Anthropology at Southern Methodist University

SMU's anthropology graduates earn more than double what most anthropology majors make nationally—$56,550 versus a national median of just $27,806. This puts the program at the 95th percentile both nationally and within Texas, where even UT Austin's anthropology program ($31,369) produces significantly lower earnings. That kind of outcome gap is unusual and likely reflects SMU's location in Dallas, its career services, and a student body well-connected to professional opportunities beyond traditional academic anthropology paths.

The debt load of $23,125 sits right at the national median for anthropology programs, yielding a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.41—meaning graduates can theoretically pay off loans in about five months of their first-year salary. That's a comfortable position compared to many humanities degrees. However, these impressive numbers come from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes could vary considerably. A small anthropology cohort at a business-oriented university may attract students pursuing consulting, market research, or corporate roles rather than traditional fieldwork.

For families considering this program, the data suggests SMU anthropology majors successfully leverage the degree into well-paying careers—possibly by combining liberal arts training with Dallas's strong job market. Just understand you're looking at outcomes from a very select group, not a large, stable dataset.