Update: This post on the anthropology major was written in 2012 when anthropology as a college major was under politicized attack. These earnings-based attacks have been debunked, but being an anthropology major in 2020 can seem a pretty lonely prospect. At a time when the below-referenced book Casino Capitalism is frighteningly coming to pass, see my 2020 Purpose of Living Anthropologically for some thoughts on living through the current situation.

Anthropology Major

It’s official. In its 2012 college major evaluation, Kiplinger declared the anthropology major as the worst major for your career. Forbes followed suit: Anthropology is the worst major.

We’re #1!

From Florida Governor Scott’s we don’t need anthropologists to Frank Bruni singling out anthropology in the New York Times, I’m tired of playing defense. We’ve worked hard to get to #1.

Anthropology is the worst college major for being a corporate tool. If going to college is only measured by the job you will take immediately after college, then please choose one of Kiplinger’s 10 best college majors for a lucrative career or one of Forbes 15 Most Valuable College Majors. Please don’t become an anthropology major!

Anthropology is the worst major for immediate career, but anthropology is the college major most likely to change your life–see What is Anthropology? And anthropology may help you change the world, although standard disclaimers about “starving artists” apply. But anthropology is also a great major to acquire lifelong learning skills–language, culture, thinking, writing, analysis–that enables success in several careers (see the update on Anthropology Jobs). Perhaps paradoxically, anthropology is a great major for analyzing corporations and capitalism. And you probably have just as much chance–if not more–of landing in the top 1% as an anthropology major as you do with any of those so-called lucrative or valuable college majors.



Anthropology is the major for changing your life. And changing the world. Click To Tweet

The College Major & Lifelong Learning

Let’s face it–most people come to anthropology out of pure interest. Many anthropology majors join specifically because they arelooking for the capitalist payout, or a “typical” life. People come to anthropology to learn about the world and about themselves. Whatever I write, in 2012 my most shared blog-post continued to be Anthropology, Moral Optimism, and Capitalism , I hope because it strikes a chord about anthropological analysis and contemporary capitalism. I hope it is because anthropology offers a unique perspective onto public issues: like Anthropology on Immigration

Of course, changing capitalism is an arduous task, and there are the practical realities of needing a job, of wanting to do something vaguely interesting, of repaying student loans. But here, a rigorous anthropology major should provide skills to navigate a changing world in which graduates will have several careers, not just one.

Back in April 2012, when we were at #9 in The Daily Beast most useless majors, Adam Van Arsdale put up a great and very relevant post about this, The usefulness of anthropology. In his follow-up, Thoughts on an anthropology curriculum, Van Arsdale outlines writing, language skills, analysis from multiple lines of evidence, comparative perspectives. In other words, in a rapidly changing world we can be sure that these kinds of broad skillsets will be applicable for a range of career settings. (See my follow-up on Are the Liberal Arts Relevant?)

Anthropology Major for Analyzing Capitalism–And getting into the top 1%?

Somewhat ironically, although many people come to the anthropology major because they are wary of corporate payouts, there is a large contingent of anthropology in business and in advertising. Anthropology has produced some of the most lucid analyses of the capitalist financial crisis, as exemplified by Gillian Tett’s address to the 2012 Anthropology in the World Conference.

Then there’s the somewhat curious fact that looking at What Top 1% of Earners Majored In, there’s a very healthy assortment of liberal arts degrees in the mix. You need to scroll into the attached document to find Anthropology and Archaeology, but we find 3.3% of these majors end up in the top 1% of earners and these majors make up 0.4% of the top one-percenters. That may not sound like a lot, but compare Pharmacy–Kiplinger’s #1 best major for your career–and we find 3.9% of these majors in the top 1% and a total share of 0.7%. Is that so different? Or take Kiplinger’s #3 most recommended college major, Transportation Sciences and Technologies, which lands only 1.7% of its majors in the top 1% for a total share of just 0.1%. In fact, my rough comparison reveals five of Kiplinger’s top ten land more majors in the top 1% than anthropology, with the other five landing fewer. For the Forbes 15 most valuable, six of the majors did better than anthropology in the top 1%, but nine did worse.

Anthropology Major & the Capitalist Lottery

One reason people don’t automatically shift over into the occupations Frank Bruni mentioned in April 2012, or into the majors Kiplinger and Forbes tout, is that most people know that capitalism has become a globalizing lottery. Majors in English, philosophy, history, and even anthropology get lucky and break into the 1%. Majors in pharmacy, nursing, and transportation can see their jobs globalized out from under them, without seriously improving their odds of getting the truly lucrative payout.

This is something anthropology has been talking about for a long time. Although not specifically anthropology, Susan Strange’s Casino Capitalism came out in 1986(!), with a title and analysis that is just as relevant today.

It’s also the case that this kind of lottery is part of academia, and part of anthropology. In a chilling piece, The closing of American academia, anthropologist Sarah Kendzior focuses on the 2011 meetings of the American Anthropological Association and the experience of adjuncts: “One after another, the occupations that shape American society are becoming impossible for all but the most elite to enter.” [Note that Kendzior wrote this article near the beginning of her journalism career and currently writes on the authoritarian kleptocracy.]

Anthropology beyond the capitalist lottery

Anthropology knows about capitalism, from the top and from the bottom (see Is capitalism the best economic system?). We’ve analyzed the capitalist lottery and know it isn’t good for individuals or for society. We strive to impart these lessons and skills in the undergraduate anthropology major. Yet our graduates are underemployed, working in retail. Our doctorates are underemployed, working as adjuncts. We need to figure out ways to go beyond the capitalist lottery, for our undergraduates, our graduate students, and our world.

Anthropology is #1

Thank you for visiting and for making this a top page on Living Anthropologically. Be sure to check out What is Anthropology? and the Introduction to Anthropology pages.

Updates & Related Anthropology Major Resources

To cite: Antrosio, Jason. 2012. “Anthropology Major: Best College Major to Change Your Life.” Living Anthropologically website, https://www.livinganthropologically.com/anthropology-major/. First posted 21 August 2012. Revised 14 June 2020.