Anthropology

Ph.d. program.

  • Graduate Studies

The graduate program in Brown’s anthropology department encourages a diversity of doctoral research agendas in socio-cultural anthropology, anthropological archaeology, and linguistic anthropology.

Our program balances a rigorous curriculum of core classes with more specialized training in advanced courses. Our graduate seminars and independent study courses provide an engaging and rigorous tutorial approach to training. Graduate courses offered this academic year are listed on  Courses@Brown .

Brown’s graduate program is primarily PhD granting; students are not admitted to the department solely to seek a Master’s degree. Doctoral students complete requirements for a Master’s degree during their course of study, as well as additional requirements described below.

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Degree Requirements

Generally awarded as part of the overall requirements for a Ph.D.

Four core courses

  • ANTH2010: Principles of Cultural Anthropology
  • ANTH 2020: Methods of Anthropological Research (or equivalent)
  • ANTH 2501: Principles of Archaeology
  • ANTH 2800: Linguistic Theory and Practice
  • Four approved electives
  • A Master’s Thesis
  • 12 additional elective courses beyond the 8 required for the Master’s Degree (or the fulfillment of equivalent through coursework at another university) 
  • Preliminary examinations in three topics
  • One year of teaching experience, usually as a teaching assistant
  • Approved research proposal for doctoral research
  • Foreign language requirement (if required by the candidate’s doctoral committee)
  • Dissertation, based on independent field research

More detailed information about the program, including a general outline of the timeline for completing the program, can be found in the Anthropology Graduate Handbook . 

Specialized Ph.D. Tracks

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They choose a topic within Anthropological Demography as one of their preliminary examination topics, participate in the activities of the Working Group in Anthropology and Population, and attend the regular colloquia of the Population Studies and Training Center (PSTC). PSTC also has a set of requirements trainees must meet. Special fellowships are available to students in this program.

More information @ PSTC

Lutz Bases

The program offers specialized courses, funds field-based research, provides fellowships, hosts visiting faculty, and promotes collaborative research initiatives with partner institutions in the global south. The program builds on a core group of faculty internationally renowned for their research and scholarship in the area of development and inequality. Program activities are open to all PhD students at Brown. All trainees and fellows are eligible for summer fieldwork research grants.

More information @ Watson

Medical anthropology is a subfield of anthropology that seeks to understand human experiences of health, illness, and suffering. Medical anthropologists study topics such as global health, local health systems, indigenous medicine, violence and trauma, disability and the body, gender and sexuality, biotechnology, bioethics, and social suffering. Brown’s PhD program offers an array of opportunities for students seeking specialized training in medical anthropology. Brown’s anthropology faculty are actively engaged in researching a wide variety of topics within the subfield of medical anthropology, including HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, mental illness, reproductive health, gender and sexuality, violence and trauma, biotechnology, language and medicine, anthropology of drugs, and bio-archaeology.

Pentecostal Healing

For more information, contact  Professor Daniel J. Smith or  Professor Katherine A. Mason.

Doctoral Degree Program

Anthropology Ph.D. degree requirements include successful enrollment and participation in graduate training seminars, completion of 2 qualifying exams (one for topic and one for area), approval of the dissertation proposal, and the successful defense and oral examination of the dissertation. Students are encouraged to plan for the completion of all work for the Ph.D. within 5-6 years. Anthropology Ph.D. students must take a minimum of 135 quarter units with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The maximum allowable number of transfer units is 45. The Ph.D. degree is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ability to conduct independent research and analysis in Anthropology. Through completion of advanced course work and rigorous skills training, the doctoral program prepares students to make original contributions to the knowledge of Anthropology and to interpret and present the results of such research.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Ph.D. Minor

best anthropology phd programs usa

How to Apply

Anthropology

Share this page, fall 2024 admissions update.

Admissions to the PhD in social anthropology and the AM in medical anthropology have been paused and will not be accepting applications for fall 2024. The PhD in archaeology will be accepting applications.

The Department of Anthropology is one of the world’s leading institutions for anthropological research. Our PhD programs provide in-depth conceptual and methodological training in archaeology and social anthropology , with faculty whose work covers every time period—from the Paleolithic to the present—and every major world area. The department also offers an AM in medical anthropology .

You will have the unique opportunity to work with a world-renowned faculty that has a long tradition of foundational research across nearly every continent. You will have access to a wide range of resources including the Harvard Medical School, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, various area centers such as the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies, Korea Institute, Fairbank Center for Chinese Studies, Asia Center, and Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. You will also have access to extensive archaeological and anthropological collections of the Peabody Museum, an important resource for both research and teaching.

Projects that students have worked on include “Archaeology of the 19th and 20th Century Chinese Labor Migrants,” “Zooarchaeology in Ancient Mesopotamia,” and “Mass Media in Indonesia.” Our PhD graduates are now on the anthropology faculties at some of the top universities in the world. Others have secured positions with Facebook, the World Bank, and various museums.

Additional information on the graduate program is available from the Department of Anthropology , and requirements for the degree are detailed in Policies .

Areas of Study

Archaeology (PhD only) | Medical Anthropology (AM only) | Social Anthropology (PhD only)

Admissions Requirements

Please review the admissions requirements and other information before applying. You can find degree program-specific admissions requirements below and access additional guidance on applying from the Department of Anthropology .

Academic Background

Previous concentration in anthropology is not required; however, applicants must be able to clearly state their interests in anthropology and demonstrate familiarity with intellectual issues in current anthropological theory and method.

Writing Sample

For PhD applicants, a writing sample is required as part of the application and can be a term paper or thesis no longer than 20 pages (double-spaced) not including bibliography. Do not submit a longer sample with instructions to read a particular section. Applicants should select an example of their best academic writing that demonstrates their capacity for rigorous analysis and independent work. It is not essential that the writing sample be directly related to the topics or areas that you are proposing to study in the future.

Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should demonstrate a geographic cultural region and/or a particular topical or theoretical interest in anthropology. Language skills related to an applicant’s intended area or areas of specialization should be explained in the statement of purpose.

Standardized Tests

GRE General: Not Accepted

Theses & Dissertations

Theses & Dissertations for Anthropology

Anthropology Faculty

See list of Anthropology faculty

APPLICATION DEADLINE

Questions about the program.

Department of Anthropology

General ph.d. program information.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Students who enroll in one of the Anthropology Department’s Ph.D. programs join a vibrant and diverse community of scholars working to extend the disciplinary and interdisciplinary horizons of twenty-first century Anthropology. Students in all Ph.D. programs work closely with their advisers and other faculty to craft an appropriate sequence of graduate-level courses, professional experiences, and independent research culminating in a disse rtation.

The Director of Graduate Studies is  Erik Harms .

The Departmental Registrar is  Marleen Cullen .

Further information on all of our Ph.D. programs can be found in the links to the left, and the Department’s Graduate Student Handbook provides additional details.  

Ph.D. in Anthropology

Anthropology at Boston University

Earn Your PhD in Anthropology

Our Ph.D. program in anthropology is designed to provide a broad background in the field with a primary emphasis on sociocultural anthropology, biological anthropology, or archaeology. The degree prepares students for careers in academia, consulting, or other applied professions in the discipline. 

The major foci of research and instruction in sociocultural anthropology include religion, law and politics, ethnicity, gender, history and anthropology, problems of social change and economic development, culture and the environment, cognition and culture, and medical/psychological anthropology. The study of the Islamic world, East and Southeast Asia, and Africa are the greatest strengths among our sociocultural faculty and students. 

In biological anthropology, our faculty and students primarily study living and fossil human and non-human primates, including their evolutionary morphology, behavior, genomics, and sensory adaptations. For more information on ongoing research in biological anthropology, visit our laboratories page . 

Finally, the major foci in archaeology include human-environment interactions, urbanism, households, and material culture viewed in deep historical perspective. Faculty and students are primarily interested in Mesoamerica, North America, and the Mediterranean. To learn more about research and fieldwork in archaeology, click here .

PhD Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate mastery of the fundamentals of the traditional four subfields of American anthropology (social/cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistic anthropology) sufficiently to make them effective and competent teachers of introductory undergraduate courses in general anthropology, social/cultural anthropology, and/or biological anthropology.
  • Demonstrate the ability to conceive, plan, propose, carry out, and write up a major piece of anthropological research, related to current theoretical discourse in their chosen subfield and constituting a significant contribution to the discipline.
  • Be able to make compelling and interesting presentations of their ideas and findings to audiences of professional anthropologists in several forms—oral, written, and graphic.
  • Carry out all these tasks in a manner consonant with the highest prevailing standards of ethical and professional conduct in research and teaching.

Each year, Boston University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GRS) offers incoming Ph.D. students Dean’s Fellowships, which include full tuition, a living stipend, and health insurance for five years; along with a new summer stipend beginning in 2021.

For more information on financial aid for doctoral students, visit the GRS page on fellowship aid .

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2024 Best Anthropology Schools

College Factual looked at 361 colleges and universities when compiling its 2024 Best Anthropology Schools ranking. Combined, these schools handed out 11,415 degrees in anthropology to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

  • Best Overall Anthropology Schools List

Choosing a Great Anthropology School

Best Anthropology Schools

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Anthropology Rankings by Degree Level

Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we've developed the Best Anthropology Schools ranking, along with many other major-related rankings , to help you make that decision. More interested in schools in a specific area of the country? Filter this list by region or state .

To further help you make the college decision, we've developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Read more about College Factual's methodology .

Best Schools for Anthropology in the United States

The schools below may not offer all types of anthropology degrees so you may want to filter by degree level first. However, they are great for the degree levels they do offer. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

25 Top Schools in Anthropology

Yale crest

Any student pursuing a degree in anthropology needs to check out Yale University. Located in the medium-sized city of New Haven, Yale is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #8 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Yale is a great university overall.

There were about 22 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Yale in the most recent data year.

Harvard crest

Harvard University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in anthropology. Harvard is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Cambridge. A Best Colleges rank of #6 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

There were roughly 47 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Harvard in the most recent data year.

UPenn crest

It's difficult to beat University of Pennsylvania if you want to pursue a degree in anthropology. Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were roughly 29 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available.

UChicago crest

Any student who is interested in anthropology needs to take a look at University of Chicago. Located in the city of Chicago, UChicago is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #2 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UChicago is a great university overall.

There were about 62 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at UChicago in the most recent year we have data available.

WUSTL crest

Located in the suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were about 128 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the anthropology program report average early career income of $25,056.

Duke crest

Located in the city of Durham, Duke is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #7 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Duke is a great university overall.

There were roughly 20 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Duke in the most recent year we have data available.

Stanford crest

Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.

There were about 28 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent year we have data available.

Rice crest

Rice is a medium-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Houston. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Rice is a great university overall.

There were about 17 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Rice in the most recent year we have data available.

Teachers College crest

Located in the city of New York, Teachers College is a private not-for-profit university with a small student population. A Best Colleges rank of #12 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Teachers College is a great university overall.

There were approximately 15 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Teachers College in the most recent year we have data available.

Princeton crest

Princeton is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Princeton. A Best Colleges rank of #10 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Princeton is a great university overall.

There were about 48 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Princeton in the most recent year we have data available.

Northwestern crest

Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were roughly 23 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year.

UCLA crest

Located in the city of Los Angeles, UCLA is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 5th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 264 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at UCLA in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the anthropology degree program at University of California - Los Angeles make $4,581 above the standard graduate with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

UC Berkeley crest

UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the medium-sized city of Berkeley. This university ranks 4th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were about 120 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the anthropology program at University of California - Berkeley get $2,004 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

Vanderbilt crest

Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville. This university ranks 1st out of 45 colleges for overall quality in the state of Tennessee.

There were approximately 19 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent data year.

Notre Dame crest

Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 42 schools for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were roughly 34 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year. Those anthropology students who get their degree from University of Notre Dame make $2,332 more than the standard anthropology grad.

Emory crest

Located in the large city of Atlanta, Emory is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 68 colleges for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were roughly 62 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Emory in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the anthropology program earn an average of $26,205 for their early career.

UNC Chapel Hill crest

UNC Chapel Hill is a very large public university located in the small city of Chapel Hill. This university ranks 2nd out of 93 schools for overall quality in the state of North Carolina.

There were approximately 80 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at UNC Chapel Hill in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the anthropology program make about $27,222 in their early career salary.

Columbia crest

Located in the city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were about 79 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the anthropology program at Columbia University in the City of New York make $6,578 more than the average college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

University of Virginia crest

University of Virginia is a very large public university located in the small suburb of Charlottesville. This university ranks 1st out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 62 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the anthropology program at University of Virginia - Main Campus get $2,253 above the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

Brown crest

Located in the city of Providence, Brown is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 9 colleges for overall quality in the state of Rhode Island.

