by our College Data Analytics TeamFind out the essential details every geography and anthropology major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering geography and anthropology programs.
Programs in Geography and Anthropology emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations geography and anthropology graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a geography and anthropology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a geography and anthropology major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
People currently working in careers related to geography and anthropology tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 37.9% |
| Doctoral degree | 30.3% |
| Master’s degree | 10.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 6.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.4% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 3.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.8% |
| Some college courses | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.8% |
| First professional degree | 0.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in geography and anthropology careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in geography and anthropology opens doors to many career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to geography and anthropology.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to geography and anthropology.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Managers, All Other | 468,025 | 6.2% |
| Geography Teachers, Postsecondary | 420,756 | -3.5% |
| Compliance Managers | 310,203 | 13.0% |
| Loss Prevention Managers | 265,210 | 2.2% |
| Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary | 262,916 | 6.6% |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | 206,415 | 9.9% |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | 128,884 | 5.2% |
| Wind Energy Development Managers | 107,541 | 10.1% |
Salaries for geography and anthropology graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers geography and anthropology grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Wind Energy Development Managers | $169,952 |
| Loss Prevention Managers | $165,723 |
| Wind Energy Operations Managers | $122,567 |
| Compliance Managers | $117,178 |
| Brownfield Redevelopment Specialists and Site Managers | $99,321 |
| Managers, All Other | $95,684 |
| Regulatory Affairs Managers | $77,828 |
| Geographers | $77,391 |
Use our unbiased geography and anthropology school rankings to find the best fit for you.
Students interested in geography and anthropology, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Economics | 45,628 |
| Political Science and Government | 44,942 |
| Sociology | 31,380 |
| Social Sciences, General | 17,510 |
| International Relations and National Security Studies | 13,035 |
| Anthropology | 10,768 |
| Criminology | 10,365 |
| Geography and Cartography | 7,105 |
| Social Sciences, Other | 1,942 |
| Urban Studies/Affairs | 1,343 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
