Cultural Anthropologist: Job Description & Career Info

Cultural anthropology careers generally require students to meet specific education requirements and obtain some experience in the field. Get more details about the required steps to becoming a cultural anthropologist below.

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

Step 1: Cultural Anthropology Degree

Most anthropologists need at least a master's or doctoral degree to become an independent researcher in the field. Graduates with a bachelor's degree can usually only work as a fieldworker or assistant.

Generally, students at any of these degree levels will need to pursue an anthropology major, but may also choose to study the closely related field of archaeology. Some colleges may offer cultural anthropology programs or specializations within the anthropology department or major. Master's degree programs in anthropology typically take 2 years to complete, while a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the field requires additional years of schooling and a dissertation.

Students interested in studying anthropology and archaeology can find free online courses in either field. There are also a few colleges that offer online undergraduate degree programs in archaeology.

Step 2: Experience

Although most master's and doctoral programs in anthropology include extensive amounts of field and/or laboratory experience, students may wish to pursue additional hands-on experiences, to be competitive. Typically, these experiences can take place during their schooling and may include additional field training or internships. Internships may be available at places like historical societies, nonprofits, or museums. It is also important for students to gain experience working with both qualitative and quantitative data and methods.

There are a variety of different jobs involving culture, anthropology, and the like. The following list gives you a good idea of the vast opportunities open to someone with an anthropology degree:

• Archaeologist: Most archaeology degrees are part of anthropology departments in colleges. This is because archaeologists must have a broad knowledge of anthropology in order to effectively understand the cultures whose historical sites they are studying and excavating.
• Professor: Passing on your knowledge and love of anthropology to students can be a very satisfying career for someone with a Ph.D. in anthropology. Professors at the university level also often get to perform research as part of their job.
• Language Teacher: Teaching a foreign language also generally includes teaching about the culture and history of the people who speak the language. A person with a linguistic anthropology major would have the skills to teach these as well as the history of the language itself. Additionally, being an anthropologist comes in handy when teaching language abroad.
• Interpreter or Translator: You do not have to be an anthropologist to interpret or translate, but having this knowledge in your arsenal is helpful. An anthropologist may be able to translate more accurately since they have the cultural and environmental knowledge that someone who just studied language may not have.
• Museum Curator: With a degree in anthropology, a curator can design historical exhibits, acquire the artifacts, and even conduct tours.
• Historian: The research necessary to get a degree in anthropology translates well into becoming a historian. The added layer of anthropology onto history may give you a better understanding of the people and events you are studying.
• Foreign Service Officer: A career in the foreign service involves living abroad in multiple countries on different assignments. An anthropology degree would assist anyone who wanted a deep knowledge of the local customs, culture, and norms in order to perform their job to the best of their abilities.
• Sociologist: Sociologists and anthropologists are quite similar, in that both are people who study culture and human behavior. Combining a study of past and current cultures can be very useful in research and solving problems.
• Lawyer: A lawyer must have cultural knowledge when working in human rights and immigration law. Additionally, the research and writing skills obtained while studying anthropology are also essential when studying law.
• Writer: The study of anthropology requires a good amount of writing, which can help prepare you for a career as a writer. Whether writing non-fiction or fiction (especially historical fiction), having a deep understanding of human cultures is important.

How much do cultural anthropologists make? The average annual salary for an anthropologist and archaeologist in 2019 was $63,670, according to the BLS. These professionals working for the federal executive branch made the highest average salary of $79,990 for the same year. However, most anthropologists and archaeologists worked for management, scientific, and technical consulting services in 2019 and made an average salary of $64,470.

The following table provides salary and job growth details for careers related to anthropology:

*Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS)

**Source: Payscale.com