Anthropologists

Research, evaluate, and establish public policy concerning the origins of humans; their physical, social, linguistic, and cultural development; and their behavior, as well as the cultures, organizations, and institutions they have created.

Median Annual Wage: $59,280

Education: Master's degree (57%); Doctoral degree (39%); Post-doctoral training (4%)

Projected Growth: Faster than average (15% to 21%)

Related Job Titles: Scientist; Professor; American Indian Policy Specialist; Anthropology Instructor; Applied Anthropologist; Behavioral Scientist; Medical Anthropology Director; Professor of Anthropology; Researcher; Anthropologist

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Anthropologists.

More Life, Physical, and Social Science Careers

  • 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.
  • Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
  • Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
  • Formulate general rules that describe and predict the development and behavior of cultures and social institutions.
  • Identify culturally specific beliefs and practices affecting health status and access to services for distinct populations and communities, in collaboration with medical and public health officials.
  • Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
  • Explain the origins and physical, social, or cultural development of humans, including physical attributes, cultural traditions, beliefs, languages, resource management practices, and settlement patterns.
  • Develop intervention procedures, using techniques such as individual and focus group interviews, consultations, and participant observation of social interaction.
  • Collaborate with economic development planners to decide on the implementation of proposed development policies, plans, and programs based on culturally institutionalized barriers and facilitating circumstances.
  • Construct and test data collection methods.
  • Examine museum collections of hominid fossils to classify anatomical and physiological variations and to determine how they fit into evolutionary theory.
  • Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
  • Enhance the cultural sensitivity of elementary and secondary curricula and classroom interactions in collaboration with educators and teachers.
  • Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
  • Organize public exhibits and displays to promote public awareness of diverse and distinctive cultural traditions.
  • Build and use text-based database management systems to support the analysis of detailed first-hand observational records, or field notes.
  • Identify key individual cultural collaborators, using reputational and positional selection techniques.
  • Apply systematic sampling techniques to ensure the accuracy, completeness, precision, and representativeness of individuals selected for sample surveys.
  • Study archival collections of primary historical sources to help explain the origins and development of cultural patterns.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Anthropologists.

  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Anthropologists.

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