Occupation Summary

Anthropologists and Archeologists

O*NET 19-3091.00

Description:

Study the origin, development, and behavior of human beings. May study the way of life, language, or physical characteristics of people in various parts of the world. May engage in systematic recovery and examination of material evidence, such as tools or pottery remaining from past human cultures, in order to determine the history, customs, and living habits of earlier civilizations.

Annual Wages:
$73,379.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 23.21%.
Education Level:
Doctoral Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
STEM

  1. Study objects and structures recovered by excavation to identify, date, and authenticate them and to interpret their significance.
  2. Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
  3. Research, survey, or assess sites of past societies and cultures in search of answers to specific research questions.
  4. Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
  5. Describe artifacts' physical properties or attributes, such as the materials from which artifacts are made and their size, shape, function, and decoration.
  6. 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.
  7. Compare findings from one site with archeological data from other sites to find similarities or differences.
  8. Record the exact locations and conditions of artifacts uncovered in diggings or surveys, using drawings and photographs as necessary.
  9. Assess archeological sites for resource management, development, or conservation purposes and recommend methods for site protection.
  10. Gather and analyze artifacts and skeletal remains to increase knowledge of ancient cultures.
  11. Collect artifacts made of stone, bone, metal, and other materials, placing them in bags and marking them to show where they were found.
  12. 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.
  13. Consult site reports, existing artifacts, and topographic maps to identify archeological sites.
  14. Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
  15. Advise government agencies, private organizations, and communities regarding proposed programs, plans, and policies and their potential impacts on cultural institutions, organizations, and communities.
  16. Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
  17. Develop intervention procedures, using techniques such as individual and focus group interviews, consultations, and participant observation of social interaction.
  18. Develop and test theories concerning the origin and development of past cultures.
  19. Lead field training sites and train field staff, students, and volunteers in excavation methods.
  20. 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.
  21. Clean, restore, and preserve artifacts.
  22. Conduct participatory action research in communities and organizations to assess how work is done and to design work systems, technologies, and environments.
  23. Organize public exhibits and displays to promote public awareness of diverse and distinctive cultural traditions.
  24. Formulate general rules that describe and predict the development and behavior of cultures and social institutions.
  25. Study archival collections of primary historical sources to help explain the origins and development of cultural patterns.
  26. Apply traditional ecological knowledge and assessments of culturally distinctive land and resource management institutions to assist in the resolution of conflicts over habitat protection and resource enhancement.
  27. Enhance the cultural sensitivity of elementary and secondary curricula and classroom interactions in collaboration with educators and teachers.
  28. Participate in forensic activities, such as tooth and bone structure identification, in conjunction with police departments and pathologists.
  29. Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
  30. Write grant proposals to obtain funding for research.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Anthropologists and Archeologists employed Annual Growth Rate
Scientific research and development services 32.4 0.38
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 17.9 1.34
Architectural, engineering, and related services 8.7 0.00
Colleges, universities, and professional schools 5.7 0.00


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $35.28
2024 National average hourly wage $34.17
2022 National employment 8,000
2022 Texas employment 237
Texas projected employment by 2032 292
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 28




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Sociology and Anthropology
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
97.80%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
88.00%
History and Archeology
Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
84.00%
Foreign Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
80.00%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
77.00%
Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
73.00%
Communications and Media
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
67.00%
Philosophy and Theology
Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
63.00%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
61.00%
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
57.80%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
85.00%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
85.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
82.40%
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.
82.40%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
82.40%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
77.60%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
75.00%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
70.00%
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
67.60%
Instructing
Teaching others how to do something.
65.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
87.60%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
87.60%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
87.60%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
85.00%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
82.40%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
80.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
80.00%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
77.60%
Category Flexibility
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
77.60%
Flexibility of Closure
The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
75.00%


  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Analyzing Data or Information
    -- Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Independence
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.



