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Archaeologist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an archaeologist. Archaeologists usually study anthropology, classical and ancient studies, or history. 74% of archaeologists hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,567 real archaeologist resumes to see exactly what archaeologist education sections show.
The most common colleges for archaeologists are the University of New Mexico and the University of New Mexico.
There are also many online archaeologist courses to help get the education required to be an archaeologist.
What education do you need to become an archaeologist?
What degree do you need to be an archaeologist?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 6%
- Doctorate, 2%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an archaeologist?
- Anthropology, 57%
- History, 8%
- Liberal Arts, 3%
- Other Majors, 17%
Most common colleges for archaeologists
| Archaeologist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of New Mexico | 9.33% |
| University of Arizona | 6.00% |
| University of California, Santa Barbara | 6.00% |
| Northern Arizona University | 5.33% |
| California State University - San Bernardino | 5.33% |
Best majors for archaeologists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anthropology | 56.9% |
| 2 | Classical And Ancient Studies | 14.8% |
| 3 | History | 8.1% |
| 4 | Liberal Arts | 3.3% |
| 5 | Fine Arts | 2.7% |
Best colleges for archaeologists
The best colleges for archaeologists are Harvard University, Vanderbilt University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
An archaeologist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for archaeologists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become archaeologists.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
2. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
In-state tuition
$55,453
Enrollment
4,312
3. Rice University
Houston, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$47,350
Enrollment
3,962
4. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
In-state tuition
$55,466
Enrollment
6,752
7. University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$14,184
Enrollment
30,845
8. University of California - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,226
Enrollment
31,568
9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
10. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$52,930
Enrollment
5,030
20 best online courses for archaeologists
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Top 10 most affordable universities for archaeologists
The most affordable schools for archaeologists are University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, brooklyn college of the city university of new york, and purdue university.
If the best universities for archaeologists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for archaeologists.
1. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Cost of attendance
25,527
2. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
3. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
7. Queens College of the City University of New York
Queens, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,338
Cost of attendance
14,281
8. John Jay College of Criminal Justice of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,270
Cost of attendance
14,177
9. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
10. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for archaeologists
The hardest universities for archaeologists to get into are Harvard University, Vanderbilt University, and Columbia University in the City of New York.
Some great schools for archaeologists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for archaeologists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
2. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
3. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
4. Brown University
Providence, RI • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
5. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
6. Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,488
7. Rice University
Houston, TX • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,513
8. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
9. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
10. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for archaeologists
The easiest schools for archaeologists to get into are Saint Joseph's College of Maine, saint martin's university, and linfield college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an archaeologist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for archaeologists.
1. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
2. Saint Martin's University
Lacey, WA • Private
Admissions rate
96%
SAT average
1,111
3. Linfield College
McMinnville, OR • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
1,117
4. Augusta University
Augusta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
80%
SAT average
1,172
5. Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey - Newark
Newark, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
63%
SAT average
1,105
6. Longwood University
Farmville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
89%
SAT average
1,065
7. Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,073
8. University of Southern Maine
Portland, ME • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,050
9. Cleveland State University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,111
10. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
Average archaeologist salary by education level
| Archaeologist education level | Archaeologist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $52,457 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,946 |
| Doctorate Degree | $53,817 |
Archaeologist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common life, physical, and social science questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025