Environmentalscience.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured programs and school search results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other information published on this site. Got it!

The purpose of Archaeology is to study how people in the past interacted with their world. Archaeological information is gathered through detailed study of historic objects, sites and monuments and the contemporary uses of heritage.

What Does an Archaeologist Do?

Day-to-day Archaeologists conduct field investigations, analyze artifacts, excavate sites, manage the logistics of projects at sites, write reports and recommendations, teach, conduct research, and publish the results of their research in academic journals.

Archaeology is an important career because it assists us in obtaining a chronology of our past, it gives us some understanding of why human culture has changed through time and it allows us to explain cause-and-effect behavior of humans in the past which in turn helps us understand the present and why humanity is the way it is. Through Archaeology we can make more informed decisions about the progression of humanity as it currently exists.

RELATED - Archaeology: Examining Its Past and the Future

Where Does an Archaeologist Work?

Professional archaeologists work for universities, museums, governments, private companies, and as consultants. Archaeological work is conducted either outdoors during field work or in an office environment when writing reports or research papers. The most hazardous aspect of Archaeology is the occupational health and safety risk involved in outdoor work.

Archaeologists may work in either a full time capacity, part time capacity, on individual field work projects, or in a freelance capacity. Field work generally requires extensive hours of work in hot and sunny conditions. Often Archaeologists work away from home but opportunities such as those in Museums can be found locally.

The United Kingdom, Cambodia, Rome and Egypt are some of the top 2013 archaeological hotspots around the world. Just last year, King Richard III's remains were found in a parking lot in Leicester, United Kingdom.

What Is the Average Archaeologist Salary?

According to the Society for American Archaeology, the salary an archaeologists earns depends on many factors including level of education, years of experience and where they are employed. A field work assistant just starting out with a bachelors degree will typically earn $10 - $12 USD per hour. A professor or museum curator at a large research institution who has a PhD, many years experience, and has produced many publications, may earn $80,000 - $100,000 USD a year. An average salary for an archaeologist with an advanced degree and several years experience managing projects and staff is approximately $45,000 USD.



State Total Employment Bottom 25% Median Salary Top 75% Alabama 50 $34,150 $42,750 $48,300 Alaska 120 $57,000 $71,060 $89,380 Arizona 360 $43,640 $58,120 $71,350 Arkansas - $59,000 $69,850 $84,440 California 1,570 $44,050 $57,130 $74,730 Colorado 290 $41,270 $50,350 $67,820 District of Columbia 50 $74,870 $94,960 $112,770 Florida 190 $38,680 $50,620 $72,430 Georgia - $82,810 $90,080 $100,260 Hawaii 240 $46,910 $70,230 $86,600 Idaho 90 $52,640 $65,990 $74,630 Illinois 70 $42,450 $57,960 $85,560 Indiana 50 $43,460 $51,940 $67,910 Iowa 40 $44,900 $57,430 $69,070 Kentucky 70 $43,000 $52,570 $61,180 Louisiana 70 $55,510 $68,810 $81,950 Maryland 180 $39,170 $52,440 $74,770 Massachusetts 50 $62,370 $72,170 $89,440 Michigan 30 $54,970 $64,710 $71,520 Mississippi 50 $31,300 $42,660 $68,820 Missouri 50 $35,390 $57,410 $70,800 Montana 40 - - - Nebraska 40 $57,410 $68,890 $78,000 Nevada 150 $41,870 $57,430 $73,050 New Jersey 120 $39,320 $52,340 $68,100 New Mexico 290 $41,150 $53,660 $65,240 New York 180 $48,730 $59,550 $85,440 North Carolina 140 $40,660 $49,620 $58,790 North Dakota 80 $31,030 $37,830 $65,040 Ohio 50 $35,130 $58,090 $84,400 Oregon 250 $55,370 $74,630 $87,170 Pennsylvania 30 $53,100 $61,540 $81,820 Rhode Island 70 $40,430 $52,020 $64,960 Tennessee - $50,120 $72,870 $88,650 Texas 340 $39,050 $54,080 $74,610 Utah 130 $47,460 $61,230 $75,680 Virginia 220 $37,890 $54,390 $72,160 Washington 150 $52,200 $66,030 $78,310 Wisconsin 90 $29,350 $37,770 $56,020 Wyoming 100 $51,260 $59,350 $68,880

Table data taken from BLS (http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes193091.htm)

What Is the Job Demand for Archaeologists?

Archaeology is a competitive career option and the need for Archaeologists is not increasing. There are not a lot of jobs available for archaeologists in colleges and universities. Museum positions are also rare and difficult to obtain. The majority of jobs in archaeology today are in cultural resource management as there is a developing need for archaeological assessment of sites for development and other projects.

