Anthropology at Eckerd College

The $20,191 starting salary for Eckerd's anthropology graduates—a full $6,700 below the Florida median for the same degree—signals genuine trouble, even accounting for the small sample size that should temper our certainty. To put this in perspective: University of Florida anthropology graduates earn 44% more right out of college, and even Florida's median anthropology program beats Eckerd by one-third. This places Eckerd in just the 5th percentile nationally among anthropology programs, meaning 95 out of 100 programs produce better initial outcomes.

The $26,500 debt load compounds the problem. While the debt itself sits near national averages, pairing it with below-poverty-line earnings creates a ratio that makes loan repayment genuinely difficult in those crucial first years. Your child would be earning roughly $1,680 per month before taxes—barely enough to cover basic living expenses in Saint Petersburg, let alone begin tackling student loans.

Here's what matters: even if we dismiss these numbers as potentially skewed by a small graduating class, there's no signal here that Eckerd adds value in anthropology specifically. If your child is certain about this field, the University of North Florida and University of Florida both offer stronger employment outcomes at lower debt levels. This particular program needs to demonstrate it can consistently place graduates in better positions before it merits the investment.