There were roughly 31 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Brown in the most recent data year.

Johns Hopkins crest

Johns Hopkins is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Baltimore. This university ranks 1st out of 36 colleges for overall quality in the state of Maryland.

There were about 13 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Johns Hopkins in the most recent year we have data available.

UCSD crest

UCSD is a fairly large public university located in the city of La Jolla. This university ranks 8th out of 168 colleges for overall quality in the state of California.

There were roughly 91 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at UCSD in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the anthropology program at University of California - San Diego earn $3,127 above the standard graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

Cornell crest

Cornell is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Ithaca. This university ranks 3rd out of 142 colleges for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 16 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent data year.

GWU crest

GWU is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Washington. This university ranks 2nd out of 8 colleges for overall quality in the state of District of Columbia.

There were about 48 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at GWU in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the anthropology major at George Washington University make $9,560 more than the average graduate in this field shortly after graduation.

Dartmouth crest

Dartmouth is a medium-sized private not-for-profit college located in the remote town of Hanover. This college ranks 1st out of 17 schools for overall quality in the state of New Hampshire.

There were roughly 38 anthropology students who graduated with this degree at Dartmouth in the most recent year we have data available. Anthropology degree recipients from Dartmouth College receive an earnings boost of about $17,537 above the average income of anthropology graduates.

Rest of the Top Best Anthropology Schools

NYU crest

Related Programs

Learn about other programs related to Anthropology that might interest you.

Science & Engineering Diploma Programs (I Have a HS Diploma or Associate Degree)

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Remaining Award Winners

This list shows the rest of the colleges awarded a Best Anthropology Schools badge. Showing in this list means the college was ranked in the top 15% of the 361 different United States anthropology schools we analyzed.

Additional Noteworthy Schools

Here are some additional great schools for Anthropology students that almost earned our Best Anthropology Schools award.

Anthropology by Region

View the Best Anthropology Schools for a specific region near you.

Other Rankings

Associate degrees in anthropology, master's degrees in anthropology, best value in anthropology, best for non-traditional students in anthropology, best online in anthropology, most popular online in anthropology, bachelor's degrees in anthropology, doctor's degrees in anthropology, highest paid grads in anthropology, best for veterans in anthropology, most popular in anthropology, most focused in anthropology.

View All Rankings >

Anthropology Related Rankings by Major

One of 13 majors within the Social Sciences area of study, Anthropology has other similar majors worth exploring.

Anthropology Focus Areas

View All Anthropology Concentrations >

Most Popular Related Majors

View All Anthropology Related Majors >

Notes and References

  • The bars on the spread charts above show the distribution of the schools on this list +/- one standard deviation from the mean.
  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System ( IPEDS ) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of the rest of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s ( College Scorecard ).
  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Deror avi .

More about our data sources and methodologies .

Popular Reports

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Graduate Program

best anthropology phd programs usa

Info for Prospective Students

best anthropology phd programs usa

Info for Current Students

The Department of Anthropology at Berkeley invites graduate students to be part of the shaping of emergent approaches in Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Sociocultural Anthropology, and Medical Anthropology by joining one of two PhD programs, in Anthropology and Medical Anthropology. The breadth of fields that comprise graduate study in anthropology at Berkeley creates a vibrant community of students with diverse approaches to research, backgrounds, and goals.

Research undertaken by Berkeley graduate students literally spans the globe, with notable regional strengths in the study of Latin America, Africa, Asia, the Islamic world, and contemporary North America. As one of the top anthropology programs in the country, Berkeley regularly is visited by leading anthropologists from around the world who share their expertise with students through lecture series, workshops, and as visiting faculty.

A hallmark of Berkeley graduate training is an emphasis on facilitating student research. This includes support from departmental grant programs that allow students to undertake pilot research, mentoring in grant writing leading to a high level of success in obtaining research grants and fellowships, and encouragement for student-initiated research groups funded by broader Berkeley programs such as those of the Townsend Center and areas studies centers.

Incoming students share first year seminars that serve to introduce them to Berkeley anthropology and enable their transition from beginning students to practicing anthropologists. Because Berkeley admits a small number of students, the program provides an opportunity to work closely with mentors while developing independent research. Each student individually shapes a course of study, guided by a faculty committee that includes at least one faculty member from another department. Students are encouraged to gain skills in teaching, to present their own research in public, and to engage in a wide range of activities through which they learn how the academic discipline and its sites of practice are structured.

Please use the menu to the left to learn more information about our graduate-level programs.

For inquiries related to the Graduate Program, please contact the Graduate Advisor, Tabea Mastel [email protected] .

UCLA Department of Anthropology

Ph.D. Degree

Students enter the Ph.D Program, based upon a vote of the faculty, at the time the M.A. degree is conferred or, if entering with a master’s degree, when all requirements demonstrating basic knowledge in the field of anthropology are completed.

The Ph.D Program

The Ph.D degree requires further study in a more specialized branch of anthropology, requiring at least one further year of academic study.  Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the discipline by successful completion of: (1) the Written Qualifying Examination administered by a three-member Departmental Doctoral Committee, (2) the Oral Qualifying Examination administered by a four-member Ph.D Doctoral Committee and, (3) the writing of an original dissertation based on original research.  The dissertation is expected to be a significant contribution to anthropological literature and knowledge.

Beyond basic requirements, each student’s program of study is unique. Accordingly, academic advising for graduate students in the department is primarily conducted on an individual basis by a student’s faculty adviser. The department’s graduate adviser is primarily responsible for counseling students in regard to program requirements, policies, and university regulations. Upon admission, students will be assigned both a primary and a secondary first-year adviser.

Student progress is periodically reviewed at faculty meetings. Students entering the program with a master’s degree are expected to be evaluated no later than their sixth quarter (spring quarter of their second year). At the Student Review Meeting, which occurs once per academic quarter, the full faculty evaluates the student’s progress in the program: formation of three-member departmental advisory committee; completion of the Proseminar and core courses; and evaluation of the Master’s research paper or thesis. Possible outcomes of the Student Review for students entering with a Master’s degree are: a) continuation to the Ph.D. program requirements; b) one-quarter extension to complete remaining requirements; and c) recommendation for academic disqualification from the Ph.D. program. All students are notified in writing about the outcome of the faculty discussion concerning their continuation to the doctoral program or degree progress. Students continue to be reviewed periodically throughout their time in the PhD program. The purpose of these reviews is to assess academic progress and help to ensure timely completion of the PhD.

Students entering the program with a Master’s degree

Students who are entering the graduate program with a Master’s degree, whether or not in anthropology, are required to demonstrate basic knowledge of the discipline before being permitted to begin the requirements for the doctorate. It is expected that students accomplish this during the first year of academic residence through the following:

  • Nominating a three-member departmental advisory committee.
  • Completing the Proseminar (Anthropology 200).
  • Taking the core course or methods course with a passing grade of B or better.
  • Petitioning that course work completed elsewhere, or at UCLA as an undergraduate, constitutes the equivalent of such courses.
  • Passing the subfield’s core course examination given in the Spring Quarter.
  • Submitting to the student’s departmental advisory committee, for evaluation, a master’s paper or a research paper that was written while in graduate status in their former Master’s program.

Additional Course Requirement for Students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical Program: All students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical program are required to take Anthropology 283 – Proposal Writing, typically offered in the Spring. Students must consult with their three-member departmental advisory committee chair before enrolling. Students are expected to complete the course in their second year but may complete it no later than the quarter they hold their qualifying examination. Students who entered the graduate program with a Master’s degree must complete this course by their ninth quarter (third year) in the program.

A grade of B or better is required in any core course taken at UCLA. If students received a grade of B-, C+, or C, they may not repeat the core course, but must take the core course examination and pass or be subject to being recommended for academic disqualification. If a grade of C- or below is received, students may repeat the course, but must receive a grade of B or better the second time the course is taken, or be subject to being recommended for academic disqualification.

Only when these requisites have been met are students permitted to begin the requirements for the Ph.D. degree. Completion of 40 units is not required.

Students who completed the M.A in Anthropology at UCLA

Students who are entering the graduate program without a Master’s degree must complete all of the M.A. degree requirements en route to the Ph.D. Following completion of the M.A. degree requirements and permission by the faculty to begin the Ph.D. requirements, students are expected to enroll in three seminars, each with a different faculty member, between receipt of the M.A. degree from the department and taking the doctoral qualifying examinations.

Additional Course Requirement for Students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical Program: All students in the Sociocultural and Psychocultural-Medical program are required to take Anthropology 283 – Proposal Writing, typically offered in the Spring. Students must consult with their three-member departmental advisory committee chair before enrolling. Students are expected to complete the course in their second year but may complete it no later than the quarter they hold their qualifying examination. Students who completed the M.A. degree requirements must complete this course by their 12th quarter (fourth year) in the program.

Foreign Language Requirement

Fulfilling the foreign language requirement  is not a requirement to be eligible to apply to the graduate program.

The department requires proficiency in a second language for all students in the Ph.D. program in anthropology. It is the responsibility of the student’s three-member departmental doctoral committee to determine what language(s) are required for their particular program of study.

If the requirement for second language proficiency is to be waived, students must prepare a request for a Ph.D. language requirement waiver, which consists of a letter justifying the request, addressed to the committee and filed with the graduate adviser. The committee must then draft a letter of approval, to be placed in the student’s file. If alternate research skills that are deemed necessary for the program of study for the student’s dissertation have been identified and satisfied, these are noted by the committee. However, no specific other courses or skills are obligatory.

If foreign language proficiency is required, proficiency will be determined by the three-member departmental doctoral committee and may include but is not limited to:

  • Completion of an appropriate level of language instruction; or
  • Demonstration of previously acquired language skills through documentation or an examination; or
  • Submission of an annotated bibliography, in English, of selected publications (in the selected language) that are related to the student’s dissertation topic.

The bibliography may be supplemented by a related analytical examination question or further translation examination.

For students required to demonstrate foreign language proficiency, all monitoring of the requirement takes place within the department. The committee chair is responsible for consulting with other committee members about the language requirement and plans for proficiency testing, and notifying them of the results of those tests, or otherwise providing them with copies of the documentation of proficiency.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations

The qualifying examinations for the Ph.D. degree consist of a written and an oral examination. The timing of these examinations is set in consultation with the members of the doctoral committee. Students must be registered and enrolled to take the qualifying examinations. The committee for each examination determines the conditions for reexamination should students not pass either portion of the qualifying examinations.

Departmental members of the doctoral committee administer the written portion of the qualifying examination. The fields and format of the examination are to be determined by the student’s departmental doctoral committee. There must be a minimum of two weeks between completion of the written examination and the scheduled date for the oral portion of the qualifying examination.

The University Oral Qualifying Examination is primarily a defense of the dissertation proposal. This examination is administered by the four-member doctoral committee.

Doctoral Dissertation

Doctoral candidates must complete an approved dissertation that demonstrates the student’s ability to perform original, independent research, and constitutes a distinct contribution to knowledge in the principal field of study.

Final Oral Examination

The department does not require a final oral defense of the dissertation. However, individual doctoral committees can institute this requirement if they deem it important to do so; this decision is made by the doctoral committee.

Time to Degree

Full-time students admitted without deficiencies normally progress as follows:

Entering without a Master’s degree

  • Completion of M.A. degree  and approval to begin the Ph.D. requirements: End of sixth quarter
  • Selection of three internal members of the doctoral committee: During ninth quarter
  • Four-person doctoral committee nomination: End of 11th quarter
  • Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted: During 12th quarter
  • Completion of written and oral qualifying examinations: Expected by end of 12th quarter
  • Advancement to candidacy: Expected by end of 12th quarter
  • Final oral examination (dissertation defense), if applicable: Expected by end of 24th quarter
  • Normative time-to-degree: 24 quarters (8 years)

Entering with a Master’s degree

  • Selection of three internal members of the doctoral committee: During sixth quarter
  • Approval to begin the Ph.D requirements: End of sixth quarter
  • Four-person doctoral committee nomination: End of eighth quarter
  • Completion of foreign language requirement, unless exempted: During ninth quarter
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50 Best Colleges for Anthropology – 2024

April 3, 2024

best colleges for anthropology

Some college majors naturally flow directly into a related career—this is not typically the case for those who major in anthropology. In fact, at many universities, anthropology majors ultimately pursue a graduate degree in any number of fields. The schools that made our list have highly respected anthropology programs that are favored by top graduate schools across the United States. These programs also produce graduates ready for the workforce in any industry, possessing universally applicable strengths as writers, researchers, and culturally literate citizens.

Along the way to earning an anthropology degree, you’ll study topics such as archeology and human origins, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, psychological anthropology, indigenous peoples, culture and globalization, food & cultures, evolutionary thought, migration and diaspora, urban anthropology, cultural heritage policy, archeology of religion, colonialism, social memory and multiple field experiences and research projects.

