by our College Data Analytics TeamIf you wish to explore the vast and mysterious societies and structures of the past, Archeology could be the major for you! This multidisciplinary field involves the study of past people and culture. Students research artifacts and read primary source documents in order to broaden their knowledge of past civilizations.
Classes taught in this major are history, anthropology, foreign language, and art history. You will also take courses in subjects like archaeological field techniques, problems in archaeology, and the rise of civilization.
Archeology was the 302nd most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 339 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 15 over the prior year, a growth of 4.4%.
Our 2023 Best Archeology Schools ranking analyzes 31 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for archeology students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of archeology programs later in this article.
Students who excel in this field tend to be problem solvers who enjoy finding the missing piece of a puzzle. The ideal learner is someone who is adventurous and curious, being willing try new things. Work in the field may involve travel to different countries. Although the work can be very exciting, parts of it will be tedious and involve bearing extreme temperatures at a dig site, carefully brushing dust off shards of pottery, and analyzing pieces of material under a microscope.
Students will require creative thinking, analytical skills and attention to detail when researching subjects and presenting information. Much of your time in college will be spent studying, researching and writing papers on your findings. You may have the chance to study abroad. This will provide excellent experience in learning the culture and history of another country first-hand.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most archeology degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic archeology program qualifications, to serve in some archeology careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different archeology degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in archeology to something that takes less time like a . The type of archeology degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to archeology, with approximately 36.9% of workers getting one. People currently working in careers related to archeology tend obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 39.4% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 34.5% |
| Master’s Degree | 20.0% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 2.0% |
| High School Diploma | 1.9% |
56.7% of archeology workers have at least a master's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in archeology have received.
This of course varies depending on which archeology career you choose.
In order to become an archeologist you will need to obtain your Ph.D. This is competitive field that involves a lot of time spent in research and in the field. Archeologists teach college classes or provide consulting services to governments and businesses. They are often found working for cultural resource management firms. Graduates who do not wish to pursue an advanced degree may find work as teachers, librarians, curators, or in other fields that require analytical and research skills.
Want a job when you graduate with your archeology degree? Archeology careers are expected to grow 8.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to archeology.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers | 1,071,700 | 8.0% |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | 7,900 | 3.9% |
| Anthropology and Archeology Professors | 7,800 | 9.9% |
Recently graduated archeology students earned an average of $25,150 in 2019-2020. Earnings can range from as low as $22,629 to as high as $27,671. As you might expect, salaries for archeology graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for archeology graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers archeology grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Managers | $115,590 |
| Anthropology and Archeology Professors | $94,080 |
| Anthropologists and Archeologists | $65,310 |
With over 113 different archeology degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased archeology school rankings to help you with this.
Archeology is one of 12 different types of Social Sciences programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Political Science & Government | 49,282 |
| Economics | 49,055 |
| Sociology | 38,475 |
| General Social Sciences | 18,997 |
| International Relations & National Security | 14,306 |
