There was an error. Please try again.
This page is already listed in your guide. Please choose a different page to add.
Biological Anthropologist, Linguistic Anthropologist, Socio-Cultural Anthropologist, Specializations Archaeologist, Research Scientist
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used. Here is how this occupation has been classified over time:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2006 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Interest in co-ordinating information to gather and analyze data on social and cultural behaviour, artifacts, language and human biology, and to undertake comparative studies of societies and cultures, or of selected aspects of cultures, of living people and of peoples no longer in existence
Interest in consulting to report on data; may teach anthropology at advanced educational levels
Interest in reconstructing records of extinct cultures by studying remains obtained from archaeological excavations
Interest in co-ordinating information to interpret the significance of archaeological finds by determining the importance of the history conveyed by artifacts and the extent to which they reflect the lives of the peoples who produced them
Interest in consulting with authorities to provide advice concerning the search for the remains of buildings and the collection, identification and preservation of artifacts; and in selecting site locations and overseeing excavations
Interest in handling artifacts to examine and classify them, and to determine authenticity and identity
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Interest in co-ordinating information to gather and analyze data on social and cultural behaviour, artifacts, language and human biology, and to undertake comparative studies of societies and cultures, or of selected aspects of cultures, of living people and of peoples no longer in existence
Interest in consulting to report on data; may teach anthropology at advanced educational levels
Interest in reconstructing records of extinct cultures by studying remains obtained from archaeological excavations
Interest in co-ordinating information to interpret the significance of archaeological finds by determining the importance of the history conveyed by artifacts and the extent to which they reflect the lives of the peoples who produced them
Interest in consulting with authorities to provide advice concerning the search for the remains of buildings and the collection, identification and preservation of artifacts; and in selecting site locations and overseeing excavations
Interest in handling artifacts to examine and classify them, and to determine authenticity and identity
To identify or change your interest codes, complete the Interests Exercise in CAREERinsite.
The interest code helps you figure out if you’d like to work in a particular occupation.
It’s based on the Canadian Work Preference Inventory (CWPI), which measures 5 occupational interests: Directive, Innovative, Methodical, Objective, and Social.
Each set of 3 interest codes for this NOC group is listed in order of importance.
A code in capital letters means it’s a strong fit for the occupation.
A code in all lowercase letters means the fit is weaker.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Exercise in CAREERinsite.
A Quick Guide
You are born with abilities that help you process certain types of information and turn it into action. These abilities influence which skills you can learn more easily.
The abilities or aptitudes shown for this NOC group come from the General Aptitude Test Battery (GATB). The GATB measures 9 aptitudes. It groups them into 3 categories: mental, visual, and physical.
The abilities scores range from 1 to 5, with 5 being stronger.
Anthropologists study all aspects of human society and culture, past and present. They may study some things about non-human primates. They also may do comparative studies of living or ancient people’s cultures including cultural frameworks, social structures, languages, and biological makeup. This can include studying:
Their research may focus on cultural beliefs, symbols, kinship, and social organization. Or it may look into religious, economic, political, or legal aspects of society.
Anthropologists use various field methods, techniques, and theoretical approaches to conduct their research. Specialized types of study may involve interviewing, statistical data analysis and interpretation, or scientific techniques. These can include:
More and more, anthropologists use molecular techniques to gather information from both human and non-human primate subjects. For example, they may use hormone, nutritional, or microbiome analyses, and DNA sequencing. They may use DNA to understand modern human populations and non-human primates. They also may apply DNA techniques to learn about past peoples or extinct populations.
Anthropology is divided into four main subfields. Within these subfields, anthropologists may specialize in geographic areas, periods, or populations within a specific region.
Anthropologists who work for universities typically combine teaching with field work and laboratory research. For more information, see the University Professor occupational profile.
Anthropologists may work indoors in offices, classrooms, and laboratories, or outdoors when they are doing field work. When doing fieldwork, they may live in tents or local housing, sometimes in remote locations. They often work long hours, alone or as part of large teams, and for long periods. Fieldwork is usually seasonal and can be physically demanding.
