Anthropology at University of Missouri-Columbia

Mizzou's anthropology program outperforms most of its national peers, placing graduates in the 77th percentile for first-year earnings—above even the national 75th percentile benchmark. The $31,926 starting salary beats both the national median ($27,806) and Missouri's state median ($29,604), though it trails Washington University's $34,489. More importantly, graduates leave with just $17,600 in debt compared to $23,000 nationally, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.55 that suggests students can realistically handle their loan payments.

The significant caveat here is sample size—with fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, these numbers could shift considerably year to year. A few high earners or a couple graduates pursuing additional education could skew the picture. That said, the combination of relatively low debt and above-average earnings suggests reasonable value, particularly for Missouri residents paying in-state tuition at a flagship public university.

If your child is genuinely passionate about anthropology and understands its career limitations, this program won't saddle them with crushing debt while they figure out their next steps. Just recognize you're making this decision with limited data points, and encourage them to pursue internships and build marketable skills alongside their degree.