Tools

All terrain vehicles tracked or wheeled: Four wheel drive 4WD vehicles;

Augers: Bucket augers;

Bench scales: Bench scales;

Benchtop centrifuges: Countertop centrifuges;

Binocular light compound microscopes: Oil immersion microscopes; Laboratory binocular microscopes;

Binoculars: Binoculars;

Calipers: Sliding calipers; Spreading calipers; Vernier calipers; Dial calipers; Digital calipers; Mandibulometers;

Chemiluminescence or bioluminescence analyzers: Luminescence readers;

Cold chisels: Cold chisels;

Compressed air gun: Pneumatic airscribes;

Conductivity meters: Conductance meters; Conductivity probes;

Dental burs: Dental burs;

Dental probes or explorers: Dental picks;

Deoxyribonucleic sequence analyzers: Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA analyzers; Deoxyribonucleic acid DNA sequencers;

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Developing tanks: Film processors;

Dictation machines: Transcription equipment;

Digital camcorders or video cameras: Digital video cameras;

Digital cameras: Digital cameras;

Digital voice recorders: Digital audio recorders;

Diving instruments or accessories: Scuba diving equipment;

Dropping pipettes: Laboratory dropping pipettes;

Drying cabinets or ovens: Drying ovens;

Electron microscopes: Electron microprobes; Electron microscopes;

Electronic toploading balances: Electronic topload scales;

Floor or platform scales: Platform scales;

Forestry increment borers: Tree ring sampling kits;

Freeze dryers or lyopholizers: Vacuum freeze-drying chambers;

Fume hoods or cupboards: Laboratory fume hoods; Fume hoods;

Gel boxes: Gel electrophoresis boxes;

General purpose refrigerators or refrigerator freezers: Laboratory refrigerators;

Geological compasses: Directional compasses;

Global positioning system GPS receiver: Global positioning system GPS receivers;

Goggles: Safety goggles;

Hammers: Crack hammers;

Heating or drying equipment or accessories: Laboratory vacuum dryers; Drying racks;

High pressure liquid chromatograph chromatography: High pressure liquid chromatograph HPLC equipment;

Inductively coupled plasma ICP spectrometers: Inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopes ICP-ES;

Ion selective electrode ISE meters: Selective ion meters;

Isolation glove boxes: Laboratory glove boxes;

Laboratory balances: Laboratory balances; Laboratory precision balances;

Laboratory beakers: Glass beakers;

Laboratory burets: Glass burets;

Laboratory mixers: Thermomixers;

Laboratory scalpels: Laboratory scalpels;

Laboratory separators: Water screening devices;

Laboratory sifting equipment: Shaker screens; Mesh sifting screens; Graded sieves;

Land drilling rigs: Hydraulic drilling rigs;

Levels: Laser line levels; Digital levels;

Loupes: Pocket loupes;

Magnetic stirrers: Magnetic stirring bars;

Magnetometer geophysical instruments: Geophysical magnetometers;

Masks or accessories: Dust masks;

Mass spectrometers: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopes ICP-MS;

Measuring tables: Alidades;

Metal detectors: Metal detectors;

Metallurgical microscopes: Metallurgical microscopes;

Microcentrifuges: Microcentrifuges;

Microphones: External lavalier microphones;

Microplate readers: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ELISA plate readers;

Notebook computers: Laptop computers;

PCR enclosures: Polymerase chain reaction PCR hoods;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers: Personal digital assistants PDA;

pH meters: pH indicators;

Picks: Rock picks;

Plotter printers: Plotters;

Plumb bobs: Plumb bobs;

Pneumatic hammer: Pneumatic chisels;

Pneumatic sanding machines: Sandblasters;

Polarizing microscopes: Petrographic microscopes; Polarizing microscopes;

Power saws: Precision saws; Thin section saws;

Protective gloves: Protective gloves;

Pullers: Slide hammers;

Radarbased surveillance systems: Remote sensing equipment; Ground penetrating radar GPR;

Resistivity geophysical instruments: Electrical resistivity instruments;

Robotic or automated liquid handling systems: Liquid handling robots;

Rulers: Precision rulers;

Scanners: Slide scanners; Flatbed scanners; Digitizers; Laser scanners;

Scanning electron microscopes: Scanning electron microscopes SEM;