Methodology 

Click here to read our methodology for the Best Colleges in Anthropology.

Best Anthropology Colleges

Here’s a quick preview of the first ten anthropology institutions that made our list. Detailed profiles and stats can be found when you scroll below.

1) Washington University in St Louis

2) Princeton University

3) Dartmouth College

4) Columbia University

5) University of Chicago

6) University of California-Los Angeles

7) Amherst College

8) Bowdoin College

9) Harvard University

10) Stanford University

All of the schools profiled below have stellar reputations in the field of anthropology and commit substantial resources to undergraduate education. For each of the best anthropology colleges, College Transitions will provide you with—when available—each school’s:

  • Cost of Attendance
  • Acceptance Rate
  • Retention Rate
  • Graduation Rate

We will also include a longer write-up of each college’s:

  • Academic Highlights – Includes facts like student-to-faculty ratio, average class size, number of majors offered, and most popular majors.
  • Professional Outcomes – Includes info on the rate of positive outcomes, companies employing alumni, and graduate school acceptances.

Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis

  • St. Louis, MO

Academic Highlights : WashU admits students into five schools, many of which offer nationally recognized programs: Arts & Sciences, the Olin School of Business, the School of Engineering & Applied Sciences, and the Art of Architecture programs housed within the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Arts. The most commonly conferred degrees are in engineering (13%), social sciences (13%), business (13%), biology (11%), and psychology (10%). 66% of classes have fewer than 20 students, and over one-quarter have single-digit enrollments. 65% double major or pursue a minor.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 sent 52% of grads into the workforce and 28% into graduate and professional schools. Companies employing the highest number of WashU grads feature sought-after employers such as Amazon, Bain, Boeing, Deloitte, Google, IBM, Goldman Sachs, and Microsoft. Of the employed members of the Class of 2022 who reported their starting salaries, 79% made more than $60k. The universities welcoming the largest number of Bears included the prestigious institutions of Caltech, Columbia, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Stanford.

  • Enrollment: 8,132 (undergraduate); 8,880 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $83,760
  • Median SAT: 1530
  • Median ACT: 34
  • Acceptance Rate: 11%
  • Retention Rate: 96%
  • Graduation Rate: 93%

Princeton University

Princeton University

  • Princeton, NJ

Academic Highlights: 39 majors are available at Princeton. Just under three-quarters of class sections have an enrollment of 19 or fewer students, and 31% have fewer than ten students. Princeton is known for its commitment to undergraduate teaching, and students consistently rate professors as accessible and helpful. The Engineering Department is widely recognized as one of the country’s best, as is the School of Public and International Affairs.

Professional Highlights: Over 95% of a typical Tiger class finds their next destination within six months of graduating. Large numbers of recent grads flock to the fields of business and engineering, health/science, & tech. Companies presently employing hundreds of Tiger alumni include Google, Goldman Sachs, Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, IBM, and Meta. The average salary ranges from $40k (education, health care, or social services) to $100k (computer/mathematical positions). Between 15-20% of graduating Tigers head directly to graduate/professional school.

  • Enrollment: 5,604 (undergraduate); 3,238 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,700
  • Median SAT: 1540
  • Median ACT: 35
  • Acceptance Rate: 6%
  • Retention Rate: 97%
  • Graduation Rate: 98%

Dartmouth College

Dartmouth College

  • Hanover, NH

Academic Highlights: Dartmouth sports 60+ majors and a stunning breadth of course selections for an institution of its size. The learning environment at Dartmouth is extraordinarily intimate. Not only do 61% of course sections have under twenty students, but 18% have single-digit enrollments. The student-to-faculty ratio is an outstanding 7:1. Top programs offered by Big Green include biology, economics, neuroscience, and government. The social sciences are the most popular, accounting for 32% of degrees conferred, followed by computer science (10%), mathematics (9%), engineering (9%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: A great reputation along with a passionate alumni network that is 80,000 strong leads Dartmouth grads to successful transitions into graduate school and the world of work. Included in the top ten employers of Dartmouth grads are a number of investment banks including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Bain & Company, Citibank, and Deutsche Bank. Right off the bat, 52% of graduates make more than $70,000 in salary. Those pursuing graduate degrees often flock to the likes of Harvard, Columbia, and Princeton.

  • Enrollment: 4,458
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,793
  • Median SAT: 1550
  • Retention Rate: 98%
  • Graduation Rate: 95%

Columbia University

Columbia University

  • New York, NY

Academic Highlights: Columbia offers 100+ unique areas of undergraduate study as well as a number of pre-professional and accelerated graduate programs.  Class sizes at Columbia are reasonably small and the student-to-faculty ratio is favorable; however, in 2022, it was revealed that the university had been submitting faulty data in this area. It is presently believed that 58% of undergraduate courses enroll 19 or fewer students. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (22%), computer science (15%), engineering (14%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Examining the most recent graduates from Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering & Applied Science, 73% had found employment within six months, and 20% had entered graduate school. The median starting salary for graduates of Columbia College/Columbia Engineering is above $80,000. Many graduates get hired by the likes of Amazon, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Google, Citi, McKinsey, and Microsoft.

  • Enrollment: 8,832
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,587
  • Acceptance Rate: 4%

University of Chicago

University of Chicago

  • Chicago, IL

Academic Highlights: There are 53 majors at UChicago, but close to half of all degrees conferred are in four majors: economics, biology, mathematics, and political science, all of which have particularly sterling reputations. Economics alone is the selection of roughly one-fifth of the undergraduate population. Over 75% of undergrad sections have an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students, and undergraduate research opportunities are ubiquitous as 80% of students end up working in a research capacity alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: On commencement day, 99% of the Class of 2023 were employed or continuing their education. Business and financial services (30%) and STEM (12%) were the two sectors that scooped up the most graduates, but public policy and consulting were also well-represented. The most popular employers of recent grads include Google, JPMorgan, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Bank of America, Citi, and Accenture. For those heading to grad school, the top seven destinations are Yale, Columbia, Penn, MIT, Stanford, UCLA, and Johns Hopkins.

  • Enrollment: 7,653 (undergraduate); 10,870 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,040
  • Acceptance Rate: 5%
  • Retention Rate: 99%
  • Graduation Rate: 96%

University of California, Los Angeles

University of California, Los Angeles

  • Los Angeles, CA

Academic Highlights: UCLA offers 125 majors in 100+ academic departments, and more than 60 majors require a capstone experience that results in the creation of a tangible product under the mentorship of faculty members. The most commonly conferred degrees are in the social sciences (25%), biology (16%), psychology (11%), mathematics (8%), and engineering (7%). Departmental rankings are high across the board, especially in computer science, engineering, film, fine and performing arts, mathematics, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: UCLA grads flow most heavily into the research, finance, computer science, and engineering sectors. High numbers of recent grads can be found at Disney, Google, EY, Teach for America, Amazon, and Oracle. Hundreds also can be found at Bloomberg, Deloitte, Mattel, Oracle, and SpaceX. The average starting salary exceeds $55,000. 16% of recent grads enrolled directly in a graduate/professional school, with other CA-based institutions like Stanford, Pepperdine, USC, Berkeley, and Loyola Marymount being the most popular.

  • Enrollment: 33,040 (undergraduate); 15,010 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $38,517 (in-state); $71,091 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: Test Blind
  • Median ACT: Test Blind
  • Acceptance Rate: 9%

Amherst College

Amherst College

  • Amherst, MA

Academic Highlights: A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio allows for 66% of courses to have fewer than twenty students and 32% to have single-digit enrollments. By senior year, 98% of seniors report feeling close enough to a faculty member to ask for a letter of recommendation. Amherst possesses strong offerings across the board, most notably in economics, English, history, mathematics, and law The social sciences account for 22% of degrees conferred, while 14% are in mathematics, 11% in biology, and 7% in computer science

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 93% of the Class of 2022 had already found its way into the world of employment, graduate school, or a volunteer organization.  The largest employers of Amherst grads includes Google, Deloitte, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs. The schools where the highest number of Amherst grads can be found pursuing advanced degrees include MIT, Dartmouth, and the University of Pennsylvania. Fifty to sixty Amherst grads apply to medical school each year, and the acceptance rate hovers around 75-80%.

  • Enrollment: 1,898
  • Cost of Attendance: $84,840
  • Median SAT: 1520
  • Acceptance Rate: 7%
  • Retention Rate: 95%
  • Graduation Rate: 92%

Bowdoin College

Bowdoin College

  • Brunswick, ME

Academic Highlights: Class sizes are small—64% contain fewer than twenty students—and 21% have fewer than ten students. The student-faculty ratio is 9:1. More than half of Bowdoin undergrads report interacting with a professor outside of regular class time at least once per week. The greatest percentage of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (30%), biology (13%), area/ethnic/gender studies (8%), computer science (7%), and mathematics (7%). Economics and government and legal studies are two of the more popular majors within the social sciences.

Professional Outcomes: An examination of three recent years’ worth of outcomes data reveals that one year after graduation, between 73 and 77% of recent grads have found full-time employment, and 15% have gone directly into graduate school. Of those entering graduate school, 48% were enrolled in master’s programs, 23% in PhD programs, 13% in law school, and 8% in med school. The top twenty graduate schools attended, by volume, in the last five years make an exclusive list including six Ivies along with Duke, MIT, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford.

  • Enrollment: 1,915
  • Cost of Attendance: $82,600
  • Median SAT: 1510
  • Graduation Rate: 94%

Harvard University

Harvard University

  • Cambridge, MA

Academic Highlights: There are 50 undergraduate fields of study referred to as concentrations; many are interdisciplinary. Even with a graduate population of over 14,000 to cater to, undergraduate class sizes still tend to be small, with 42% of sections having single-digit enrollments and 71% being capped at nineteen. Economics, government, and computer science are the three most popular areas of concentration at Harvard. Biology, chemistry, physics, math, statistics, sociology, history, English, and psychology all sit atop most departmental ranking lists.

Professional Outcomes: The Crimson Class of 2022 saw 15% of students head directly into graduate/professional school. Of the graduates entering the world of work (virtually everyone else), 58% were entering either the consulting, finance, or technology field. Over 1,000 Harvard alumni presently work for Google and over 500 for Microsoft, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. Turning our attention to those moving on to graduate school, Harvard grads with at least a 3.5 GPA typically enjoy acceptance rates into medical school of 90% or greater.

  • Enrollment: 7,240
  • Cost of Attendance: $79,450
  • Acceptance Rate: 3%

Stanford University

Stanford University

  • Palo Alto, CA

Academic Highlights: Stanford has three undergraduate schools: the School of Humanities & Sciences, the School of Engineering, and the School of Earth, Energy, and Environmental Sciences. 69% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and 34% have a single-digit enrollment. Programs in engineering, computer science, physics, mathematics, international relations, and economics are arguably the best anywhere. In terms of sheer volume, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (17%), computer science (16%), engineering (15%), and interdisciplinary studies (13%).

Professional Outcomes: Stanford grads entering the working world flock to three major industries in equal distribution: business/finance/consulting/retail (19%); computer, IT (19%); and public policy and service, international affairs (19%). Among the companies employing the largest number of recent grads are Accenture, Apple, Bain, Cisco, Meta, Goldman Sachs, Google, McKinsey, Microsoft, and SpaceX. Other companies that employ hundreds of Cardinal alums include LinkedIn, Salesforce, and Airbnb. Starting salaries for Stanford grads are among the highest in the country.

  • Enrollment: 8,049 (undergraduate); 10,236 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,833

Brown University

Brown University

  • Providence, RI

Academic Highlights: Students must choose one of 80+ “concentration programs,” but there are no required courses. Class sizes tend to be small—68% have fewer than twenty students—and 35% are comprised of nine or fewer students. Biology, economics, computer science, mathematics, and engineering are among the most popular areas of concentration at Brown; however, it is hard to distinguish any one program, because Brown possesses outstanding offerings across so many disciplines.

Professional Outcomes: Soon after receiving their Brown diplomas, 69% of graduates enter the world of employment. Companies employing the greatest number of Brown alums include Google, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, Amazon, Morgan Stanley, Apple, McKinsey & Company, and Bain & Company. The Class of 2022 saw 27% of graduates go directly into graduate/professional school. Right out of undergrad, Brown students boasted an exceptional 81% admission rate to med school and an 81% admission rate to law school.

