 170 | $88,710 | $85,240 | $42.65 |
| Oregon | 240 | $84,970 | $89,050 | $40.85 |
| Hawaii | 210 | $84,530 | $95,980 | $40.64 |
| Virginia | 320 | $80,230 | $81,400 | $38.57 |
| Pennsylvania | 130 | $79,660 | $76,250 | $38.30 |
| Montana | 80 | $79,420 | $82,960 | $38.18 |
| Wyoming | 80 | $76,400 | $76,260 | $36.73 |
| Alabama | 170 | $75,690 | $68,840 | $36.39 |
| Washington | 260 | $74,790 | $81,460 | $35.96 |
| Utah | 120 | $73,920 | $74,110 | $35.54 |
| North Carolina | 200 | $73,130 | $79,060 | $35.16 |
| California | 2,060 | $72,240 | $77,230 | $34.73 |
| Kentucky | 70 | $72,230 | $74,230 | $34.73 |
| Oklahoma | 90 | $71,740 | $71,450 | $34.49 |
| Puerto Rico | 40 | $70,950 | $68,290 | $34.11 |
| Colorado | 250 | $68,620 | $74,900 | $32.99 |
| New Mexico | 230 | $68,180 | $71,400 | $32.78 |
| Texas | 430 | $67,700 | $76,310 | $32.55 |
| Iowa | 40 | $67,270 | $70,470 | $32.34 |
| New York | 120 | $67,220 | $77,420 | $32.32 |
| Missouri | 80 | $66,930 | $76,000 | $32.18 |
| New Jersey | 140 | $66,230 | $76,550 | $31.84 |
| Minnesota | 140 | $65,920 | $70,280 | $31.69 |
| Arizona | 500 | $65,290 | $73,980 | $31.39 |
| Michigan | not published | $64,700 | $69,800 | $31.11 |
| Nevada | 230 | $64,390 | $73,840 | $30.96 |
| North Dakota | not published | $63,830 | $65,240 | $30.69 |
| Indiana | 70 | $63,730 | $66,450 | $30.64 |
| South Carolina | 50 | $63,130 | $69,930 | $30.35 |
| South Dakota | 40 | $63,130 | $69,430 | $30.35 |
| Wisconsin | 40 | $63,130 | $64,630 | $30.35 |
| Arkansas | 60 | $62,160 | $68,380 | $29.89 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $61,160 | $66,680 | $29.40 |
| Tennessee | 160 | $60,310 | $63,970 | $28.99 |
| Illinois | 140 | $59,560 | $65,610 | $28.63 |
| Florida | 620 | $59,270 | $67,980 | $28.49 |
| Ohio | 70 | $59,160 | $61,590 | $28.44 |
| Georgia | 150 | $58,990 | $66,820 | $28.36 |
| West Virginia | 50 | $54,340 | $64,770 | $26.13 |
| Maryland | 220 | $54,160 | $69,160 | $26.04 |
| Louisiana | 110 | $47,750 | $62,960 | $22.96 |
| Kansas | 60 | $41,870 | $45,340 | $20.13 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Foresters$76,400 a year
- Conservation Scientists$73,010 a year
- Forensic Science Technicians$72,060 a year
- Survey Researchers$69,460 a year
- Animal Scientists$68,940 a year
- Hydrologic Technicians$64,790 a year
Common questions
How much do Anthropologists and Archeologists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $70,770 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $49,050 and the highest-paid 10% more than $108,060.
How many people work as Anthropologists and Archeologists?
About 8,990 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.