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Boston Career Explorer

Life, Physical, and Social Science

Anthropologists and Archeologists

Study the origin, development, and behavior of human beings. May study the way of life, language, or physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world. May engage in systematic recovery and examination of material evidence, such as tools or pottery remaining from past human cultures, in order to determine the history, customs, and living habits of earlier civilizations.

Also called: American Indian Policy Specialist, Applied Anthropologist, Applied Cultural Anthropologist, Archaeologist, Communication and Folklore Specialist, Forensic Anthropologist

Median pay in Greater Boston
$117,080
$56.29/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
70
Massachusetts 2024–2034
Not published
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Master's degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$65,130$85,990$117,080$121,710$127,300

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
  • Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
  • Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
  • Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
  • Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
  • Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure70 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 62
  • Language-model AIOE 67
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 82

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

This field has higher AI exposure, and some AI use is already seen. AI tools can help transcribe recordings, organize data records, and draft written summaries. Fieldwork, building trust with communities, and mentoring students rely on people.

Likely to change

  • Transcribing and organizing interviews and recordings
  • Drafting research summaries and reports

Still relies on people

  • Building trust with communities in the field
  • Mentoring and teaching students

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

18 programs near Boston (plus 14 graduate)

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