  • Enrollment: 7,639
  • Cost of Attendance: $84,828

Reed College

Reed College

  • Portland, OR

Academic Highlights: Twenty-six academic departments collectively offer 38 majors, 13 of which are interdisciplinary. English, math, and physics receive particularly strong praise. The educational experience is highly personalized, and to ensure that the emphasis in the classroom remains on learning for learning’s sake, grades are issued but not shared with students until graduation. The areas in which the highest number of degrees are conferred are the social sciences (22%), biology (11%), the health professions (9%), and the physical sciences (7%).

Professional Outcomes: An examination of Reed’s alumni database reveals that the three most common occupational pathways are business (28%), education (25%), and self-employment (19%). Included among the most frequent current employers are Microsoft Corporation, Kaiser Permanente, Portland Public Schools, Intel Corporation, the US Department of State, National Institutes of Health, and Apple. An incredible amount of Reedies continue their education; Reed was the No. 6 producer of future PhD holders across all academic disciplines.

  • Enrollment: 1,523 (undergraduate); 11 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,040
  • Median SAT: 1410
  • Median ACT: 32
  • Acceptance Rate: 31%
  • Retention Rate: 86%
  • Graduation Rate: 80%

University of Pennsylvania

University of Pennsylvania

  • Philadelphia, PA

Academic Highlights : 90 distinct degrees are available across four schools: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Applied Science and Engineering, the College of Nursing, and the world-renowned Wharton School. The greatest number of students pursue degrees in business (19%), social sciences (14%), biology (11%), health sciences (9%), engineering (9%), and computer science (9%). The university boasts an exceptional 26% of courses with an enrollment under ten and 59% with an enrollment under twenty as well as multiple ways for undergrads to conduct research.

Professional Outcomes: 75% of Class of 2022 grads were employed within six months of graduating, and 18% were in graduate school. Finance attracted the highest percentage of grads (30%) followed by consulting (20%), technology (15%), and healthcare (10%). Employers hiring the greatest number of 2022 grads included JPMorgan, Boston Consulting Group, McKinsey, Bain & Company, Meta, and Goldman Sachs. The median starting salary for all graduates is $80,000. For those continuing their educational journeys, the most popular move is to remain at Penn, followed by Columbia and Harvard.

  • Enrollment: 9,760 (undergraduate); 13,614 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,028

Barnard College

Barnard College

Academic Highlights: Barnard has a 10:1 student-faculty ratio, and a sensational 71% of courses are capped at nineteen or fewer students; 18% have fewer than ten. Many get the chance to engage in research alongside a professor as 240+ undergraduates are granted such an opportunity through the Summer Research Institute each year. Barnard’s most popular majors, by number of degrees conferred, include economics, English, political science, history, psychology, neuroscience, computer science, and art history.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 91% of 2022 Barnard grads had found employment or were enrolled in a graduate program. JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Citibank, and Morgan Stanley all appear on the list of the top fifteen employers of Barnard alumni. Within ten years of graduation, over 80% of Barnard alums eventually enroll in graduate school. Those entering graduate school flock in large numbers to Columbia, with 112 heading there over the last three years.

  • Enrollment: 3,442
  • Cost of Attendance: $90,928
  • Median SAT: 1490
  • Median ACT: 33

Yale University

Yale University

  • New Haven, CT

Academic Highlights: Yale offers 80 majors, most of which require a one- to two-semester senior capstone experience. Undergraduate research is a staple, and over 70% of classes—of which there are over 2,000 to choose from—have an enrollment of fewer than 20 students, making Yale a perfect environment for teaching and learning. Among the top departments are biology, economics, global affairs, engineering, history, and computer science. The social sciences (26%), biology (11%), mathematics (8%), and computer science (8%) are the most popular areas of concentration.

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduating, 73% of the Yale Class of 2022 had entered the world of employment and 18% matriculated into graduate programs. Hundreds of Yale alums can be found at each of the world’s top companies including Google, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Company, Morgan Stanley, and Microsoft. The most common industries entered by the newly hired were finance (20%), research/education (16%), technology (14%), and consulting (12%). The mean starting salary for last year’s grads was $81,769 ($120k for CS majors). Nearly one-fifth of students immediately pursue graduate school.

  • Enrollment: 6,590 (undergraduate); 5,344 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,705

University of California, Santa Barbara

University of California, Santa Barbara

  • Santa Barbara, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 90 undergraduate majors across three schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Engineering, and the College of Creative Studies. The social sciences are the most popular area of study, accounting for 27% of the total degrees conferred. Biology (10%), math (9%), and psychology (9%) are next in popularity. The school has highly regarded programs in communication, computer science, engineering, physics, environmental science, and the performing arts. More than half of sections contain fewer than 20 students, and 72% enroll 29 or fewer.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of earning their diplomas, 84% of grads had found employment. The most popular industries were science/research (16%), engineering/computer programming (14%), business (13%), finance/accounting (11%), and sales (10%). Top employers of recent grads include Google, EY, KPMG, Oracle, Amazon, IBM, and Adobe. Many alumni also can be found at Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and Salesforce. Two years after graduating, UCSB alumni make an average salary of $55k; more than half make $100k by mid-career.

  • Enrollment: 23,460 (undergraduate); 2,961 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $41,289 (in-state); $73,863 (out-of-state)
  • Acceptance Rate: 28%
  • Retention Rate: 92%
  • Graduation Rate: 86%

Emory University

Emory University

  • Atlanta, GA

Academic Highlights: This midsize university offers a diverse array of majors (80+) and minors (60+), and 30% of Emory students pursue more than one area of study. Over half of Emory’s student body works directly with a faculty member on academic research and 58% of courses have class sizes of under twenty students. Ultimately, the greatest number of students go on to earn degrees in the social sciences (15%), biology (14%), business (14%), health professions (12%), and mathematics (9%).

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduation, 66% of 2022 grads were already employed, and 96% had arrived at their next destination. The top employers of recent Emory grads include Deloitte, Epic, ScribeAmerica, Meta, Morgan Stanley, and Cloudmed. Graduates of the Goizueta Business School found strong starting salaries with an average of $81k.  In the last few years, multiple Emory grads/alums received acceptance letters from the following top law schools like Columbia, Berkeley, and Georgetown. Med school acceptances included Duke, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt.

  • Enrollment: 7,101
  • Cost of Attendance: $83,702
  • Median SAT: 1500
  • Graduation Rate: 90%

Duke University

Duke University

Academic Highlights: The academic offerings at Duke include 53 majors, 52 minors, and 23 interdisciplinary certificates. Class sizes are on the small side—71% are nineteen or fewer, and almost one-quarter are less than ten. A stellar 5:1 student-to-faculty ratio helps keep classes so reasonable even while catering to five figures worth of graduate students. Computer Science is the most popular area of concentration (11%), followed by economics (10%), public policy (9%), biology (8%), and computer engineering (7%).

Professional Outcomes: At graduation, approximately 70% of Duke diploma-earners enter the world of work, 20% continue into graduate schools, and 2% start their own businesses. The industries that attract the largest percentage of Blue Devils are tech (21%), finance (15%), business (15%), healthcare (9%), and science/research (6%). Of the 20% headed into graduate school, a hefty 22% are attending medical school, 18% are in PhD programs, and 12% are entering law school. The med school acceptance rate is 85%, more than twice the national average.

  • Enrollment: 6,640
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,238
  • SAT Range: 1490-1570
  • ACT Range: 34-35
  • Graduation Rate: 97%

Georgetown University

Georgetown University

  • Washington, D.C.

Academic Highlights: The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 60% of classes enroll fewer than 20 students. While some classes are a bit larger, only 7% cross the 50-student threshold. Those desiring to join the world of politics or diplomacy are in the right place. The Government and International Affairs programs are among the best in the country. The greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (38%) followed by business (20%), interdisciplinary studies (8%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 75% of members of the Class of 2022 entered the workforce, 19% went directly into a graduate or professional program of study, and 3% were still seeking employment. The Class of 2022 sent massive numbers of graduates to a number of major corporations including JPMorgan Chase (22), Citi (21), BOA (18), Morgan Stanley (16), and EY (10). Those attending grad school stay at Georgetown or flock to other elite schools like Columbia and Harvard.

  • Enrollment: 7,900
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,000
  • Acceptance Rate: 12%

Haverford College

Haverford College

  • Haverford, PA

Academic Highlights: Haverford offers 31 majors, 32 minors, 12 concentrations, and eleven consortium programs—areas of study that can be pursued at partner campuses. The school’s 9:1 student-to-faculty ratio and exclusive emphasis on undergraduate education lead to exceptionally intimate classes, 33% of which have fewer than 10 students, and 72% have fewer than 20. The most popular areas of study at Haverford include the social sciences (24%), biology (14%), psychology (11%), physical sciences (10%), computer science (9%), and mathematics (7%).

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Haverford, 63% of the Class of 2022 had found employment, 19% had enrolled in graduate school, and 9% were still job hunting. Employers hiring multiple recent Haverford grads include Epic, JP Morgan Chase Bank, Boston Consulting Group, Goldman Sachs, the National Institutes of Health, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Of the 19% of 2022 grads who elected to continue their education, the most commonly entered fields of study were STEM (51%) and medicine/health (15%).

  • Enrollment: 1,421
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,180
  • Acceptance Rate: 14%
  • Graduation Rate: 91%

Tufts University

Tufts University

  • Medford, MA

Academic Highlights: Three schools serve Tufts’ undergraduate population: the College of Arts & Sciences, the College of Engineering, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts. The three schools combined offer more than 90 majors and minors; approximately one-third of all students double major, and half declare a minor. 15% of all courses see fewer than ten students enrolled, and 60% have sub-twenty enrollments. The most popular majors include international relations, economics, computer science, political science, and biology—all of which receive very high marks.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after earning their diplomas, 97% of 2022 graduates were employed or attending graduate school. The most commonly entered fields were finance, consulting, real estate (23%); engineering and technology (22%); health, life sciences, environmental (21%); and education, advocacy, social services (11%). Prolific employers of Tufts alums include Booz Allen Hamilton, JPMorgan, MITRE, Google, Deloitte, Amazon, Raytheon, Morgan Stanley, and BlackRock. Of the 21% of 2022 grads who went directly to graduate school, 85% were accepted into their first-choice institution.

  • Enrollment: 6,815 (undergraduate); 6,616 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,300
  • Acceptance Rate: 10%

Northwestern University

Northwestern University

  • Evanston, IL

Academic Highlights : Northwestern is home to six undergraduate schools, including Medill, which is widely regarded as one of the country’s best journalism schools. The McCormick School of Engineering also achieves top rankings, along with programs in economics, social policy, and theatre. The social sciences account for the greatest number of degrees conferred (19%), followed by communications/journalism (13%), and engineering (11%). 45% of classes have nine or fewer students enrolled; 78% have fewer than twenty enrollees. 57% of recent grads had the chance to conduct undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 69% of the Class of 2022 had found employment and 27% were in graduate school. The four most popular professional fields were consulting (18%), engineering (18%), business/finance (16%), and communications/marketing/media (13%). Employers included the BBC, NBC News, The Washington Post , NPR, Boeing, Google, IBM, Deloitte, PepsiCo, Northrop Grumman, and Goldman Sachs. Across all majors, the average starting salary was $73k. Of those headed straight to graduate school, engineering, medicine, and business were the three most popular areas of concentration.

  • Enrollment: 8,659 (undergraduate); 14,073 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $91,290

Wellesley College

Wellesley College

  • Wellesley, MA

Academic Highlights: There are 50+ departmental and interdisciplinary majors. Thirty-six percent of course sections have single-digit enrollments while 77% have 19 or fewer students. In addition, opportunities for participation in research with faculty members abound. Most programs possess sterling reputations, including chemistry, computer science, neuroscience, and political science, but the Department of Economics shines most brightly, leading many into PhD programs and high-profile careers. Economics, biology, and computer science are the most frequently conferred degrees.

Professional Outcomes : Six months after graduating, 97% of the Class of 2022 had achieved positive outcomes. Of the 76% of grads who were employed, 24% were working in the finance/consulting/business fields, 17% in education, 17% in internet and technology & engineering, and 15% in healthcare/life sciences. Top employers included JPMorgan Chase, Google, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Goldman Sachs. The average starting salary for one recent cohort was a solid $63k. Of the 20% of 2022 grads who directly entered an advanced degree program, common schools attended included Harvard, Columbia, Brown, Stanford, MIT, and Emory.

