U.S. median for this major: $46,120.
College Scorecard field of study; 30 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 50% 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 $33,642. College Scorecard.
UIUC 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 UIUC'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 | $2,038 | $8,458 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $5,373 | $22,298 | 2.9 years |
| $48–75k | $7,982 | $33,125 | 4.3 years |
| $75–110k | $15,152 | $62,881 | 8.1 years |
| $110k+ | $28,761 | $119,358 | 15.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (73% 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 ($43,554) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $7,757 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Loyola University Chicago | $59,024 | — | $36,079 | 73% |
| 2 | Northern Illinois University | $54,890 | — | $13,391 | 49% |
| 3 | University of Illinois Chicago | $51,907 | $24,348 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 4 | DePaul University | $50,780 | $26,533 | $30,902 | 68% |
| 5 | Illinois State University | $50,177 | $25,333 | $19,398 | 65% |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $44,974 | $25,000 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $43,554 | $21,650 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 8 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $41,242 | $25,000 | $13,297 | 62% |
| 9 | Wheaton College | $37,501 | — | $26,975 | 85% |
7 more Illinois 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 UIUC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UIUC
- Acceptance rate: 42% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 85% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $81,054
- Full cost breakdown · all 102 majors · overview
Related majors at UIUC
- Political Science$69,515
- Sociology$55,393
- Economics$86,860
- Geography$62,504
UIUC Anthropology questions
How much do UIUC Anthropology graduates earn?
Anthropology graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn a median $43,554 four years after graduating and $16,197 one year after. The U.S. median for Anthropology graduates across 186 colleges is $46,120.
How much debt do UIUC Anthropology graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Anthropology graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is $21,650, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $22,924.
Is UIUC a good school for Anthropology in Illinois?
On pay, Anthropology graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn $43,554 four years out, $6,623 below the median for the same major across 9 Illinois colleges ($50,177) and $2,566 below the U.S. median ($46,120). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UIUC rank for Anthropology in Illinois?
Of 9 Illinois colleges reporting Anthropology graduate earnings, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 7th. The highest is Loyola University Chicago at $59,024.
What jobs do Anthropology graduates get?
A common career is forensic science technicians, with a median wage of $124,790 in Illinois 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: “University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Anthropology: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/anthropology (College Scorecard and BLS data).