Archaeology Jobs & Job Description

Recent Archaeology Job Listings Use the search box below to find all the archaeologist job listings in our job board. Post to EnvironmentalScience.org and 100+ Job Boards with One Submission

Develop data collection methods and systems tailored to a particular specialty or project

Collect information from observations, interviews, and documents

Record and manage records of observations taken in the field via GPS/GIS and other proprietary software

Analyze data, laboratory samples, and other sources of information to uncover patterns about human life, culture, and origins

Prepare reports and present research findings

Communicate with team leads, managers, and IT staff through regular, scheduled field status reports and presentation of research findings

Engage in field survey, testing, monitoring, and data recovery

Advise organizations on the cultural impact of policies, programs, and products

Professional report and site form preparation, research, and literature reviews

Archaeologists find and analyze objects and structures to inform our understanding of past economic, social, political and intellectual life. Mostly this takes place on or planning for research projects to answer questions and test hypotheses about past cultures. Candidates seeking archeology jobs may pursue teaching, research, or fieldwork. Regardless of which area they are interested in, archeologists require the following types of skills in order to be successful in their field:

A lead archeologist, chief researcher, or archeology project manager may have the following or similar additional responsibilities, depending on the project and its goals:

Assist team leads to develop and inform project scopes, schedules, and budgets

Ensure quality assurance, organization, and appropriate tracking of field data

Oversee the preservation of site integrity

Engage in office-based tasks including technical report preparation and submittal, as well as liaising with site stakeholders

Be able to interact with ease while adhering to local norms and area customs

Supervise fieldwork (survey, site recording, testing, monitoring, and data integrity) of one or more field crews

Communicate with funding agencies and individuals through field status reports and presentation of team findings

What Do Archaeologists Study?

The minimal education requirement to work as a field archaeologist is a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree with a major in anthropology or archaeology and previous field experience. To move into a supervisory role you will be required to obtain a graduate degree, usually a Masters of Arts, Masters of Science, or PhD.

You will also be required to undertake extensive field work roles to be employable as an Archaeologist. To be allowed to undertake field work you will sometimes need to obtain an excavation permit.



Degrees Related to Archaeology

SEARCH PROGRAMS Select a Degree Level Select a Degree Associate's Bachelor's Master's Doctorate Non-Degree Courses Certificate / Diploma Graduate Certificates Select a Category Select a Category Art & Design Business & Management Computers & Technology Criminal Justice & Legal Education & Teaching Liberal Arts & Humanities Nursing & Healthcare Psychology & Counseling Science & Engineering Trades & Careers Select a Subject Select a Subject Animation Art & Art History Creative / Design Fashion Film Game Design Graphic Design Interior Design Landscape Architecture Multimedia Design Photography Visual Communications Web Design Accounting Business Administration Business Intelligence Economics Entertainment Management Entrepreneurship Finance Forensic Accounting Hospitality Management Hotel & Restaurant Management Human Resources International Business Internet Marketing Logistics Management Management Information Systems Marketing Non-Profit Management Organizational Leadership Project Management Public Relations Real Estate Retail & Sales Management Risk Management Small Business Sports Management Supply Chain & Logistics Taxation Training & Development Computer Engineering Computer Forensics Computer Programming Computer Science Database Management Information Systems Security Information Technology Internet Security Mobile Development Network Administration Network Security Software Engineering Web Development Corrections Crime Scene Investigation Criminal Justice Criminology Cyber Security Forensic Science Homeland Security Law Enforcement Legal Studies Paralegal Public Safety Administration Adult Education/Learning Child Development Coaching Curriculum & Instruction Early Childhood Education Education Educational Administration Educational Counseling Educational Leadership Educational Technology Elementary Education English Language Learning Higher Education K-12 Education Library Science Math Education Music Education Online Teaching Reading & Literacy Special Education Teacher Licensure Anthropology Communications English General Studies Geography History Human & Family Development Journalism Liberal Arts Media Communications Ministry Music Political Science Public Administration Public Policy Social Science Social Work Sociology Theology Writing Dental Assistance Emergency Management Gerontology Health Education Health Informatics Health Science Health Services Healthcare Administration Healthcare Management Human Services Medical Assisting Medical Coding Medical Office Administration Nurse Practitioner (RN Required) Nursing (RN required) Nursing Education (RN Required) Nutritional Sciences Pharmacy Public Health RN to BSN (RN required) Sports Medicine Sports Medicine/Physical Therapy Veterinary X-Ray Technician Addictions & Recovery Behavioral Psychology Child and Adolescent Psychology Counseling Educational Psychology Family Counseling Forensic Psychology Organizational Psychology Psychology Aeronautics/Aviation Biomedical Engineering Civil Engineering Drafting Electronics Engineering Engineering Engineering Management Environmental Management Environmental Science Industrial Engineering Mechanical Engineering Automotive Carpentry Construction Management Culinary Electrical Technician Fire Science Heating/Cooling Technology Trades FIND PROGRAMS AD Environmentalscience.org is an advertising-supported site. Featured programs and school search results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other information published on this site. Got it!

What Kinds of Societies and Professional Organizations Do Archaeologists Have?

There are a number of archaeological societies and professional organizations all over the world. Some of the main groups that help provide career networking and exchange industry specific ideas are: