I recently wrote about forensic anthropology, quickly explaining what it’s about and how it works. Now, I’d like to tell you a little about other job-related aspects, such as the salary, the schools and the education.
Forensic anthropology salary
As I said, most forensic anthropologists don’t work the job fulltime, but rather act as consultants whenever they are needed. However, if you were to get a job as one, you could expect anywhere from $37.000 to $70.000 per year, depending on the location, your experience, your degree, etc. The average is somewhere around $55.000/year.
The job is very challenging and depends a lot on the qualities of the individual performing it; thus, if you are really good at it, you will also learn more, earn more and get better job perspectives. If you’re not topping it off, then you can expect things to become stale.
Forensic anthropologist education
Ok, so what do you need in order to become a forensic anthropologist? Well, the answer is not simple. Aside from the graduate degree in anthropology (or human biology), you need to know biology, physology, chemistry, and, in some cases, physics or archaeology.
Now, I can’t stress the importance of your education enough! Forensic anthropology is a relatively narrow field, competition is fierce, so it’s better to specialize on one thing, for example facial reconstruction, or skeletal research, etc. There is not an easier and faster way to become a forensic anthropologist, and actually, it’s recommended you start doing it after your PhD.
Job opportunities
The job opportunities vary. You could work in a lab, and sometimes go on the field. You could work for the state, or an investigation bureau, or a private firm. You could work as a consultant for law companies, or with a forensic medic.
However, in most cases, the first thing you need to do is get a job teaching. This allows you to have a steady income while having much time on your hands to focus on your research, improving yourself, or acting as a consultant. Shortly enough, opportunities will roll.
Be sure to check the articles in the Forensic Anthropology series:
Forensic anthropology explained
Forensic anthropology schools
Forensic anthropology videos
How forensic anthropologists find out information from bones
Forensic Anthropology Jobs: where and job description