  • Enrollment: 2,447
  • Cost of Attendance: $84,240

University of California, Berkeley

University of California, Berkeley

  • Berkeley, CA

Academic Highlights: More than 150 undergraduate majors and minors are available across six schools: the College of Letters and Science, the College of Chemistry, the College of Engineering, the College of Environmental Design, the College of Natural Resources, and the Haas School of Business. Many departments have top international reputations including computer science, engineering, chemistry, English, psychology, and economics. 22% of sections contain nine or fewer students, and over 55% of students assist faculty with a research project or complete a research methods course.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduating, 49% of Cal’s Class of 2022 had already secured employment, and 20% were headed to graduate school. Business is the most popular sector, attracting 62% of employed grads; next up are industrial (17%), education (8%), and nonprofit work (7%). The median starting salary was $86,459 across all majors. Thousands of alumni can be found in the offices of Google, Apple, and Meta, and 500+ Golden Bears are currently employed by Oracle, Amazon, and Microsoft. The school is the number one all-time producer of Peace Corps volunteers.

  • Enrollment: 32,831 (undergraduate); 12,914 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $48,574 (in-state); $82,774 (out-of-state)

University of California, Santa Cruz

University of California, Santa Cruz

  • Santa Cruz, CA

Academic Highlights: 73 undergraduate majors are available at UCSC within the following academic divisions: arts, humanities, physical and biological sciences, social sciences, and the Jack Baskin School of Engineering. 75% of undergraduates conduct research during their four years. Biology is the university’s most popular major; 15% of all degrees conferred in 2022 were in this discipline. 14% of degrees were granted in the social sciences, 13% in computer and information sciences, and 12% in psychology. CS is one of UCSC’s most respected programs.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of earning their degree, 29% of UCSC grads had found employment and 17% started graduate programs. Proximity to Silicon Valley helps open doors to companies like Google, Apple, Meta, Genentech, and Cisco, which all employ over 250 alumni. More than 100 alums can also be found in the offices of Amazon, Salesforce, Microsoft, Adobe, and LinkedIn. Among graduates from the last five years, over half make more than $40k.

  • Enrollment: 17,502 (undergraduate); 1,976 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $41,283 (in-state); $73,857 (out-of-state)
  • Acceptance Rate: 63%
  • Retention Rate: 88%
  • Graduation Rate: 77%

University of Florida

University of Florida

  • Gainesville, FL

Academic Highlights: With 16 colleges and 100 undergraduate majors to choose from, educational experiences are exceptionally diverse. The Warrington College of Business and the Wertheim College of Engineering are highly respected, so it’s no surprise that those two programs confer the greatest percentage of degrees—12% and 14%, respectively. Biology (11%), the social sciences (11%), and health professions (8%) are next in popularity. 53% of sections enroll fewer than 20 students, and 33% of students partake in an undergraduate research experience.

Professional Outcomes: By graduation day, 66% of the Class of 2022 had already procured a first job. The top occupational areas were engineering (13%), health care (13%), computer science (5%), and marketing (4%). 200+ Gator alumni can be found at top corporations like Google, EY, Raymond James, Deloitte, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Oracle, and PwC. The average salary for all 2022 grads was $69k, with a high of $100k for computer science majors. Of those pursuing advanced degrees, a master’s degree was the most popular pursuit (63%) followed by law school (11%).

  • Enrollment: 34,552 (undergraduate); 20,659 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $23,530 (in-state); $45,808 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1400
  • Median ACT: 31
  • Acceptance Rate: 23%

Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University

  • Middletown, CT

Academic Highlights: With 45 majors and 32 minors, Wes truly has something for everyone. The academic requirements are relatively minimal, giving undergrads a high degree of intellectual freedom. Under 75% of class sections have fewer than twenty students; students rave about the accessible faculty. Research opportunities with professors are plentiful. Offerings in economics, English, film studies, and neuroscience typically receive the most praise from employers/grad schools; accordingly, the social sciences (24%), psychology (17%), and the visual and performing arts (12%) are the most popular.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 66% of 2022 grads had entered employment, with tech/engineering/sciences, education, and arts/entertainment being the three top sectors. The companies employing the highest numbers of recent Wesleyan grads included Google, Epic, Analysis Group, Boston Medical Center, Booz Allen Hamilton, Accenture, and Apple. Graduate school was the next stop for 18% of new alums; enrolling institutions included MIT, Stanford, Berkeley, Yale, Harvard, Temple, and UMass.

  • Enrollment: 3,069 (undergraduate); 184 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,094
  • Median SAT: 1430

University of Virginia

University of Virginia

  • Charlottesville, VA

Academic Highlights: Undergrads can study within one of seven colleges/schools, which all offer many small classes; 15% boast single-digit enrollment and 48% contain 19 or fewer students. The McIntire School of Commerce and the School of Engineering and Applied Science have glowing reputations. Other notable strengths include computer science, economics, and political philosophy, policy, and law. The most popular degree areas are liberal arts/general studies (22%), the social sciences (14%), engineering (11%), business/marketing (8%), and biology (7%).

Professional Outcomes:  Upon receiving their degree, 95% of the Class of 2022 immediately joined the workforce–with an average starting salary of $90k–or headed directly to graduate school. The most popular industries were internet & software, higher education, and management consulting. Capital One (85), Deloitte (46), Amazon (38), and Bain & Co. (26) scooped up the greatest number of 2022 grads. UVA itself was the most popular grad school destination followed by Columbia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Johns Hopkins.

  • Enrollment: 17,496 (undergraduate); 8,653 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $39,494-49,874 (in-state); $78,214-90,378 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1470
  • Acceptance Rate: 19%

Grinnell College

Grinnell College

  • Grinnell, IA

Academic Highlights: Grinnell offers 42 areas of study and over 500 courses each semester. Thanks to a 9:1 student/faculty ratio and no competition from graduate students, 64% of classes have fewer than twenty students, and roughly one-quarter of sections have single-digit student enrollments. A top producer of PhDs in both the sciences and the social sciences, Grinnell has strong offerings in biology, chemistry, physics, economics, and history. The largest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences, foreign languages, biology, and computer science.

Professional Outcomes: Upon graduation, 62% of Grinnell students head into the workforce, 26% to graduate school, 2% to postgraduate service, and 2% earned fellowships. Multiple recent grads accepted positions with JPMorgan, Epic, and Google. The mean salary of those employed was roughly $64,397. Close to 40% of those entering graduate school pursue PhDs or master’s degrees in the hard sciences, 8% head to law school, and 3% were bound for medical school; 88% of all applicants were accepted into their first or second choice program.

  • Enrollment: 1,759
  • Cost of Attendance: $82,890
  • Median SAT: 1460
  • Retention Rate: 93%
  • Graduation Rate: 88%

University of Notre Dame

University of Notre Dame

  • Notre Dame, IN

Academic Highlights: 75 majors are offered across six undergraduate colleges: the School of Architecture, the College of Arts and Letters, the Mendoza School of Business (one of the country’s best business schools), the College of Engineering, the Keough School of Global Affairs, and the College of Science. In 2022, the most degrees were conferred in business (20%), the social sciences (18%), engineering (12%), and biology (8%). A solid 60% of courses enroll fewer than 20 students, and 15% have single-digit numbers. 75% of Notre Dame undergrads study abroad.

Professional Outcomes: 69% of 2022 grads directly entered the world of employment, with the most common industries being financial services (21%), consulting (17%), technology (12%), and health services (9%). Massive numbers of alumni can be found at Deloitte, EY, PwC, IBM, Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, and McKinsey & Co. The median early-career salary was $76,000. Of the 20% of grads who went directly into their graduate/professional studies, 18% were pursuing medical degrees and 9% were studying law.

  • Enrollment: 8,971 (undergraduate); 4,134 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,125
  • Acceptance Rate: 13%

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

  • Chapel Hill, NC

Academic Highlights: Undergraduates can choose from 74 bachelor’s degree programs in a number of schools and colleges, the largest of which is the College of Arts & Sciences. 44% of classes have a student enrollment under 20. The social sciences (15%), biology (12%), media/journalism (9%), computer science (8%), and business (6%) are the areas in which the most degrees are conferred. The Kenan-Flager Business School is internationally renowned and requires separate admission. Other strong programs include those in chemistry, journalism, psychology, and political science.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after leaving Chapel Hill, 97% of 2022 grads had entered employment, military service, or graduate school. Among the for-profit companies that hire the most graduates are Wells Fargo, IBM, Cisco, Deloitte, EY, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Oracle, McKinsey & Company, and Goldman Sachs. In the nonprofit sector, a large number of alumni are employed by AmeriCorps, NIH, Teach for America, and the Peace Corps. The average starting salary is $70,619. 18% of 2022 grads enrolled directly in graduate/professional school.

  • Enrollment: 20,210 (undergraduate); 11,739 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $27,036 (in-state); $60,040 (out-of-state)
  • Median SAT: 1450
  • Acceptance Rate: 17%

Rice University

Rice University

  • Houston, TX

Academic Highlights : Rice offers more than 50 majors across six broad disciplines: engineering, architecture, music, social science, humanities, and natural science. Programs in biology, biochemistry, cognitive science, and music are incredibly strong, while the School of Architecture and the George R. Brown School of Engineering are among the highest-ranking schools in their disciplines. One-third of computer science majors are female, almost twice the national average. Class sizes are ideally small with 66% containing fewer than 20 students and a median class size of only fourteen.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduation, 88% of Rice grads have found careers or a graduate school home. Companies that employ many recent grads include Deloitte, Capital One, JP Morgan Chase, Google, and Microsoft. Over one hundred alumni are also current employees of companies such as Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Amazon, Accenture, and Meta. Across all majors, the average starting salary is $73k. One-third of graduates move directly into graduate or professional school, with Harvard, Yale, Stanford, MIT, Columbia, and Berkeley being the most popular destinations.

  • Enrollment: 4,494 (undergraduate); 4,178 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $78,278
  • Median SAT: 35
  • Retention Rate: 94%

University of California, San Diego

University of California, San Diego

  • San Diego, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 140+ undergraduate majors offered at UCSD, and all students join one of eight undergraduate colleges meant to forge flourishing communities within the larger university. Biology has the highest representation of all majors (19%) followed by engineering (12%), the social sciences (11%), and computer science (9%). UCSD’s computer science and engineering programs have stellar reputations in the corporate and tech communities, and programs in biology, economics, and political science are among the best anywhere.

Professional Outcomes: Employers of recent graduates included the Walt Disney Company, Tesla, NBC Universal, PwC, Northrop Grumman, and EY. More than 1,000 current Google employees are UC San Diego alumni, and Qualcomm, Amazon, and Apple all employ 500+ each. The median early career salary is $65,000 across all majors, placing the university in the top 10 public universities in the country. UCSD also fares well in measures of its return-on-investment potential.

  • Enrollment: 33,096 (undergraduate); 8,386 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $31,830 (in-state); $64,404 (out-of-state)
  • Acceptance Rate: 25%

Franklin & Marshall College

Franklin & Marshall College

  • Lancaster, PA

Academic Highlights: Franklin & Marshall’s student-faculty ratio is 10:1, and 58% of classes have fewer than 20 students enrolled; 40% are in the 20-49 range. The average classroom contains 18 students. The greatest number of degrees conferred at the college are in the social sciences, interdisciplinary studies, biology, and business. Programs in public health and environmental science receive high marks, as does F&M’s interdisciplinary major in Business, Organizations and Society (BOS).

Professional Outcomes: Shortly after graduation, 95% of 2022 F&M grads are either employed or continuing their educational journey. The most frequently pursued industries are finance (18%), education (9%), research (9%), and healthcare (8%). Over a three-year period, 91% of students with at least a 3.4 GPA and a strong MCAT score were accepted into medical school. That includes admission into schools of medicine at Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Penn, and Georgetown. Those seeking a legal education head to universities such as Harvard, William & Mary, NYU, Yale, and UC Berkeley.

  • Enrollment: 1,990
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,367
  • Median SAT: 1350
  • Acceptance Rate: 36%

Skidmore College

Skidmore College

  • Saratoga Springs, NY

Academic Highlights: An undergraduate-only institution, there are 40+ majors to choose from with the most popular being business, English, psychology, political science, economics, studio art, theater, biology, and environmental studies. Known for its superior undergraduate teaching, Skidmore’s average class size is only 16 students, and 98% of sections have fewer than thirty students. The most degrees are conferred in the social sciences (17%), business (14%), visual and performing arts (13%), and biology (12%).

Professional Outcomes: 65% of 2022 grads were employed within six months of completing their degrees and 26% were enrolled in graduate school. The most frequently entered industries were STEM (20%), business (17%), education (16%), health science (9%), and finance (7%). The median starting salary range for Class of 2022 grads was $40,000-$49,000. Fairly large numbers of Skiddies can be found at major corporations including Google, Morgan Stanley, EY, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Fidelity Investments, and IBM.

