Best institutions to study Physical and Biological Anthropology
A program that focuses on the application of the biological sciences and anthropology to the study of the adaptations, variability, and the evolution of human beings and their living and fossil relatives.
10 U.S. institutions graduated 55 Physical and Biological Anthropology students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 45.0202, a specialization of Anthropology (CIP 45.02), and leads most directly to the Anthropologists and Archeologists occupation (BLS SOC 19-3091).
About Physical and Biological Anthropology programs
A program that focuses on the application of the biological sciences and anthropology to the study of the adaptations, variability, and the evolution of human beings and their living and fossil relatives. Includes instructions in anthropology, human and mammalian anatomy, cell biology, paleontology, human culture and behavior, neuroscience, forensic anthropology, anatomical reconstruction, comparative anatomy, and laboratory science and methods.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Physical and Biological Anthropology program, a branch of Anthropology, focuses on the intersection of biological sciences and anthropology to explore human evolution, adaptations, and variability. This program is ideal for students interested in understanding the biological aspects of human beings and their relationships with both living and fossil relatives.
Students in this program will gain knowledge in human and mammalian anatomy, cell biology, paleontology, and forensic anthropology, among other areas. Core skills include critical thinking, active listening, and effective communication, which are essential for conducting research and presenting findings.
Credentials awarded
What Physical and Biological Anthropology graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Bachelor's degree20 graduates / yr · 3 institutions36%
- Master's degree12 graduates / yr · 2 institutions22%
- Doctor's degree - research/scholarship10 graduates / yr · 2 institutions18%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate8 graduates / yr · 2 institutions15%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year5 graduates / yr · 3 institutions9.1%
Graduates over time
Physical and Biological Anthropology completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 74 |
| 2013 | 37 |
| 2014 | 45 |
| 2015 | 45 |
| 2016 | 45 |
| 2017 | 56 |
| 2018 | 63 |
| 2019 | 43 |
| 2020 | 43 |
| 2021 | 47 |
| 2022 | 52 |
| 2023 | 60 |
| 2024 | 41 |
| 2025 | 55 |
Top 10 institutions for Physical and Biological Anthropology, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Field earnings* (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Washington University Washington, DCPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 11 | 84% | $29,789 | $22,614 |
| 2 | Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OHPublicBachelor'sAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 9 | 88% | — | $28,172 |
| 3 | Mercyhurst University Erie, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 9 | 60% | $25,987 | — |
| 4 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NEPublicPost-degree cert. | 7 | 67% | — | — |
| 5 | Harvard University Cambridge, MAPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral | 6 | 98% | $15,013 | — |
| 6 | New York University New York, NYPrivate not-for-profitMaster's | 4 | 88% | $29,023 | — |
| 7 | Kent State University at Kent Kent, OHPublicDoctoral | 4 | 64% | — | $24,434 |
| 8 | Boston University Boston, MAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 3 | 89% | $21,956 | $26,934 |
| 9 | University of Kentucky Lexington, KYPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 71% | — | $25,668 |
| 10 | University of Wisconsin - Parkside Kenosha, WIPublicAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 1 | 40% | — | — |
* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Anthropology field (CIP 45.02) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.
Offered in 8 states
Where Physical and Biological Anthropology graduates come from. Each state links to all Anthropology programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | 2 | 13 | Ohio State University - Main Campus9 / yr |
| District of Columbia | 1 | 11 | George Washington University11 / yr |
| Massachusetts | 2 | 9 | Harvard University6 / yr |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 9 | Mercyhurst University9 / yr |
| Nebraska | 1 | 7 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln7 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 4 | New York University4 / yr |
| Kentucky | 1 | 1 | University of Kentucky1 / yr |
| Wisconsin | 1 | 1 | University of Wisconsin - Parkside1 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 19-3091, Anthropologists and Archeologists, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Physical and Biological Anthropology program often pursue careers as anthropologists and archaeologists, with a median wage of $64,910. The job outlook in this field is projected to grow by 3.7%, with approximately 800 annual openings, typically requiring a master's degree for advancement.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 45.0202
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Anthropologists and Archeologistsprimary SOC 19-3091 | $70,770 | +3.7% About as fast as average | ~800 | Master's degree |
Managers, All Other SOC 11-9199 | $141,900 | +4.5% About as fast as average | ~106,700 | Bachelor's degree |
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary SOC 25-1061 | $99,650 | +2.7% About as fast as average | ~500 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Related careers
Skills & knowledge in Physical and Biological Anthropology programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
Abilities that matter most
Day-to-day work activities
What graduates do on the job
- Collect information and make judgments through observation, interviews, and review of documents.
- Teach or mentor undergraduate and graduate students in anthropology or archeology.
- Write about and present research findings for a variety of specialized and general audiences.
- Plan and direct research to characterize and compare the economic, demographic, health care, social, political, linguistic, and religious institutions of distinct cultural groups, communities, and organizations.
- Create data records for use in describing and analyzing social patterns and processes, using photography, videography, and audio recordings.
- Train others in the application of ethnographic research methods to solve problems in organizational effectiveness, communications, technology development, policy making, and program planning.
Tools and technology used
Other Anthropology specializations
The 5 other 6-digit CIP codes under Anthropology (CIP 45.02).
- AnthropologyCIP 45.02019,337 graduates / yr527 institutions
- Medical AnthropologyCIP 45.0203301 graduates / yr14 institutions
- AnthropologyCIP 45.0299134 graduates / yr20 institutions
- Forensic AnthropologyCIP 45.0205partial data81 graduates / yr7 institutions
- Cultural AnthropologyCIP 45.020456 graduates / yr12 institutions
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctor's degree, as well as a Postbaccalaureate certificate.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in writing, critical thinking, and active learning, among others.
What careers can I pursue with this degree?+
You can work as an anthropologist, manager, or postsecondary teacher in anthropology or archaeology.
What is the job outlook for this field?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with a projected growth of 3.7%.
What is the CIP code for Physical and Biological Anthropology?+
Physical and Biological Anthropology is CIP 45.0202 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Anthropology (CIP 45.02). NCES defines it as: A program that focuses on the application of the biological sciences and anthropology to the study of the adaptations, variability, and the evolution of human beings and their living and fossil relatives. Includes instructions in anthropology, human and mammalian anatomy, cell biology, paleontology, human culture and behavior, neuroscience, forensic anthropology, anatomical reconstruction, comparative anatomy, and laboratory science and methods.
How many institutions offer Physical and Biological Anthropology programs?+
10 U.S. institutions reported Physical and Biological Anthropology graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 8 states, awarding 55 credentials in the year. That is 0.6% of all Anthropology graduates.
How much do Physical and Biological Anthropology graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Anthropologists and Archeologists occupation, which Physical and Biological Anthropology most directly leads to, pays a median of $70,770 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Anthropology field report median earnings of $25,668 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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