Anthropologists and Archeologists

College Decoded; Millersville (Lancaster County); On-site; USD 34,000 - 64,910; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Opportunity to travel

Intellectually stimulating work

Job summary

College Decoded is seeking qualified professionals in anthropology or archaeology for roles involving research, teaching, and fieldwork. Responsibilities include collecting data, mentoring students, and presenting findings to diverse audiences.

Typically requiring a Doctoral or Master’s degree, this field offers intellectually rewarding work with the opportunity to travel and explore different cultures. While salaries vary, the average salary is approximately $64,910.

Fieldwork might be physically demanding, requiring adaptability in various environments.

Qualifications

• Aspiring archaeologists must attend a field school for hands-on training.
• Field Technicians perform physical surveys and data collection.
• Higher credentials lead to roles like Crew Chief, Project Manager, or Principal Investigator.

Responsibilities

• Collect information and make judgments through observation.
• Review documents.
• Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
• Write and present research findings.

Education

Doctoral degree

Master’s degree

Job description

What They Do

Anthropologists and archaeologists play a professional role in their field. They collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents, teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archaeology, write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences, ensuring quality and excellence in their work. Additionally, they plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations, contributing to organizational success.

Key Responsibilities

• Collect information and make judgments through observation
• Review of documents
• Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archaeology
• Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences

Education & Training

Most professionals in this field eventually earn a Doctoral degree, though a Master’s degree is often sufficient for many positions in Cultural Resource Management (CRM) or government agencies. Aspiring archaeologists must attend a field school, which is a hands‑on training program where students learn excavation and mapping techniques. Early career roles often start as Field Technicians, where you spend significant time outdoors performing physical surveys and data collection.

As you gain experience and higher credentials, you can advance to roles such as Crew Chief, Project Manager, or Principal Investigator. Those with a Ph.D. frequently pursue careers as university professors or museum curators, leading independent research projects and publishing scholarly articles that expand our understanding of the human story.

Benefits and Career Outlook

• Intellectually stimulating and rewarding work
• Opportunity to travel and experience different cultures
• Contribute to our understanding of human history and behavior
• Variety of career paths and specializations

Job Outlook: +3.7%; Current Jobs: 0.01M; Total investment: $150K - $300K; Typical starting salary: $34K; Average salary: $64,910.

Considerations

• Competitive job market and limited funding opportunities
• Requires extensive education and training
• Fieldwork can be physically demanding and challenging
• Salaries may be relatively low compared to other fields requiring advanced degrees

Work Settings & Physical Demands

Universities, museums, research institutions, government agencies, archaeological sites, laboratories, offices. Fieldwork may involve hiking, digging, and working in extreme weather conditions; lab work requires fine motor skills; prolonged periods of sitting while researching or writing.

Schedule & Work-Life Balance

Typical hours: 40 hours per week. Schedule: regular business hours with occasional evenings/weekends; fieldwork often has irregular hours. Flexibility: moderate. Remote work: limited.