5 anthropology degree jobs to pursue (with salary info)

Written by

Updated 28 April 2025

A significant aspect to note about any degree programme is that it needs to set you up for a diverse range of career options. If you're working towards an anthropology degree, you may be wondering about the career paths you can follow. Anthropology is a remarkably flexible degree that can introduce you to multiple career options. In this article, we provide you with five anthropology degree jobs you may want to pursue, explain what anthropology is, what anthropologists do and what the necessary skills are for anthropologists.

5 anthropology degree jobs

Here are some anthropology degree jobs you can pursue:

1. Marketing strategist

National average salary: £31,211 per yearPrimary duties: Marketing strategists develop plans to push their business, product, service or initiative to their audience. The type of organisation and the product or service produced determines the exact roles of a marketing strategist, but typically, they do the following:

survey the market and organise test groups to determine the people's reception towards that product/service
analyse the data from the survey
design a marketing strategy and the core message
implement, oversee and optimise marketing campaigns

A typical example is when a company launches a new product. The marketing strategist would create a plan that would get people to desire the product. The strategist could do this by running ad campaigns, creating videos to drive engagement on social media or sending cold messages through email marketing, for example. To excel in this role, marketing strategists need intense research, analytical and writing skills and in-depth knowledge of their target audience. This knowledge may help you know how personal and cultural differences might affect the product's reception.Related: What is an anthropologist? (Plus sub-fields, salary and skills)

2. Public relations manager

National average salary: £31,817 per yearPrimary duties: Public relations managers, also known as PR managers, build awareness and make favourable deals, promotions and connections for a product, person or organisation. Their day-to-day job description includes:

writing press releases
building sturdy relationships with the media
coming up with campaigns and strategies to promote a product
developing ways to reduce the impact of negative press

PR managers need strong written and verbal communication skills. This is necessary to enable them to understand the competitive landscape and the potential customers they're attempting to reach. This knowledge may help them alter their pitches and approach to different kinds of audiences and settings in real-time.

3. Public policy analyst

National average salary: £39,695 per yearThe job of a public policy analyst is to study how sectors like education, healthcare, environment and others create policies that affect various communities and then leverage that analysis to recommend ways to amend, review or update the policies for the benefit of those in the communities. A public policy analyst might set up small test groups to better understand the implications of an existing healthcare policy, for example. They would then use the findings to recommend to the authorities the best approach moving forward to improve healthcare in that community and other communities that may have similar situations.

4. Diversity and inclusion manager

National average salary: £38,534 per yearPrimary duties: Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) managers, sometimes known as diversity and inclusion (D&I) managers or diversity managers, usually work in the human resources department of an organisation. The role of a diversity manager varies with each organisation, but they're responsible for a range of tasks, including:

developing coaching programmes and training for staff
researching and implementing additional, comprehensive recruiting and promotion practices
being aware of barriers staff might face because of racial, gender, sexual orientation and other biases
thinking up ways to get rid of those barriers.
settling disputes on discrimination or other grievances within the organisation

This is a role that enables students with an anthropology degree to leverage their deep insight into the culture that shapes the behaviour of people. Diversity managers make sure that all staff and applicants feel respected. They ensure that the company treats them appropriately, provides equal access to opportunities and resources, and allows employees to excel and flourish in their jobs.

5. Programme manager

National average salary: £50,825 per yearPrimary duties: A programme manager oversees the running of projects within an organisation to ensure that they meet the organisation's mission and goals. A programme manager has to be organised, have good communication skills and have an intense desire to improve the lives of the people in their community. For example, a programme manager at a non-profit for war veterans might be responsible for setting up a rehabilitation centre for the veterans in a new community.Depending on the organisation and how big a staff they might have, a programme manager's job may include:

generating budgets
thinking up ideas for new programmes
designing the syllabus
planning and managing events

What is anthropology?

Anthropology is the study of human beings from every part of the world. Anthropologists study how humans evolved, how they behave, why they behave the way they do, how they adapt to different situations and environments and how they communicate with one another, differentiating us from other animal species. Anthropologists study:

the physical features that make us human, such as genes, our physiology and nutrition
the social abilities we have that help us interact with one another, such as language, culture, family and politics

What do anthropologists do?

Anthropologists often ask the following questions as part of their work:

How are societies different, and how are they the same?
How has evolution shaped the way we think?
What is culture?
Are there human universals?

By studying people's lives in such detail, anthropologists can explore what makes us distinct as humans. This helps us better understand ourselves individually and other people as a whole. Anthropology has grown from just one field of study into several subsets and specialities:

Physical anthropology: This discipline is interested in how humans have evolved, what our ancestors were like and understanding why we're so different.
Linguistic anthropology: Linguistic anthropologists examine the human ability to communicate through structured speech and the numerous languages that exist.
Cultural anthropology: This field looks closely at each culture, taking note of their behavioural patterns, laws, language, rituals, dressing, celebrations, art and more.
Social anthropology: This speciality studies how human societies have grown and evolved, what makes them different and what things they have in common.

Careers in anthropology

Anthropology is a field that can be applied to other areas. With a bachelor's degree, you could get a master's and work as a lecturer or researcher within an academic setting. Due to the people-centred nature of anthropology, a graduate can also begin a career in other disciplines such as medicine, education and business. The career path of an anthropologist may not always be linear, and they usually take on projects in different career sectors.

What can you do with an anthropology degree?

Having empathy and understanding people's fundamental differences is a skill that is very valuable in personal and workplace situations. Since they've been exposed to the origins of it all, anthropologists can understand better the reasons for human action.Many job roles in today's world require some data collection and research skills. A degree in anthropology would equip you with these necessary skills. The knowledge of people and culture makes an anthropologist able to work within other sectors of society, analysing the complex human issues in industries such as health, education and the law.

Anthropologist's knowledge and skills

Anthropology students learn about communication, critical analysis, logical thinking, problem-solving and the development of strong arguments. A career in anthropology requires a significant amount of education and the ability to improve your skills. Here are some relevant skills and knowledge that anthropologists may apply to their day-to-day activities:

Research skills: When finding solutions for your organisation's needs, you may need to apply theory and scientific methods of research.
Data analysis skills: Collecting and interpreting information to find patterns of behaviour is an essential part of an anthropologist's role.
Writing skills: It's important to understand the basis of properly articulating your thoughts in a written format. As an anthropologist, you may need to write reports and publish scientific papers.

Salary figures reflect data listed on Indeed Salaries at the time of writing. Salaries‌ ‌may‌ ‌‌vary‌‌ ‌depending‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌hiring‌ ‌organisation‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌candidate's‌ ‌experience,‌ ‌academic‌ background‌ ‌and‌ ‌location.‌

The information on this site is provided as a courtesy and for informational purposes only. Indeed is not a career or legal advisor and does not guarantee job interviews or offers.