Anthropology at Florida Atlantic University

Florida Atlantic's anthropology program produces graduates earning roughly $26,500 annually—well below what you'd need for financial independence in South Florida. With the sample size under 30 graduates, these figures might not be fully representative, but the pattern is worth noting: earnings barely budge over four years, suggesting limited career progression. While the debt load of $23,000 isn't catastrophic compared to national averages, it still represents nearly a full year's salary, which means stretching a tight budget even thinner during repayment.

The program sits squarely in the middle of the pack—40th percentile both nationally and within Florida—but that's cold comfort when peer institutions like UNF and UF place graduates earning $3,000-$6,000 more annually. For context, Florida's median for anthropology graduates is $26,922, so FAU essentially delivers average outcomes for a field that already skews toward lower earnings. If your child is passionate about anthropology, the degree itself won't close doors, but they should have a clear plan for graduate school or a specific career path where the major provides genuine leverage. Otherwise, you're financing training for a $26,000 salary in one of the country's more expensive housing markets—a math problem that doesn't solve itself.