Is Anthropology a good subject to get a degree in? Any jobs out there with a Bachelors Degree?

Question

My daughter is good at math and science. She had always wanted to be a civil engineer or scientist. Well, this is her last year of high school. She will be going away to college. I asked her what her major will be. She said Anthropology. We live in a town of 5600 so I know that they are not looking for an anthropologist anytime soon. So, what is the job outlook? What can she do with this degree? I would hate for her to have to pay back student loans for a degree that she cannot use. I wish that she would stick with the original plan...engineering. That's where the money is. Anyway, is anthropology a good choice or not?

Answer 1

First off, anthropology is a beautiful subject and no matter what your daughter does she would definitely benefit in her life from taking courses in it. (And anthropologists ARE scientists.) But choosing a major is certainly an important decision. I have a feeling your daughter already knows you wish she would stick with engineering and trying to encourage her more with words or arguments isn't likely to change her mind. You might try making sure she is aware of all the possible outcomes that could happen either way and have her think of back-up plans for how she can deal with them, especially when things don't work out ideally. And things won't work out ideally, even if she chooses engineering (I know engineers living paycheck-to-paycheck and I somehow doubt your town has many openings for engineers either unless you're in someplace like Silicon Valley in which case you might be surprised that some of those companies have anthropologists working for them). Obviously, plans are subject to change, but it can be a good exercise to plan what steps one would like to take and what one will do at each turn if Plan A doesn't work (e.g., BA in Anthro > Anthro Grad School > Professor, but if Anthro Grad School doesn't work > law school, or if can't find job as Professor > non-profit or think tank, and if those don't work, etc.).

Have her think about what she wants from a job and from a field of study (intellectual/spiritual fulfillment? solving certain problems? a certain amount of monetary wealth? fame? travel? to live in a certain region? something else?). Will the job or major or whatever meet her wants and needs? And, will she be able to meet the needs of the job, major, etc.? These questions cannot be answered based on feelings alone, no matter how strong. It requires being realistic and most importantly being informed.

I don't know how much she knows about anthropology or what her exposure to it has been, but if she hasn't taken any courses, she might want to try them before she decides. (Even if she has taken a course, she should know that it is not uncommon for people who've taken high school or JC anthro classes to become a little disillusioned with the way some academics teach anthro full of jargon and deconstructionism in university settings.) The problem with that is that engineering programs are frequently in a different college and it is not always easy to switch majors between colleges in a university (especially into engineering), and engineering programs don't always make it easy to take all that many classes in fields like anthropology, but it can be done. She can double major, she can minor in one and major in the other, she could major in engineering and take some classes in anthro and then apply to grad school in anthropology. Obviously she should consider these depending upon her goals though she may well not be interested in trying to have it both ways. It probably depends on whether she's still interested in engineering (and maybe if she were given the opportunity to have some more exciting/stimulating experiences involving engineering, she might be reminded why she was interested).

I would take issue with your statement that engineering is where the money is; most engineers don't end up ultra-wealthy. But I'll certainly grant that coming straight out of college, engineering students usually have an easier time getting jobs and get paid more than anthropology students. The jobs available to anthropology students out of college are pretty much all the jobs available to people out of college with the exception of engineering jobs. But given the job market right now, finding interesting and well-paying jobs for people out of college is not easy, though it's easier if you know what you want and are able to plan for it with the classes you take, the internships/summer jobs you find, the connections you make, the persistence you have in your research and follow-up. There are a lot of successful people who've studied anthropology but you just don't know it, I don't remember all of them off the top of my head but some of it you can find on the web. The hostess and creator of the growing Pacifica radio program Democracy Now majored in anthro, as did the businessman who created a company called Real Goods in Northern California--just a couple small examples. There are even anthropologists who make loads of money working for major corporations giving them business advice, though there is disagreement among anthropologists as to whether some of these positions are ethical.

This comes back to an assumption that is implicit in your statement that you don't want your daughter paying back loans for "a degree she cannot use". The thing about anthropology is that you use it everyday, even when you go to the grocery store, so while there are not a lot of jobs IN anthropology, there is no job where anthropological background and study will not be useful. Undergraduate education is not supposed to be vocational training, which is what differentiates engineering (which directs its students towards specific careers/industries) and other majors (with which one can do almost anything).

That probably sounds a bit like spin, but like I and others have already said, it really comes down to your daughter's goals. Monetary wealth and financial security are not the first priority for people who pursue careers IN anthropology. If what you want for your daughter is just money, maybe you should have her try something like real estate. If she wants a career IN anthropology she will most likely need to go to grad school in anthro, and even then desirable jobs are not easy to get. They do it because they love it and they're that passionate about answering anthropological questions. There's a reason the people who started the Western academic discipline of anthropology were independently wealthy so they could afford to finance their research and support themselves.

But if your daughter is just looking to major in anthropology as an undergrad because she's interested in it, she could certainly move on to other more lucrative professions afterwards. Few anthropology majors actually go on to pursue careers IN anthropology. A lot more go on to everything from law school, med school, journalism, investment banking, business, public health, teaching, and more. For them anthropology is a GREAT subject to get a degree in because of the kind of knowledge and broad perspective it gives.

