U.S. median for this major: $46,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 47% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,924.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $86,285. College Scorecard.
BU Anthropology: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Anthropology nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses BU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $9,500 | $38,855 | 2.8 years |
| $30–48k | $9,342 | $38,209 | 2.8 years |
| $48–75k | $11,778 | $48,172 | 3.5 years |
| $75–110k | $22,517 | $92,095 | 6.7 years |
| $110k+ | $47,504 | $194,291 | 14.0 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (83% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Anthropology graduates 4 years after graduating ($53,722) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $13,842 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Anthropology at Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts college we cover that reports Anthropology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brandeis University | $57,423 | $26,000 | $35,736 | 86% |
| 2 | Boston University | $53,722 | $25,250 | $24,402 | 89% |
| 3 | Bridgewater State University | $50,376 | — | $16,383 | 53% |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts-Boston | $43,053 | $24,362 | $17,707 | 49% |
| 5 | Mount Holyoke College | $41,274 | $21,178 | $26,441 | 84% |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $31,186 | — | $22,383 | 83% |
13 more Massachusetts colleges offer Anthropology but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Anthropology graduates
Forensic Science Technicians
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +13.3% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at BU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About BU
- Acceptance rate: 11% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 89% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $83,238
- Full cost breakdown · all 79 majors · overview
Related majors at BU
- Archeology—
- Political Science$66,373
- Sociology$63,791
- Economics$96,723
- International Relations$66,661
- Geography—
BU Anthropology questions
How much do BU Anthropology graduates earn?
Anthropology graduates of Boston University earn a median $53,722 four years after graduating and $26,934 one year after. The U.S. median for Anthropology graduates across 186 colleges is $46,120.
How much debt do BU Anthropology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Anthropology graduates of Boston University is $25,250, about 47% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,924.
Is BU a good school for Anthropology in Massachusetts?
On pay, Anthropology graduates of Boston University earn $53,722 four years out, $7,008 above the median for the same major across 6 Massachusetts colleges ($46,714) and $7,602 above the U.S. median ($46,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does BU rank for Anthropology in Massachusetts?
Of 6 Massachusetts colleges reporting Anthropology graduate earnings, Boston University ranks 2nd. The highest is Brandeis University at $57,423.
What jobs do Anthropology graduates get?
A common career is forensic science technicians, with a median wage of $79,320 in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area and $72,060 nationally.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Boston University Anthropology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/boston-university/majors/anthropology (College Scorecard and BLS data).