  • Enrollment: 2,776
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,240
  • Median SAT: 1380
  • Retention Rate: 89%
  • Graduation Rate: 82%

Oberlin College

Oberlin College

  • Oberlin, OH

Academic Highlights: Over 40 majors are available at Oberlin, which is an extremely strong provider of a liberal arts education. 79% of classes had 19 or fewer students enrolled. The greatest number of degrees conferred are typically in music, political science, biology, psychology, and history. The Conservatory of Music has a worldwide reputation, and programs in the natural sciences are similarly strong, leading to remarkable medical school acceptance rates and a high number of future PhD scientists and researchers.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months, 74% of recent grads found employment, 17% enrolled in graduate school, and just 5% were still seeking employment. Multiple recent grads were hired by Google, Netflix, and Sony Pictures. Over the last few years, multiple students have gone on to pursue advanced degrees at Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Brown, Columbia, Princeton, and the University of Michigan. Oberlin also has a reputation for churning out future PhDs and, is among the top 20 schools (per capita) across all disciplines in producing graduates who go on to earn their doctoral degrees.

  • Enrollment: 2,986
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,496
  • Median SAT: 1400-1540
  • Median ACT: 32-34
  • Acceptance Rate: 33%
  • Retention Rate: 87%
  • Graduation Rate: 83%

Beloit College

Beloit College

Academic Highlights:  Over 40 majors and minors are available at Beloit and the student-to-faculty ratio is an exceptional 9:1, meaning that class sizes are quite small. In fact, 72% of sections enroll fewer than 20 individuals. In terms of majors, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (21%), the physical sciences (11%), business (8%), psychology (8%), the visual and performing arts (8%), English (7%), and foreign languages (7%).

Professional Outcomes:  93% of graduates are employed or in grad school within six months of earning their degree. All told, 63% of alumni eventually go on to earn an advanced degree. Top employers of Beloit grads include Amazon, Chicago Public Schools, Northwestern Mutual, Deloitte, Epic, the School District of Beloit, Microsoft, Apple, and IBM. Those who major in economics and business have a mid-late career average salary of $155,000.

  • Enrollment: 964
  • Cost of Attendance: $72,150
  • Median SAT: 1295
  • Median ACT: 28
  • Acceptance Rate: 66%
  • Retention Rate: 82%
  • Graduation Rate: 71%

Bates College

Bates College

  • Lewiston, ME

Academic Highlights: Thirty-four percent of courses at Bates have a single-digit enrollment, and 63% of classrooms contain nineteen or fewer students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 10:1, and not a single graduate student is present to vacuum up professorial attention. Twenty-eight percent of all degrees earned at Bates are in the social sciences, and psychology (14%), biology (13%), and the physical sciences (7%) are next in popularity. Though strong across many disciplines, Bates boasts exemplary programs in political science, art, philosophy, economics, and psychology.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 99% of the Class of 2022 were either employed, enrolled in graduate school, or otherwise meaningfully engaged in a fellowship or internship. The most frequently entered fields were healthcare (17%), education (16%), finance/banking (14%), and technology (7%). Within ten years of graduation, approximately 13% of Bates graduates are in, or have completed, law school whereas 7% enroll in medical school.

  • Enrollment: 1,790
  • Cost of Attendance: $81,382

Johns Hopkins University

Johns Hopkins University

  • Baltimore, MD

Academic Highlights: With 53 majors as well as 51 minors, JHU excels in everything from its bread-and-butter medical-related majors to international relations and dance. Boasting an enviable 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio and with 78% of course sections possessing an enrollment under 20, face time with professors is a reality. Many departments carry a high level of clout, including biomedical engineering, chemistry, English, and international studies. Biology, neuroscience, and computer science, which happen to be the three most popular majors, can also be found at the top of the national rankings.

Professional Outcomes: The Class of 2022 saw 94% of graduates successfully land at their next destination within six months of exiting the university; 66% of graduates entered the world of employment and a robust 19% went directly to graduate/professional school. The median starting salary across all majors was $80,000 for the Class of 2022. JHU itself is the most popular choice for graduate school. The next most frequently attended institutions included Columbia, Harvard, Yale, and MIT.

  • Enrollment: 6,044
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,065

Brandeis University

Brandeis University

  • Waltham, MA

Academic Highlights: Brandeis offers 43 majors, the most popular of which are in the social sciences (18%), biology (17%), business (10%), psychology (8%), public administration (8%), and computer science (7%). The student-faculty ratio is 11:1, and 60% of courses contain nineteen or fewer students. Departments with a particularly strong national reputation include economics, international studies, and sociology as well as all of the traditional premed pathways including biology, and chemistry.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduation, 98% of the Class of 2022 had found their way to employment (59%), graduate school (35%), or another full-time activity like travel or volunteer work (4%). Members of the Class of 2022 were hired by Red Hat, Deloitte, Nasdaq, NPR, and McKinsey & Company. The average starting salary for recent grads is $61k. A large contingent of grads elects to continue at Brandeis for graduate school. Many others go to BU, Columbia, Duke, Harvard, and Yale.

  • Enrollment: 3,687
  • Cost of Attendance: $86,242
  • Median SAT: 1440
  • Acceptance Rate: 39%
  • Retention Rate: 91%
  • Graduation Rate: 87%

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

  • Nashville, TN

Academic Highlights: Four of Vandy’s ten schools cater to undergrads: the College of Arts and Sciences, the Blair School of Music, the Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and the School of Engineering. In the 2022-23 school year, 87% of course sections contained 19 or fewer students. Of the 70 undergraduate majors, economics, politics and government, and neuroscience are the most popular. The School of Engineering has a strong national reputation as do offerings in biology, economics, education, and music.

Professional Outcomes: Six months after graduating, 96% of the Class of 2021 were employed or in graduate school. The most commonly entered industry was finance followed by technology, consulting, education, and engineering. Alumni can be found in droves at Capital One, Goldman Sachs, Bain & Company, JP Morgan Chase, Citi, and Meta. Among 2022 alumni who directly pursued advanced degrees, the majority enrolled at Vanderbilt followed by Columbia, Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Northwestern.

  • Enrollment: 7,151 (undergraduate); 6,559 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $89,590

Pomona College

Pomona College

  • Claremont, CA

Academic Highlights: There are 48 majors and minors to select from with the most popular being social sciences (23%), biology (13%), and computer science (12%). Majors in economics, international relations, chemistry, and mathematics receive especially high marks. More than 600 courses are on the menu at Pomona alone, but students can access any of the Claremont Consortium’s 2,700 courses. Pomona’s 8:1 student-to-teacher ratio leads to an average class size of only 15 students, and over 50% of the undergraduate population conduct research alongside a faculty member.

Professional Outcomes: 71% of the Class of 2022 were employed within six months of graduating. Overall, the largest number of alumni can be found at Google, Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta. Recently, economics degree-earners have landed jobs at Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, or Accenture. Majors in the hard sciences frequently landed at top research laboratories and hospitals. Of the 21% of 2022 grads who were accepted directly into graduate school, the most frequently attended institutions included the University of Cambridge, Duke, Harvard, Caltech, UChicago, and Stanford.

  • Enrollment: 1,761
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,296

Vassar College

Vassar College

  • Poughkeepsie, NY

Academic Highlights: Vassar students have the choice of 50 majors and only three foundational curricular mandates, which means that there is plenty of room to explore electives and intellectual passions. A 7:1 student-to-faculty ratio leads to an average class size of 17 students, and 23% of all sections have an enrollment of nine or fewer. Professors are extremely available outside the classroom. The most popular majors are in the social sciences, biology, the visual and performing arts, foreign languages, and psychology.

Professional Outcomes: 93% of alums enjoy positive outcomes within six months of graduation, with 20% enrolling directly in a graduate or professional degree program. A solid number land at competitive companies like Google, Meta, EY, Deloitte, Microsoft, Citi, and Amazon. Elite universities such as Harvard, Penn, NYU, and Columbia are also among the top employers of former students, many of whom earn advanced degrees and enter academia. The school is one of the top 15 PhD producers.

  • Enrollment: 2,459
  • Cost of Attendance: $85,220
  • Median SAT: 1480

The University of Texas at Austin

The University of Texas at Austin

Academic Highlights: UT Austin offers over 150 majors, including those at the Cockrell School of Engineering, one of the most heralded undergraduate engineering schools around, and The McCombs School of Business, which dominates in the specialty areas of accounting and marketing. The computer science department is also top-ranked. In terms of degrees conferred, engineering is tied with biology (12%) followed by communication (11%), business (11%), and the social sciences (8%). The elite Plan II Honors Program is one of the best in the country.

Professional Outcomes: Within the College of Liberal Arts, six months after graduating, 68% of Longhorns are employed and 24% have entered graduate school. The for-profit sector attracts 65% of those employed while 19% enter public sector employment and 16% pursue jobs at a nonprofit. Major corporations that employ more than 500 UT Austin grads include Google, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, and Apple. Engineering majors took home a median income of $79k and business majors took home $70k.

  • Enrollment: 41,309 (undergraduate); 11,075 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $30,752-$34,174 (in-state); $61,180-$69,310 (out-of-state)

University of California, Riverside

University of California, Riverside

  • Riverside, CA

Academic Highlights: UC Riverside offers 80+ majors across five colleges: the Bourns College of Engineering; the College of Humanities, Arts, and Sciences; the College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences; the School of Business; and the School of Public Policy. Popularity-wise, the greatest number of degrees are conferred in the social sciences (20%), biology (18%), business (14%), psychology (10%), and engineering (7%). 22% of sections enroll fewer than 20 undergrads, and faculty-mentored research opportunities are available for everyone.

Professional Outcomes: Within one year of graduation, 54% of 2022 grads were employed and 15% were pursuing an advanced degree. The most commonly entered industries were education, business, tech, social services, the sciences, and government; the median starting salary was $61k. More than 100 alumni work for major corporations like Kaiser Permanente, Amazon, Wells Fargo, Apple, Microsoft, Meta, and EY. For those who go on to advanced degree programs, the most common disciplines pursued are education, physical/natural sciences, engineering/computer science, health professions, and arts/humanities.

  • Enrollment: 22,903 (undergraduate); 3,906 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $40,537 (in-state); $73,111 (out-of-state)
  • Acceptance Rate: 70%
  • Graduation Rate: 76%

Davidson College

Davidson College

  • Davidson, NC

Academic Highlights: With its small size, the impressive part of the college is the exceptional quality of its offerings, not the breadth of them, as only 37 majors are available. The student-to-faculty ratio is 9:1, which allows the college to ensure that 62% have fewer than twenty students and 24% have enrollments you can count on two hands. Overall, the average number of students per class is only 18. Top programs at Davidson include psychology, political science, chemistry, and English; biology is also quite popular, accounting for 12% of degrees conferred in 2022.

Professional Outcomes: Looking at the outcomes data for 2022 grads, 70% landed jobs within six months of graduation, 26% were enrolled in a graduate program, and 3% were still seeking employment. Of those who attended grad school, the highest number were in healthcare-related programs (including MDs), law school, and laboratory sciences. Significant numbers of students pursue advanced degrees at other Southern gems including Vanderbilt, Emory, Duke, Wake Forest, and UNC.

  • Enrollment: 1,927
  • Cost of Attendance: $76,450

University of Southern California

University of Southern California

Academic Highlights : There are 140 undergraduate majors and minors within the Dornsife College of Arts & Sciences alone, the university’s oldest and largest school. The Marshall School of Business, Viterbi School of Engineering, and programs in communication, the cinematic arts, and the performing arts are highly acclaimed. Popular areas of study are business (22%), social sciences (11%), visual and performing arts (11%), communications/journalism (9%), and engineering (8%). Most courses enroll 10-19 students, and USC does an excellent job facilitating undergraduate research opportunities.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of undergrads experience positive postgraduation outcomes within six months of earning their degree. The top five industries entered were finance, consulting, advertising, software development, and engineering; the median salary across all majors is an astounding $79k. Presently, between 300 and 1,500 alumni are employed at each of Google, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, KPMG, Goldman Sachs, and Meta. Graduate/professional schools enrolling the greatest number of 2022 USC grads include NYU, Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, Pepperdine, and UCLA.

  • Enrollment: 20,699 (undergraduate); 28,246 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $90,921

Trinity College

Trinity College

  • Hartford, CT

Academic Highlights: Trinity offers 41 majors that are well-regarded across the board. In particular, their economics department feeds many leading investment banks and the engineering program is among the best you will find at a small liberal arts school. Most degrees are conferred in the social sciences (36%), biology (11%), psychology (7%), and the visual and performing arts (5%). 69% of course sections boast an enrollment of nineteen or fewer students, and roughly two-thirds of students engage in some type of undergraduate research.

Professional Outcomes: 96% of 2022 grads had a positive outcome within six months of commencement. Those entering the world of employment landed jobs at organizations like the New York City Ballet, NBC Universal, and Morgan Stanley. Many alumni can also be found in the corporate offices of Citi, Merrill Lynch, Fidelity Investments, Google, IBM, and Goldman Sachs. Finance (43%), science/engineering (15%), and health and medicine (15%) were the most frequently entered fields in 2021. 60% of alumni have entered or completed a graduate or professional program within five years.

