Columbia University in the City of New York Anthropology: earnings, debt & careers

Anthropology graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median $83,493 four years after graduating, with median federal loan debt of $34,500. That is $37,373 above the U.S. median for Anthropology graduates ($46,120 across 186 colleges), and ranks 1st of 13 New York colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$83,493

U.S. median for this major: $46,120.

College Scorecard field of study; 26 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
—

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$34,500

About 41% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $22,924.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$21,590 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $89,472. College Scorecard.

Columbia University in the City of New York Anthropology: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Columbia University in the City of New York graduates$83,493
New York median (13 colleges)$53,196 (+$30,297)
U.S. median (186 colleges)$46,120 (+$37,373)

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 Columbia University in the City of New York's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$4,570$19,148under 1 year
$30–48k$2,275$9,532under 1 year
$48–75k$5,866$24,579under 1 year
$75–110k$11,782$49,3671.0 years
$110k+$50,621$212,1024.3 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (80% 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 ($83,493) minus $34,633 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NY (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $48,860 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 New York colleges

Every New York college we cover that reports Anthropology graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1Columbia University in the City of New York$83,493$34,500$21,59096%
2Fordham University$66,562$24,000$44,33882%
3CUNY Lehman College$60,488$13,722$3,14851%
4Stony Brook University$58,329$19,449$18,78476%
5SUNY Oneonta$55,981$21,500$19,15869%
6Binghamton University$53,460$22,250$21,62082%
7Syracuse University$53,196$23,249$38,79384%
8CUNY Hunter College$51,787$10,200$2,98457%
9University at Albany$47,095$23,250$17,16761%
10University at Buffalo$44,274$24,500$20,99575%
11SUNY College at Geneseo$42,216—$18,21171%
12SUNY at Purchase College$40,048$15,375$18,91363%
13CUNY Brooklyn College$33,127—$3,10354%

34 more New York colleges offer Anthropology but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Anthropology graduates

Forensic Science Technicians

New York area$81,670
New York$81,670
U.S.$72,060

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 Columbia University in the City of New York, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About Columbia University in the City of New York

Related majors at Columbia University in the City of New York

Columbia University in the City of New York Anthropology questions

How much do Columbia University in the City of New York Anthropology graduates earn?

Anthropology graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn a median $83,493 four years after graduating. The U.S. median for Anthropology graduates across 186 colleges is $46,120.

How much debt do Columbia University in the City of New York Anthropology graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Anthropology graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York is $34,500, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,924.

Is Columbia University in the City of New York a good school for Anthropology in New York?

On pay, Anthropology graduates of Columbia University in the City of New York earn $83,493 four years out, $30,297 above the median for the same major across 13 New York colleges ($53,196) and $37,373 above the U.S. median ($46,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Columbia University in the City of New York rank for Anthropology in New York?

Of 13 New York colleges reporting Anthropology graduate earnings, Columbia University in the City of New York ranks 1st, the highest.

What jobs do Anthropology graduates get?

A common career is forensic science technicians, with a median wage of $81,670 in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 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
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Cite this: “Columbia University in the City of New York Anthropology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york/majors/anthropology (College Scorecard and BLS data).