Top 10 Anthropology Majors in the USA

A major in anthropology involves the study of human societies, cultures, and their development over time. Anthropology is a broad field that explores various aspects of human life, including social structures, belief systems, language, art, and physical characteristics. The degree provides you with a deep understanding of human experience. The major combines hands-on experience with practical course work, providing graduates with holistic knowledge of a variety of societal and cultural practices, critical thinking skills, and the ability to apply information to real-world problems.

What You’ll Learn in an Anthropology Program

Students in anthropology programs can expect to learn how to think critically, to apply a holistic, cross-cultural perspective, and to express themselves both verbally and in writing. Course content touches upon the physical and social sciences, as well as the humanities. This cross-disciplinary nature allows anthropology students to gain understanding of the ways cultural, linguistic, biological and historical factors shape the human experience, past to present.

How Much Does an Anthropology Degree Cost?

The cost of obtaining an anthropology degree varies by institution. Students may qualify for scholarships, fellowships, grants, loans or other financial aid to mitigate the cost. Fees may also vary depending on state and national residency. Generally, a degree from a top anthropology program may cost from $50,000 to over $65,000.

What are the Career Prospects for Anthropology Program Graduates?

An anthropology degree prepares students for employment in a range of fields, both in the public and private sector.  Of course, anthropology graduates may pursue a career as an anthropologist. They may also use their critical reasoning skills and cross-cultural knowledge to pursue employment — or further education —  in law, medicine, business or the non-profit sector.

#1 Harvard University

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time, part-time
Duration: Up to five years
Tuition: $57,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Financial need packages, scholarships and teaching fellowships
Official Website: https://anthropology.fas.harvard.edu

Founded in 1636, Harvard University is the oldest university in the U.S. and consistently ranked amongst the nation’s top institutions of higher learning. Harvard’s Anthropology department is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and offers graduate degrees in social anthropology, medical anthrology and archaeology.

Only one to two percent of applicants make it through Harvard’s highly selective admissions process. Those who are accepted enjoy a generous funding package. The first two years of study and the dissertation year are fully funded, including tuition, health insurance and a living stipend. Students in years three and four receive tuition, health insurance and a stipend through teaching fellowships.

#2 Stanford University

Learning Mode: On-campus, online
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Two to five years
Tuition: $56,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Scholarships, financial support packages
Official Website: https://anthropology.stanford.edu/masters-degree-program

Stanford University’s graduate program in anthropology dates to 1895. Located in Stanford, California, this private research university offers two tracks to an anthropology degree in archeology or culture and society. Available subfields of study include medical anthropology, gender and sexuality, global political economy, and linguistic anthropology.

Stanford’s acceptance rate is quite competitive, with only about four percent of applicants accepted each year. Doctoral students receive five years of guaranteed financial support. Master’s students can apply for scholarships or financial aid, but funding isn’t guaranteed.

#3 Northwestern University

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Up to five years
Tuition: $63,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Grants, fellowships
Official Website: https://www.tgs.northwestern.edu/admission/academic-programs/explore-programs/anthropology.html

Northwestern University is a private institution founded in 1851 and based in Evanston, Illinois. The anthropology program here consistently ranks amongst the top programs nationwide. On average, about 10 percent of applicants are admitted each year. The graduate program builds cross-discipline dialogue, with a focus on research, effective teaching and application of anthropological methods both within and outside of academia.

Students choose a path from four sub-disciplines, including archeology, linguistic anthropology, cultural anthropology or biological anthropology. Graduate students are encouraged to apply for internal fellowships and grants through Northwestern University’s Office of Fellowships and through the graduate school.

#4 Yale University

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Up to six years
Tuition: $62,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: University, teaching and dissertation fellowships; grants
Official Website: https://anthropology.yale.edu

Founded in 1701, Yale University is located in New Haven, Connecticut. This private research university has more than 5,300 enrolled graduate students, and admission is extremely competitive. Yale’s anthropology graduate program offers degrees in archeological, biological, socio/cultural and linguistic anthropology. Students may also choose to pursue combined degrees, including anthropology and African-American studies, environment or women’s/gender studies. A combined MD/PhD program is also available.

Graduate students are guaranteed full funding for five years through university fellowships (for the first two years), stipends through teaching fellowships (for the third and fourth years) and dissertation fellowships (for the fifth year). Some students may qualify for additional funding through the university for a sixth year of study.