I'm not sure what else to tell you, other than that anthropology is a good degree but the two biggest dangers one should consider are the danger of not knowing what one wants (like graduating and not knowing what will be a fulfilling path from there or not having a good idea what passion one can commit to pursuing within or outside of anthro, these kinds of things can get one stuck in a rut) and the high danger of failure for those pursuing careers (particularly academic/research careers) IN anthropology. About the second one, if your daughter loves anthropology that much that she wants an academic career IN anthro, I would suggest you try very hard to make sure she understands the risk that she might not end up in that kind of job, how painful that is for the people who've tried, and thinks very seriously about if she can live a happy life in the kinds of jobs she would be able to pursue then. That kind of longterm plan to pursue anthropology should not be based on instant gratification, no matter how intellectually exciting it may be to learn about it now.

Answer 2

Unless she specializes in archaeology and wants to do Cultural Resource Management/Public Archaeology, she's not very likely to find a job IN Anthropology with a BA.
She's probably going to need to go on to graduate school for either a Masters in Applied Anthropology (or similar program) or a PhD in whatever sub-discipline of Anthropology she chooses.
Anthropologists (of various specialties) hold jobs as diverse as forensic investigators, archaeologists, museum curators/researchers, working with social work organizations, professors, working with medical facilities, etc. Job availability and pay depends on her specialization and the degree she holds.

That being said, I think you should be aware that an enormous number of college students change their majors numerous times. Part of the college experience and the point of post-secondary education is to learn more about the world, how to think, and gain experience with a variety of viewpoints. Most universities and colleges have a semi-rigid (some electives, some required courses) schedule of courses wherein students start out taking introductory level "core" classes that just about everyone has to take that are designed to expose students to a variety of fields.

She can always double major - it may take a little longer or bit a little harder, but having degrees in the "sciences" and the "humanities" is likely to increase her employability. Overall, not to seem critical, but it is ultimately her choice, if you push her towards engineering and it isn't something that she really wants to do, she may not do well - partly because it's a subject she doesn't like and partly because it wasn't her choice. I'm sure she'll land on her feet eventually.

If it's possible, take her or arrange for her to go to visit local colleges and universities as well as any of her "dream schools" during their recruiting times so she can get a feel for the various majors open to her, potential funding opportunities (to avoid loans, if possible), and other information about college. If visits aren't possible, visit the websites of the schools she's interested in and try to get a dialogue going with the admissions people via phone or email - that's what they are there for. Ask all the questions you want and encourage your daughter to do the same and see if they can put her (and you) in touch with professors and/or students in the majors she's interested in to talk about requirements, experiences in the program, employability, etc.

Answer 3

If she's passionate about it, she can do a great job in field of Anthropology. If she's (or you) are interested only in the financial part of the thing (with possible future frustrations), and satisfied with this kind of reward only, engineering should be fine.
On the other hand, you cannot be a good Anthropologist if you don't have a sense of people around you.
Good luck!

Answer 4

You are right that there aren't many job postings for "Anthropologists" going around.

However, you shouldn't think of it that way.

People do not need to get jobs directly related to their majors.

Anthropology is a very good subject, and it could prepare students to work in many different fields. It strengthens their skills in critical thinking, analytical thinking, and communication. Someone who majors in anthropology could do any number of things.

I majored in history, and its a smaller situation. There are very few jobs specifically for "historians" (other than teachers) but someone who is intelligent and has a critical eye for history can do almost anything in the job market.

Answer 5

Engineering is a good field if she specializes in the environment, transportation or other fields beyond civil engineering.

Does she understand what anthropology is and what does she want to do with that kind of degree?

Answer 6

I'm an anthropology major! If you want her to earn money and you think that's important, then she can major in anthro and minor in middle eastern studies. The government will hire her if she has good grades and is at a good school. I know that at the university I'm at, the seniors that majored in social anthro and did middle east studies have been contacted. One guy I know went to grad school for 2 years studying anthropology, specializing in Mid east, was hired by the federal government. Started off making $80,000 a year. But, he did his undergrad at a private university in New England and grad was ivy-league. So it really depends on the type of college she goes to.

Answer 7

Absolutely not, convince her to minor in it but to major in Occupational Therapy. The Anthropological background can really help her perspective as an Occupational Therapist, not like Engineering. She will be just as qualified for nothing with the minor as the major, but she will have a new insight that will stay with her which, is most definitely a positive thing, However, if she intends to actually may money, I recommend Occupational Therapy. It is a growing field and Anthropolgy classes will help her understand the cultural differences of her clients.

Answer 8

You are only as good as what you can produce. A bachelors isn't enough today anyway. I think you have to go in your own direction. Yes, an engineering degree is much more practical. What matters most for your daughter is the subject of her masters.

Answer 9

Her job outlook is horrible with just a B.S.. If she wants to get a career in anthropology, she'll have to go to grad school

Answer 10

Its not a good choice.Im a Anthropologist (Paleoantropology).But I work like a policeman without use to this science.I can teach hher what do she want. Did She read Carl Sagan's book Who work with NASA.Genetic Engineer or Medical.. better..

Answer 11

With electives in Sociology and Psychology she could work in the social services field.