Anthropologists and Archeologists Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 19-3091 · National · May 2025 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$70,762
$34.02/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated May 18, 2026
Source: BLS OEWS · Published May 15, 2026
Next refresh: May 2027
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The national median salary for Anthropologists and Archeologists is $70,762 per year ($34.02/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $59,405 and $89,669 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $108,056 per year. There are approximately 8,990 anthropologists and archeologists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+3.7%
About as fast as average
Annual openings
800
per year, on avg
Workforce today
9K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
4% from new growth96% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
NAICS 541600
3K
$64,860
Scientific Research and Development Services
NAICS 541700
2K
$64,070
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
NAICS 999100
2K
$91,560
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
NAICS 541300
630
$66,580
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
380
$54,300
Wage range across top 5 industries: $54,300 to $91,560 (69% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$23.58
$49,046
P25
$28.56
$59,405
P50MEDIAN
$34.02
$70,762
P75
$43.11
$89,669
P90
$51.95
$108,056
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average anthropologists and archeologists salary?
The national median salary for Anthropologists and Archeologists is $70,762 per year ($34.02/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $59,405 and $89,669 annually.
How much do top-earning anthropologists and archeologists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Anthropologists and Archeologists is $108,056 per year ($51.95/hr). The 75th percentile is $89,669 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for anthropologists and archeologists?
Entry-level Anthropologists and Archeologists (10th percentile) earn approximately $49,046 per year ($23.58/hr). The 25th percentile is $59,405 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
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