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Archeology

Types of Degrees Archeology Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Archeology have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	8
Associate’s Degree	8
Bachelor’s Degree	243
Master’s Degree	121
Doctor’s Degree	13

What Archeology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Archeology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Archeology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Archeology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Law and Government — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Archeology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Archeology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Archeology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.4 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Archeology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Microsoft SharePoint	Document management software	—
SAP software	Enterprise resource planning ERP software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Archeology graduates include:

• Compliance Director
• Radio Communications Superintendent
• Aquatic Facility Manager
• Transmission Superintendent
• Irrigation District Manager
• Health Club Manager
• Telegraph Office Manager
• Division Chief
• Home Service Director
• Transcription Manager
• Gym Manager
• Gas Well Drilling Manager
• Highway Patrol Commander
• Manufacturer
• Barber or Beauty Shop Manager

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Archeology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	47.6%
Doctoral degree	12.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	11.1%
Master’s degree	9.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	8.1%
Postsecondary certificate	4.4%
Some college courses	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.4%
Post-master’s certificate	1.1%
First professional degree	0.8%
Less than a high school diploma	0.5%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Archeology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.2% of Archeology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	264	67.2%
Men	129	32.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Archeology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	285	72.5%
Asian	13	3.3%
Hispanic or Latino	43	10.9%
Black or African American	6	1.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	1	0.3%
Two or More Races	22	5.6%
Race Unknown	7	1.8%
International Students	16	4.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Archeology Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Archeology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$28,059
4 years	$36,241
5 years	$44,033

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $44,033 — roughly 57% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Archeology Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Archeology graduates earn a median of $36,241 four years after completion — about 5% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Social Sciences	45
Anthropology	45.02
Criminology	45.04
Demography	45.05
Economics	45.06
Geography and Anthropology	45.15
Geography and Cartography	45.07
International Relations and National Security Studies	45.09
Political Science and Government	45.10
Rural Sociology	45.14
Social Sciences, General	45.01
Social Sciences, Other	45.99

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.