Anthropologist
An anthropologist is a professional who studies human cultures, exploring the norms, values, beliefs, and practices of various societies. This field encompasses several specializations, including cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, forensic anthropology, and archaeology. Anthropologists may work in academic settings, conducting research and teaching, or in applied roles within government agencies, museums, or non-profit organizations. Their work often involves data gathering, fieldwork, and cultural analysis, requiring skills in observation, synthesis, and communication.
On average, anthropologists earn a median salary of approximately $63,800 per year, with a master's degree typically being the minimum educational requirement. Daily responsibilities can vary significantly based on their specialty and employment context, with academic anthropologists focusing on teaching and research, while applied anthropologists may engage directly with communities or organizations. The profession is expected to evolve with technological advancements, including the integration of artificial intelligence in research methodologies. As anthropologists interact with diverse populations, cultural sensitivity and an appreciation for different perspectives are essential traits for success in this field.
Anthropologist
Snapshot
Career Cluster(s): Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
Interests: History, gathering information, scientific discovery, cultural exploration
Earnings (Yearly Median): $63,800 per year $30.67 per hour
Employment & Outlook: 4% (As fast as average)
Entry-Level Education Master's degree
Related Work Experience None
On-the-job-Training None
Overview
Sphere of Work. Anthropologists study culture, including a society’s norms, values, beliefs, practices, and roles. Anthropologists tend to be specialists rather than generalists. Areas of anthropological specialization include cultural anthropology, linguistic anthropology, historical anthropology, forensic anthropology, economic anthropology, physical anthropology, and archaeology. Anthropologists generally work in either an academic or applied role.
Work Environment. Anthropologists working in academic settings such as colleges and universities generally spend the majority of their work time in classrooms, libraries, and offices. Department interaction and meetings will be frequent. Academic anthropologists usually perform research, including library research and ethnographic or archaeological fieldwork, as a requirement of their employment and eventual tenure. Most are expected to publish regularly. Applied anthropologists working in non-academic settings, such as government agencies, foundations, museums, or non-government organizations, will interact with clients, patients, vendors, or community stakeholders as needed. Applied anthropologists work in full-time as well as contract positions.
Occupation Interest. Individuals drawn to anthropology tend to be intellectually curious people who have the ability to gather information through research and synthesize their findings into ideas, theories, and, in some cases, solutions for cultural conflict. Anthropologists generally attend school through the master’s or doctoral levels. Due to the rigorous academic requirements, individuals considering becoming anthropologists should enjoy academics, observation and analysis, and the thoughtful exchange of ideas. Individuals who succeed in the field of anthropology display traits such as leadership, initiative, scientific reasoning, project management, and an appreciation for cultural differences.
A Day in the Life—Duties and Responsibilities. The occupational duties and responsibilities of anthropologists include teaching; lecturing; gathering and analyzing data; performing archaeological or ethnographic fieldwork; conducting interviews; curating museum exhibits; preparing press releases or meeting with media; grant writing; preparing manuscripts for publication; and meeting with students, colleagues, clients, or stakeholders. An anthropologist’s specific daily duties and responsibilities vary based on specialty and hiring organization.
Academic anthropologists usually have daily teaching responsibilities. Teaching responsibilities encompass lecture and test preparation, course development, grading, and maintaining office hours. Department responsibilities and research and publishing obligations are also ever-present in the lives of academic anthropologists. Academic anthropologists tend to be independent workers with little daily direct supervision and oversight.
Applied anthropologists working for government agencies, non-governmental organizations, or businesses tend to have more direct daily supervision than academic anthropologists. The daily responsibilities of applied anthropologists are not fixed or regular. For instance, an applied anthropologist could work for an electric company in Brazil studying the human impact of a hydroelectric dam project or for the United States government to gather data about voting practices in new democracies. Anthropologists work in a number of fields outside of government, including archaeology, medicine, parks, museums, non-governmental agencies, and social services.
Government agencies employing anthropologists include the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security. State and local governments, as well as law enforcement agencies may also employ anthropologists.
Work Environment
Immediate Physical Environment. Anthropologists working in academic settings generally work full-time hours teaching and attending to departmental responsibilities such as grading and mentoring students. Fieldwork, necessary for much anthropological research and performed as a condition of eventual tenure, may take anthropologists to foreign locations with significant cultural, language, and environmental differences and challenges. Applied anthropologists working in non-academic settings, such as government offices, social service agencies, foundations, museums, non-governmental organizations, and businesses, generally work full-time hours.
Human Environment. Anthropologists generally interact with diverse groups of people as a condition of their work. Anthropologists must be comfortable interacting with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, as well as groups of people with different languages, beliefs, and values. Anthropologists, trained in the practice of participant observation, also must develop an ability to observe without prejudice or judgment, as their discipline requires some elements of reporting as well as analysis. Anthropologists in academia should be comfortable working with students.
Technological Environment. Anthropologists use computers and telecommunication tools during their academic training and eventual employment. Some anthropological sub-specialties, such as archaeology and economic anthropology, will require specialized technological training. Archaeologists use specific preservation and excavation techniques; economic anthropologists often need to use statistical analysis software. Technological aptitude will be dependent on the field of work; for example, an anthropologist studying a foreign culture and language would need to use translation software.
Anthropology is expected to be one of the many fields that will experience significant changes due to advancements in artificial intelligence, or AI. This new technology is expected to benefit research in such ways as enhancing photos and computerized scans, allowing the capture of information from new sources such as social media posts, and making presentations by anthropologists easier and more engaging. It is also expected to expand opportunities, such as making it easier to recover and preserve declining languages. Having the technical knowledge and insight to use these applications will be advantageous to prospective anthropologists.
Education, Training, and Advancement
High School/Secondary. High school students interested in pursuing a career in anthropology should prepare themselves by developing good study habits. The study of foreign languages, sociology, anthropology, history, geography, and political science will provide a strong foundation for college-level work in anthropology. Due to the diversity of anthropological specialties, high school students interested in this career path will benefit from seeking internships or part-time work that exposes the students to diverse cultures, languages, and beliefs.
Postsecondary. Postsecondary students interested in pursuing a career in anthropology will benefit from taking courses in anthropology, foreign languages, sociology, history, geography, political science, behavioral science, and statistics. Internships and part-time work can offer postsecondary students the opportunity to learn more about anthropological specialties prior to entering graduate school. Prior to graduation, postsecondary students interested in pursuing a career in anthropology should apply to graduate school in their chosen field or anthropological-related work opportunities such as a research assistant or museum educator.
Related Occupations
Bibliography
"Anthropologists and Archeologists." Occupational Outlook Handbook. Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor, 6 Sept. 2023, www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/anthropologists-and-archeologists.htm. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.
Artz, Matt. "Ten Predictions for AI and the Future of Anthropology." Anthropology News, 8 May 2023, www.anthropology-news.org/articles/ten-predictions-for-ai-and-the-future-of-anthropology/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2024.