A large percentage of archaeologists work in academia. Salaries for archaeology and anthropology professors ranged from less than $51,980 to $172,180 or more in May 2023, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).
For those working in the field, salaries ranged widely. The DOL reports that the median annual salaries for archaeologists and anthropologists were $63,800 in May 2023. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $43,770; the highest 10 percent earned more than $102,150. In July 2024, Payscale.com reported the average salary for archaeologists employed in the United States was $60,099, noting that those with skills in areas such as regulatory compliance, environmental consulting, mapping, and project management earn higher salaries.
Depending on their employers, most archaeologists enjoy a full complement of benefits, including vacation and sick time as well as holidays and medical and dental insurance.
- Anthropologists
- Arborists
- Archivists
- Artists
- Book Conservators
- Botanists
- Civil Engineers
- College Professors
- Conservators and Conservation Technicians
- Cultural Advisers
- Demographers
- Ecologists
- Economists
- Education Directors and Museum Teachers
- English as a Second Language (ESL) Teachers
- Environmental Education Program Directors
- Environmental Lawyers
- Environmental Planners
- Environmental Restoration Planners
- Environmental Scientists
- EPA Special Agents
- Ethnoscientists
- Exhibit Designers
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Foreign Service Officers
- Foresters
- Forestry Technicians
- Futurists
- Gallery Owners and Directors
- Genealogical Researchers
- Genealogists
- Geographers
- Geological Technicians
- Geologists
- Geophysicists
- Grant Coordinators and Writers
- Grounds Managers
- Historians
- Historic Preservationists
- Interpreters
- Land Acquisition Professionals
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Landscapers
- Lexicographers
- Linguists
- Localization Specialists
- Marine Biologists
- Medical Ethicists
- Museum Attendants
- Museum Directors and Curators
- Museum Technicians
- National Park Service Employees
- Naturalists
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Park Rangers
- Political Scientists
- Range Managers
- Recreation Workers
- Rewilders
- Secondary School Teachers
- Sign Language and Oral Interpreters
- Sociologists
- Soil Conservationists and Technicians
- Soil Scientists
- Statisticians
- Taxidermists
- Tour Guides
- Translators
- Wildland Firefighters
- Zoo and Aquarium Curators and Directors
- Zookeepers
- Zoologists