Shovels: Flat-ended shovels; Round point shovels; Shovels;

Soil core sampling apparatus: Soil probes; Soil samplers;

Sonars: Side scan sonars;

Spectrofluorimeters or fluorimeters: Fluorometers; X ray fluorescence XRF spectrometers;

Spectrometers: Portable gamma spectrometers;

Spectrophotometers: Spectrophotometers;

Steam autoclaves or sterilizers: Steam autoclaves;

Stereo or dissecting light microscopes: Stereo zoom microscopes;

Still cameras: 35 millimeter cameras;

Stirring hotplates: Hot stir plates;

Tablet computers: Tablet computers;

Tape measures: Lufkin tape measures;

Temperature cycling chambers or thermal cyclers: Polymerase chain reaction PCR thermocyclers; Thermal cyclers;

Theodolites: Theodolites; Total stations;

Thermostats: Immersion thermostats;

Transilluminators: Ultraviolet UV transilluminators;

Triple beam balances: Triple beam balances;

Trowels: Plains trowels; Marshalltown trowels;

Ultra pure water systems: Laboratory water purification systems;

Ultracentrifuges: Ultracentrifuges;

Ultrasonic cleaning equipment: Ultrasonic cleaning machines;

Ultraviolet crosslinkers: Ultraviolet UV crosslinkers;

Underwater cameras: Underwater digital cameras; Underwater still cameras;

Vacuum ovens: Laboratory vacuum ovens;

X ray diffraction equipment: X ray diffractometers;

X ray radiography examination equipment: Portable x ray machines; X ray cabinets; Industrial micro computed tomography CT scanners; High resolution industrial computed tomography CT scanners;


Technology

Analytical or scientific software: Age progression software; Applied Biosystems GeneMapper; Data visualization software; ESRI ArcGIS Survey 123; Gene Codes Sequencher; IBM SPSS Statistics; Insightful S-PLUS; Qaulis Research The Ethonograph; SAS; SIL International The Linguist's Shoebox; SYSTAT; The MathWorks MATLAB; The University of Tennessee FORDISC; STATISTICA; Wolfram Research Mathematica;

Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Microsoft SharePoint;

Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD;

Data base user interface and query software: Automated National Catalog System ANCS; Archeological Sites Management Information System ASMIS; Microsoft Access; Genealogy software; Structured query language SQL;

Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign; Adobe PageMaker;

Development environment software: Software development tools;

Document management software: Adobe Acrobat;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software; ESRI ArcInfo; ESRI ArcView; Geographic information system GIS software; Geographic information system GIS systems;

Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator; GE Healthcare ImageQuant TL; Graphics software; Image enhancement software; Adobe Photoshop;

Internet browser software: Microsoft Internet Explorer; Web browser software;

Map creation software: RockWare ArcMap; Trimble Pathfinder Office; Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE; Golden Software Surfer;

Mobile location based services software: Global positioning system GPS software;

Object or component oriented development software: C++;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Microsoft Windows;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Video creation and editing software: Apple Final Cut Express; Apple iMovie; Microsoft Windows Movie Maker; Sony Creative Software Vegas Movie Studio;

Voice recognition software: Voice activated software;

Web page creation and editing software: Adobe Dreamweaver; Facebook; Microsoft FrontPage;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word; Word processing software;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Anthropologists and Archeologists include:
  • 25-1061.00 Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary
  • 25-4011.00 Archivists
  • 25-1062.00 Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary
  • 25-4012.00 Curators
  • 19-3092.00 Geographers
  • 19-2042.00 Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers
  • 19-3093.00 Historians
  • 25-1125.00 History Teachers, Postsecondary
  • 19-4061.00 Social Science Research Assistants
  • 19-3041.00 Sociologists


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about careers in anthropology and archeology, visit: American Anthropological Association
  • For more information about careers in archeology, visit: Archaeological Institute of America
  • Society for American Archaeology
  • For more information about biological anthropologists, visit: American Association of Biological Anthropologists
  • Anthropologists and Archeologists

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.