#5 Princeton Universisty

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Five years
Tuition: $57,000
Application Deadline(s): January
Funding: Fellowships, awards
Official Website: https://anthropology.princeton.edu/graduate

Located in New Jersey, Princeton University consistently ranks among the top institutions of higher learning in the U.S. This private university’s anthropology department offers a graduate degree in sociocultural anthropology. Degree programs have  strong field work and language proficiency components.

Residency at Princeton University is required for at least the first full year. Students are also required to complete at least 12 months of fieldwork; many extend this experience up to 18 months. Graduate students receive funding for five years through a combination of tuition remission and stipends. Funded summer research positions are also available through the university.

#6 University of Chicago

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Five to eight years
Tuition: $63,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Fellowships, stipends, grants, awards
Official Website: https://anthropology.uchicago.edu/graduate-programs

The University of Chicago’s anthropology department offers graduate degrees in archeology and sociocultural or linguistic anthropology. Founded in 1891, the university is ranked amongst the world’s top research institutions and has a campus on Chicago’s south side.

The anthropology graduate program admits about 2.5 percent of applicants. Most students are expected to engage in long-term fieldwork for their dissertation, but this research can also be done in museums, archives or libraries. Tuition, health insurance and stipends are available for up to eight years of study. Additional fellowships, travel awards and grants are available through the school.

#7 Duke University

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Five years
Tuition: $63,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Fellowships, stipends, grants
Official Website: https://culturalanthropology.duke.edu/graduate

Duke University was founded in 1859. Set in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and is the largest private university in the state. Duke’s anthropology graduate program offers two tracks: a five-semester option or a six-semester option, both of which culminate in up to a year and a half of fieldwork.

Most students also earn a certificate in another field, such as Latin American and Caribbean studies, Asian and Middle Eastern studies, international development policy, African American studies or documentary studies. Graduate students receive full funding for tuition, fees and stipends through fellowships. External grant funding is available for students who wish to extend their fieldwork experience.

#8 University of Pennsylvania

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Five to nine years
Tuition: $63,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Fellowships, stipends, grants
Official Website: https://anthropology.sas.upenn.edu/graduate

The University of Pennsylvania dates to 1740 and has strong ties to colonial America; Benjamin Franklin was a founder and the first president of this private institution in Philadelphia. The University of Pennsylvania’s anthropology program offers three graduate degrees — MA, MD/PhD and PhD — in either Archeology, Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology or Linguistic Anthropology. Only about 4 percent of applicants are accepted each year.

Doctoral students receive funding for tuition, fees, health insurance and an annual stipend for five years through the Benjamin Franklin Fellowship program. Students are expected to apply for external grants to fund their dissertation research during their third and fourth years in the program; these additional funds will extend their full funding package for one year. MA students do not receive fellowships and must seek external funding if needed.

#9 Washington University in St. Louis

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Four to six years
Tuition: $61,000
Application Deadline(s): December
Funding: Fellowships, stipends, grants
Official Website: https://anthropology.wustl.edu/graduate

Washington University in St. Louis is the largest private institution of higher learning in Missouri. Founded in 1853, the university has about 17,000 students on its urban campus. The anthropology department offers a top-rated doctoral program with tracks in archeology, biological anthropology and sociocultural anthropology. All tracks offer intra-departmental and institutional collaboration.

Students enjoy full financial support for at least four, and up to six, years of study. For the first three years, students receive tuition remission through university fellowships, as well as an annual stipend. Fourth-year students obtain external grant funding to support their fieldwork, while fifth and sixth year students are supported by university fellowships. Summer studies and dissertation travel awards are also available through the university.

#10 Johns Hopkins University

Learning Mode: On-campus
Pace: Full-time
Duration: Five years
Tuition: $60,000
Application Deadline(s): January
Funding: Grants, fellowships
Official Website: https://anthropology.jhu.edu/graduate/

Founded in 1876, Johns Hopkins bills itself as the nation’s first research university. Johns Hopkins University offers graduate degrees in anthropology through the Kreiger School of Arts and Sciences. The graduate program has a sociocultural anthropology focus. Programs emphasize ethnographic research across regions, as well as intra-disciplinary collaboration within the social sciences and humanities.

Student research is placed within the context of global politics, economics and society, which necessitates the incorporation of other disciplines such as philosophy, social theory and history. Graduate students receive funding for five years of study through a variety of fellowships, such as the Dean’s Teaching Fellowship, the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship and other funding opportunities through the Krieger School. Students are encouraged to apply for both internal and external grants for summer studies, travel, dissertation support, and fieldwork.

Leave a Comment