  • Enrollment: 2,167 (undergraduate); 38 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $87,510
  • Retention Rate: 90%
  • Graduation Rate: 84%

Smith College

Smith College

  • Northampton, MA

Academic Highlights: Smith has 50 academic departments and programs. The social sciences are most popular, accounting for 21% of the degrees conferred, with programs in economics and government carrying very strong reputations. Next in line are biology (6%), computer science (5%), English (5%), data science (5%), and engineering science (5%); more than two-fifths of current students are majoring in a STEM field. 19% of undergraduate sections have single-digit enrollments, and 69% of total class sections enroll fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within six months of graduating, 97% of alumnae had found employment. More than 25 alumnae can be found at the US Department of State, Google, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Accenture, Fidelity Investments, Deloitte, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, and Amazon. Within two years of graduating, 40% of alumni had already entered a graduate program, and within ten years, 70% had earned or were working toward an advanced degree. Many Smith women rise to high ranks —twenty years after graduation, 18% of alumnae report holding a chief executive or other executive-level position.

  • Enrollment: 2,523 (undergraduate); 350 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $88,980
  • Graduation Rate: 89%

University of Michigan

University of Michigan

  • Ann Arbor, MI

Academic Highlights: There are 280+ undergraduate degree programs across fourteen schools and colleges, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) enrolls the majority of students. The Ross School of Business offers highly rated programs in entrepreneurship, management, accounting, and finance. The College of Engineering is also one of the best in the country. By degrees conferred, engineering (15%), computer science (14%), and the social sciences (11%) are most popular. A solid 56% of classes have fewer than 20 students.

Professional Outcomes: Within three months of graduating, 89% of LSA grads are employed full-time or in graduate school, with healthcare, education, law, banking, research, nonprofit work, and consulting being the most popular sectors. Within three months, 99% of Ross grads are employed with a median salary of $90k. Top employers include Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, EY, Morgan Stanley, PwC, Deloitte, and Amazon.  Within six months, 96% of engineering grads are employed (average salary of $84k) or in grad school. General Motors, Ford, Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Meta employ the greatest number of alumni.

  • Enrollment: 32,695 (undergraduate); 18,530 (graduate)
  • Cost of Attendance: $35,450 (in-state); $76,294 (out-of-state)
  • Acceptance Rate: 18%

We hope you have found our list of the Best Colleges for Anthropology to be useful and informative as you continue your college search process. We also invite you to check out some of our other resources and tools including:

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Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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best anthropology phd programs usa

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best anthropology phd programs usa

  • Bachelors Degree

best anthropology phd programs usa

  • Masters Degree

best anthropology phd programs usa

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best anthropology phd programs usa

  • Archaeology Field School in Barkley Sound

best anthropology phd programs usa

  • Fall Semester Archaeology Field School: Various Sites, Black Warrior River Valley, Alabama (contact Dr. Elliot Blair, [email protected])
  • Summer Archaeological Field School in St. Catherine's Island, GA (lead instructors: Dr. Elliot Blair, [email protected] and Dr. Rachel Cajigas, [email protected])
  • Summer Field School: Excavations at Moundville Archaeological Park (lead instructor: Dr. Cameron Lacquement, [email protected])

best anthropology phd programs usa

Best Universities for Anthropology in the World

Updated: February 29, 2024

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Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Anthropology. A graph of 51.3M citations received by 2.57M academic papers made by 4,117 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

For Anthropology

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2. Harvard University

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3. University of Toronto

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4. University College London

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5. University of California - Los Angeles

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6. University of Washington - Seattle

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7. Stanford University

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8. University of Auckland

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9. University of California - Berkeley

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10. University of Oxford

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11. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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12. Columbia University

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13. Johns Hopkins University

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14. University of California - San Francisco

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15. Pennsylvania State University

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16. University of British Columbia

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17. University of Manchester

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18. University of Cambridge

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19. University of Sydney

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20. University of Pennsylvania

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21. University of Wisconsin - Madison

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22. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

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23. Arizona State University - Tempe

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24. New York University

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25. Yale University

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26. King's College London

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27. University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign

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28. University of Southern California

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29. Ohio State University

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30. University of Melbourne

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31. Cornell University

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32. University of Texas at Austin

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33. University of Chicago

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34. University of Arizona

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35. Monash University

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36. University of Alberta

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37. University of Amsterdam

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38. University of Queensland

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39. Michigan State University

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40. University of Edinburgh

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41. McGill University

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42. University of Sheffield

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43. Rutgers University - New Brunswick

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44. Emory University

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45. University of California-San Diego

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46. University of the West of England

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47. University of Illinois at Chicago

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48. University of Pittsburgh

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49. McMaster University

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50. University of Birmingham

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51. Duke University

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52. University of California - Davis

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53. University of Maryland - College Park

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54. University of Florida

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55. Northwestern University

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56. University of South Florida

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57. Washington University in St Louis

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58. University of Warwick

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59. University of Nottingham

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60. University of Copenhagen

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61. University of Bristol

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62. University of Calgary

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63. University of New South Wales

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64. Boston University

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65. Utrecht University

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66. Griffith University

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67. Texas A&M University - College Station

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68. Cardiff University

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69. Catholic University of Leuven

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70. University of Glasgow

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71. University of California - Irvine

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72. University of Leeds

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73. Aarhus University

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74. University of Southampton

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75. Lancaster University

Lancaster University logo

76. Australian National University

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77. National University of Singapore

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78. University of Utah

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79. University of London

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80. Newcastle University

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81. London School of Economics and Political Science

London School of Economics and Political Science logo

82. Deakin University

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83. University of Sao Paulo

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84. Lund University

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85. University of Virginia

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86. Karolinska Institute

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87. University of Ottawa

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88. Queensland University of Technology

Queensland University of Technology logo

89. Western University

Western University logo

90. University of Oslo

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91. University of Iowa

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92. University of Leicester

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93. University of Miami

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94. University of South Carolina - Columbia

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95. Princeton University

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96. University of Georgia

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97. Radboud University

Radboud University logo

98. Umea University

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99. University of Liverpool

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100. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Liberal Arts & Social Sciences subfields in the World

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Doctor of Anthropology Programs in America

1-25 of 101 results

Stanford University Department of Humanities and Sciences

Stanford, CA •

Stanford University •

Graduate School

Stanford University ,

Graduate School ,

STANFORD, CA ,

Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

New Haven, CT •

Yale University •

  • • Rating 4.5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: The resources at Yale are outstanding. While some of the required courses are slow-moving and less informative, I do have more academic freedom in my second year to the program to take classes that I enjoy across all departments (including data science, statistics, computer science, and law). ... Read 2 reviews

Yale University ,

NEW HAVEN, CT ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The resources at Yale are outstanding. While some of the required courses are slow-moving and less informative, I do have more academic freedom in my second year to the program to take classes that I... .

Read 2 reviews.

Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Cambridge, MA •

Harvard University •

  • • Rating 4.56 out of 5   9 reviews

Other: I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student' in the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Through this School, I will be focusing my time at the John A. Paulson school of Engineering & Applied Sciences. Looking forward to wrapping up my final year on campus! ... Read 9 reviews

Harvard University ,

CAMBRIDGE, MA ,

9 Niche users give it an average review of 4.6 stars.

Featured Review: Other says I am Harvard Extension School student pursuing a master degree, ALM, in sustainability. I have achieved a 3.89 in this program so far and have qualified, applied, and accepted as a 'Special Student'... .

Read 9 reviews.

Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences

University of Pittsburgh •

Graduate School •

PITTSBURGH, PA

Mississippi State University

MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS

  • • Rating 4.51 out of 5   49

College of Arts and Sciences - University of Wyoming

University of Wyoming •

LARAMIE, WY

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   3

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ •

  • • Rating 4.33 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help students in office hours or in sponsorship of projects. The worst part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the lack of structure for the graduate research program which can leave you feeling unsure on the direction of your research. ... Read 3 reviews

PRINCETON, NJ ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 4.3 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The best part of the Princeton University mechanical engineering graduate degree is the excellent faculty that teach the courses. They are incredibly knowledgeable and also very willing to help... .

Read 3 reviews.

The Graduate School at Duke

Durham, NC •

Duke University •

  • • Rating 4.8 out of 5   5 reviews

Current Master's student: The program is the best in the nation. It is the origin of the profession and it has helped developed it to what it is today. They seem to ver much involve alumni and are involved in your future. ... Read 5 reviews

Duke University ,

DURHAM, NC ,

5 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Current Master's student says The program is the best in the nation. It is the origin of the profession and it has helped developed it to what it is today. They seem to ver much involve alumni and are involved in your future. .

Read 5 reviews.

Brown University Graduate School

Providence, RI •

Brown University •

Brown University ,

PROVIDENCE, RI ,

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School of Arts & Sciences - University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA •

University of Pennsylvania •

University of Pennsylvania ,

PHILADELPHIA, PA ,

Rice School of Social Sciences

Houston, TX •

Rice University •

Blue checkmark.

Rice University ,

HOUSTON, TX ,

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

Evanston, IL •

Northwestern University •

Northwestern University ,

EVANSTON, IL ,

College of Arts and Science

Nashville, TN •

Vanderbilt University •

Vanderbilt University ,

NASHVILLE, TN ,

Washington University in St. Louis - Arts & Sciences

St. Louis, MO •

Washington University in St. Louis •

Washington University in St. Louis ,

ST. LOUIS, MO ,

College of Arts and Letters - University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN •

University of Notre Dame •

Doctoral Student: The faculty at Notre Dame is excellent. The student to professor ratio makes for a wonderful one to one interaction between students and teachers. At Notre Dame, my interests, dreams, goals, research and career path matter. I loved this most. I feel taken seriously and supported with every possible resources for my mental, academic and career success. One gets many opportunities to grow talents through research, and presentations with helpful and supportive feedback from students and professors. For these reasons, I find it a place to be! On the down side, the weather is at first always a challenge for one who is not used to the harsh and gloomy midwestern winter. ... Read 2 reviews

University of Notre Dame ,

NOTRE DAME, IN ,

Featured Review: Doctoral Student says The faculty at Notre Dame is excellent. The student to professor ratio makes for a wonderful one to one interaction between students and teachers. At Notre Dame, my interests, dreams, goals, research... On the down side, the weather is at first always a challenge for one who is not used to the harsh and gloomy midwestern winter. .

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Social Sciences Division - University of Chicago

Chicago, IL •

University of Chicago •

  • • Rating 3.75 out of 5   4 reviews

Master's Student: The University of Chicago offers many clubs you can attend. Do to COIVD most of the clubs meet online and some in person one day out of the week. There's boxing, archery, fencing, and one of my personal favorites ju-jutsu, just to name a few. These sports are completive but they also have clubs that are just for fun and any body of any skill level can join. There is also this amazing climbing wall in the recreation center but we are not allowed to climb it at the moment because of COVID restrictions. It's also convent to be surrounded by hospitals (Rush and UIC). I got hurt while I was at school, I broke my arm, and I did not have to call on anyone to take me to the hospital, I could just walk. The food is okay and you get to chose from a good selection of things. The rooms where a nice size and most of the students were so friendly it was easy to make friends. ... Read 4 reviews

University of Chicago ,

CHICAGO, IL ,

4 Niche users give it an average review of 3.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says The University of Chicago offers many clubs you can attend. Do to COIVD most of the clubs meet online and some in person one day out of the week. There's boxing, archery, fencing, and one of my... .

Read 4 reviews.

Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

Los Angeles, CA •

University of Southern California •

University of Southern California ,

LOS ANGELES, CA ,

Cornell University College of Arts & Sciences

Ithaca, NY •

Cornell University •

Cornell University ,

ITHACA, NY ,

Rackham School of Graduate Studies

Ann Arbor, MI •

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor •

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   3 reviews

Master's Student: I was nervous about attending a prestigious school like The University of Michigan but once classes started I realized that I had made the right decision. Tuition is very expensive but I love my professors and I believe that I am getting the best education in the country! ... Read 3 reviews

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ,

ANN ARBOR, MI ,

3 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I was nervous about attending a prestigious school like The University of Michigan but once classes started I realized that I had made the right decision. Tuition is very expensive but I love my... .

UCLA College of Letters and Science

University of California - Los Angeles •

  • • Rating 3 out of 5   1 review

University of California - Los Angeles ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 3 stars.

Read 1 reviews.