Anthropologists work closely with researchers in other disciplines. These can include biology, chemistry, computer science, gender studies, geography, geology, history, human anatomy, medicine, museum studies, paleontology, and sociology. They also work with public groups, such as those doing community-based research and citizen science. They also may supervise field and laboratory staff and volunteers.
Anthropologists need:
They should enjoy:
Anthropologists have a variety of educational backgrounds. Most begin with a bachelor’s degree (BA, B.Sc.) in anthropology or a related discipline (e.g., archaeology, primatology, environmental or cultural studies). Biological anthropologists require training in human anatomy and biology. Archaeologists should have a background in earth sciences, including geology and geography. Depending on their specialty, anthropologists may benefit from training in qualitative or quantitative statistics and analysis. A second language is a vital asset, particularly when doing field work in other countries.
Specialization in specific areas of anthropology most often requires a master’s (MA or M.Sc.) or doctoral (PhD) degree in anthropology or a specific subdiscipline. Research and teaching positions at the post-secondary level generally require a doctoral degree. Archaeological field research permitting in Alberta requires an MA or M.Sc. and relevant experience.
Admission to graduate programs (MA, M.Sc., PhD) generally requires successful completion of a 4-year bachelor’s degree program. This is preferably in the honours stream with the completion of an honours thesis or another independent research project.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your search for programs related to this occupation, visit Post-Secondary Programs.
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
Archeological excavations need to be conducted in accordance with the Historical Resources Act and led by an archaeologist who meets the requirements of the Archaeological and Palaeontological Research Permit Regulation (see Employment and Advancement section for more information).
With the above exception, there is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Anthropologists may work for:
Anthropologists with a bachelor’s degree may work in the field or lab on a seasonal contract basis. They may find careers in public, private, or non-governmental organizations in international development.
Those with a master’s degree may teach at community colleges. They may work in government, such as in a heritage department, or for private consulting firms. They may work for individual First Nations, or for non-governmental organizations, such as museums. A PhD is usually required to do independent research in anthropology, or to teach at the university level.
An archaeological research permit from the Government of Alberta is required to carry out archaeological research in Alberta. To qualify, applicants must have at least a master’s degree in archaeology (or anthropology with a focus on archaeology), 24 weeks of supervised training in archaeological surveying and excavation techniques, and 6 weeks of training in curation or laboratory analysis. They also need experience designing and executing a research project equal in scope to that described in the application. Each jurisdiction in Alberta has its own regulations about how to submit artifacts and project reports.
Due to very low employment turnover and a small number of positions, employment and advancement opportunities in these types of positions are limited. Currently, most positions involve short-term contract work rather than long-term positions with a single employer.
There is growing demand for cultural anthropologists in business. Some large companies have recognized the value of employees who understand cultural differences in positioning products and services in different global markets, or doing HR work with employees in international offices.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
In the 4169: Other professional occupations in social science, n.e.c. occupational group, 80.2% of people work in:
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, the 4169: Other professional occupations in social science, n.e.c. occupational group is expected to have a below-average annual growth of 0% from 2019 to 2023. In addition to job openings created by employment turnover, 0 new positions are forecasted to be created within this occupational group each year.
Note
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For example, only some of the new positions to be created will be for this occupation. It also applies to other data for the NOC group such as number of people employed.
Source: 2019-2023 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Salaries for university positions vary with:
As an example, see the University professors and lecturers wage profile.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources [pdf] to supplement this data.
Good Reliability, represents a CV of between 6.01% and 15.00% and/or fewer than 30 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 50% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $21.00 | $42.06 | $32.76 | $33.00 |
| Overall | $23.25 | $55.54 | $44.68 | $43.11 |
| Top | $25.00 | $80.04 | $54.73 | $50.69 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $82,211 |
|---|---|
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $74,555 |
| Public Administration | $105,776 |
Canadian Anthropology Society (CASCA) website: www.cas-sca.ca
Canadian Archaeological Association (CAA) website: www.canadianarchaeology.com
Canadian Association for Biological Anthropology (CABA) website: caba-acab.net
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 17, 2023. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