Krieger School of Arts & Sciences

Baltimore, MD •

Johns Hopkins University •

  • • Rating 4.53 out of 5   19 reviews

Master's Student: I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student Advisor, Alexis has been extremely helpful in initiating my enrollment process and answering all of my questions in a timely matter. My intended Advanced Academic Program is the accelerated (2 semester), dual-modality, 40-credit M.S. in Biotechnology, Biodefense concentration. All of the anticipated course subjects are diverse and there's even a customizable core lab course on campus (at least until Summer 2024). I can't wait and I wish you all the best in your search for academic programs or professional certifications. ... Read 19 reviews

Johns Hopkins University ,

BALTIMORE, MD ,

19 Niche users give it an average review of 4.5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I have yet to enroll for Fall 2023 after receiving my acceptance letter due to a delay in my need-based financial aid from JHU. However the Homewood Campus in Baltimore is beautiful and my Student... .

Read 19 reviews.

The Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA •

University of Virginia •

  • • Rating 4 out of 5   1 review

Alum: Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study ... Read 1 review

University of Virginia ,

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA ,

1 Niche users give it an average review of 4 stars.

Featured Review: Alum says Very good in some areas, excellent in other areas, many academic choices available in all areas of study .

Laney Graduate School

Atlanta, GA •

Emory University •

  • • Rating 5 out of 5   2 reviews

Master's Student: I chose the graduate programs at Emory because they are ranked among the best in the country. The school of nursing also provides the clinical experiences, something many of the online only nurse practitioner programs do not do. ... Read 2 reviews

Emory University ,

ATLANTA, GA ,

2 Niche users give it an average review of 5 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I chose the graduate programs at Emory because they are ranked among the best in the country. The school of nursing also provides the clinical experiences, something many of the online only nurse... .

UC Berkeley College of Letters & Science

Berkeley, CA •

University of California - Berkeley •

University of California - Berkeley ,

BERKELEY, CA ,

College of Arts & Sciences - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC •

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill •

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ,

CHAPEL HILL, NC ,

Graduate School of Arts & Sciences - New York University

New York, NY •

New York University •

  • • Rating 4.8 out of 5   10 reviews

Master's Student: I am enrolled specifically in the Magazine concentration. My professors have all been helpful with helping me succeed and are willing to stay back to go over something I don't understand. There are multiple points of resources at this program. A director is your main academic advisor. Aside from that, there is a pitch specialist to assist with freelancing and two wonderful career advisors. They help with setting up mingle sessions, job fairs, and internship talks. As of now, I haven't had bad experiences, however, I will say that the program is expensive and is an awkward three semesters. Those two things aren't ideal, however, its not too much of a dealbreaker. ... Read 10 reviews

New York University ,

NEW YORK, NY ,

10 Niche users give it an average review of 4.8 stars.

Featured Review: Master's Student says I am enrolled specifically in the Magazine concentration. My professors have all been helpful with helping me succeed and are willing to stay back to go over something I don't understand. There are... .

Read 10 reviews.

College of Liberal Arts - University of Texas - Austin

Austin, TX •

University of Texas - Austin •

University of Texas - Austin ,

AUSTIN, TX ,

Arts & Science - William & Mary

Williamsburg, VA •

William & Mary •

William & Mary ,

WILLIAMSBURG, VA ,

The New School

NEW YORK, NY

  • • Rating 4.46 out of 5   37

Tulane University

NEW ORLEANS, LA

  • • Rating 4.17 out of 5   35

College of Arts and Sciences - American University

American University •

WASHINGTON, DC

Showing results 1 through 25 of 101

Colleges Offering an Anthropology Major

Looking for colleges with an Anthropology major? See a list of colleges with Anthropology here to evaluate admissions data, tuition, rankings and more.

To unlock full rankings, SAT/ACT scores and more, sign up for the U.S. News College Compass !

Here are the best colleges with a Anthropology Major

Princeton university, massachusetts institute of technology, harvard university, stanford university, yale university, university of pennsylvania.

  • California Institute of Technology

Duke University

Brown university.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Princeton, NJ

  • #1 in National Universities

The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, New Jersey. Princeton was the first university to offer a "no loan" policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.

(fall 2022)

SAT, GPA and More

best anthropology phd programs usa

Cambridge, MA

  • #2 in National Universities

Though the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be best known for its math, science and engineering education, this private research university also offers architecture, humanities, management and social science programs. The school is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just across the Charles River from downtown Boston.

best anthropology phd programs usa

  • #3 in National Universities  (tie)

Harvard University is a private institution in Cambridge, Massachusetts, just outside of Boston. This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Stanford, CA

The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.

best anthropology phd programs usa

New Haven, CT

  • #5 in National Universities

Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut, offers a small college life with the resources of a major research institution. Yale students are divided into 14 residential colleges that foster a supportive environment for living, learning and socializing.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Philadelphia, PA

  • #6 in National Universities

Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a private institution in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Students can study in one of four schools that grant undergraduate degrees: Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Wharton.

best anthropology phd programs usa

  • #7 in National Universities  (tie)

Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke University is a private institution that has liberal arts and engineering programs for undergraduates. The Duke Blue Devils sports teams have a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Providence, RI

  • #9 in National Universities  (tie)

At Brown University, undergraduate students are responsible for designing their own academic study with more than 80 concentration programs to choose from. Another unique offering at this private, Ivy League institution in Providence, Rhode Island, is the Program in Liberal Medical Education, which grants both a bachelor’s degree and medical degree in eight years.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD

Johns Hopkins University is a private institution in Baltimore that offers a wide array of academic programs in the arts, humanities, social and natural sciences, and engineering disciplines. The Hopkins Blue Jays men’s lacrosse team is consistently dominant in the NCAA Division I; other sports teams at Hopkins compete at the Division III level.

best anthropology phd programs usa

Northwestern University

Evanston, IL

Northwestern University is a private school in Evanston, Ill., about 30 minutes outside of Chicago. Undergraduate students have about 100 options for majors or can design their own non-traditional degree program.

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Evolutionary Anthropology

This section provides information about the evolutionary anthropology graduate program, including: program requirements, areas of specialization, affiliated programs, and recent student accomplishments..

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  5. Best Online Anthropology Degree Programs of 2021

    best anthropology phd programs usa

  6. Top 10 Anthropology Graduate Programs in the World 2024

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COMMENTS

  1. 2024 Best Anthropology Doctor's Degree Schools

    13 Top Schools for a Doctorate in Anthropology. 1. Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. 8 Annual Graduates. Harvard University is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a doctor's degree in anthropology. Located in the city of Cambridge, Harvard is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population.

  2. Top PhD in Cultural Anthropology Programs

    With a PhD in Cultural Anthropology, you can earn an average of $83,870/year working in federal government jobs. Engineering services pay cultural anthropologists $70,100/year on average. If you work as a professor at a college or university, you can expect to earn an average of $85,000/year.

  3. Best 71 Anthropology PhD Programmes in United States 2024

    This page shows a selection of the available PhDs in United States. If you're interested in studying a Anthropology degree in United States you can view all 71 PhDs. You can also read more about Anthropology degrees in general, or about studying in United States. Many universities and colleges in United States offer English-taught PhD's degrees.

  4. Ph.D. Program

    The Graduate Program in Development (GPD) is an interdisciplinary initiative sponsored by Brown University's Watson Institute for International Studies and supported by an IGERT (Integrated Graduate Education Research and Training) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). It supports training and research for PhD candidates in Anthropology as well as other disciplines (Economics ...

  5. PhD programmes in Anthropology in United States

    The doctoral program in Anthropology at Texas A&M University is structured around the holistic study of the human condition. Students receive comprehensive training within a variety of theoretical and methodological frameworks, integrating a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches to produce culturally informed and socially engaged ...

  6. 2023-2024 Top Anthropology Graduate Programs

    Chicago, IL •. University of Chicago •. Graduate School. •. 4 reviews. Master's Student: The University of Chicago offers many clubs you can attend. Do to COIVD most of the clubs meet online and some in person one day out of the week. There's boxing, archery, fencing, and one of my personal favorites ju-jutsu, just to name a few.

  7. Graduate Program

    The Anthropology graduate program provides students with excellent training in theory and methods, enabling them to pursue an advanced graduate degree in many subfields of Anthropology, including archaeology, ecology, environmental anthropology, evolution, linguistic, medical anthropology, political economy, science and technology, and sociocultural anthropology.

  8. Doctoral Degree Program

    Students are encouraged to plan for the completion of all work for the Ph.D. within 5-6 years. Anthropology Ph.D. students must take a minimum of 135 quarter units with a minimum GPA of 3.0. The maximum allowable number of transfer units is 45. The Ph.D. degree is conferred upon candidates who have demonstrated substantial scholarship and the ...

  9. Anthropology

    The Department of Anthropology is one of the world's leading institutions for anthropological research. Our PhD programs provide in-depth conceptual and methodological training in archaeology and social anthropology, with faculty whose work covers every time period—from the Paleolithic to the present—and every major world area.The department also offers an AM in medical anthropology.

  10. General Ph.D. Program Information

    Students who enroll in one of the Anthropology Department's Ph.D. programs join a vibrant and diverse community of scholars working to extend the disciplinary and interdisciplinary horizons of twenty-first century Anthropology. Students in all Ph.D. programs work closely with their advisers and other faculty to craft an appropriate sequence ...

  11. Ph.D. in Anthropology

    Our Ph.D. program in anthropology is designed to provide a broad background in the field with a primary emphasis on sociocultural anthropology, biological anthropology, or archaeology. The degree prepares students for careers in academia, consulting, or other applied professions in the discipline. The major foci of research and instruction in ...

  12. 2024 Best Anthropology Schools

    Harvard University is one of the best schools in the country for getting a degree in anthropology. Harvard is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the midsize city of Cambridge. A Best Colleges rank of #6 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Harvard is a great university overall.

  13. Graduate Program

    The Department of Anthropology at Berkeley invites graduate students to be part of the shaping of emergent approaches in Archaeology, Biological Anthropology, Sociocultural Anthropology, and Medical Anthropology by joining one of two PhD programs, in Anthropology and Medical Anthropology. The breadth of fields that comprise graduate study in ...

  14. 2024 Best Colleges for Anthropology

    Acceptance rate 4%. Net price $14,402. SAT range 1470-1570. My experience at Stanford University was incredibly enriching and transformative. The academic rigor challenged me to push my boundaries and think critically in diverse fields of study.

  15. 71 Ph.Ds in Anthropology in United States

    The doctoral program in Anthropology at Texas A&M University is structured around the holistic study of the human condition. Students receive comprehensive training within a variety of theoretical and methodological frameworks, integrating a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches to produce culturally informed and socially engaged ...

  16. Ph.D. Degree

    The Ph.D Program. The Ph.D degree requires further study in a more specialized branch of anthropology, requiring at least one further year of academic study. Students are expected to demonstrate knowledge of the discipline by successful completion of: (1) the Written Qualifying Examination administered by a three-member Departmental Doctoral ...

  17. 50 Best Colleges for Anthropology

    The schools that made our list have highly respected anthropology programs that are favored by top graduate schools across the United States. These programs also produce graduates ready for the workforce in any industry, possessing universally applicable strengths as writers, researchers, and culturally literate citizens.

  18. United States' 100+ best Anthropology colleges [Rankings]

    Below is a list of best universities in the United States ranked based on their research performance in Anthropology. A graph of 22.4M citations received by 839K academic papers made by 956 universities in the United States was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

  19. Anthroguide

    Looking for an Anthropology Program that offers BA/BS, MA/MS, PhD, and certificates? Search the database of AnthroGuide institutions by location, highest degree offered, degree type, online classes, anthropology clubs, or faculty/staff expertise.

  20. World's 100+ best Anthropology universities [2024 Rankings]

    Below is a list of best universities in the World ranked based on their research performance in Anthropology. A graph of 51.3M citations received by 2.57M academic papers made by 4,117 universities in the World was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

  21. Discovering the Best Anthropology Programs in the US

    Top Anthropology Programs. Leading the pack are Ivy League universities renowned for their excellence in academia and research. Institutions such as Princeton University, Harvard University, and Yale University offer esteemed anthropology programs that attract world-class faculty and talented students.

  22. 2023-2024 Top Doctor of Anthropology Graduate Programs

    My intended Advanced Academic Program is the accelerated (2 semester), dual-modality, 40-credit M.S. in Biotechnology, Biodefense concentration. All of the anticipated course subjects are diverse and there's even a customizable core lab course on campus (at least until Summer 2024).

  23. Colleges Offering a Anthropology Major

    Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Looking for colleges with an Anthropology major? See a list of colleges with Anthropology here to evaluate admissions data, tuition, rankings and more.

  24. Evolutionary Anthropology

    Department of Anthropology. 328 Young Hall One Shields Ave, University of California Davis, CA 95616. Map. Ph. 530-752-0745 Fax 530-752-8885 Contact