Archaeologist
Uncover and interpret physical remains of past human civilizations
About the profession
Archaeologists excavate and analyze material remains of past human societies to reconstruct history. They work on excavation sites, in laboratories, and in museums interpreting artifacts, structures, and landscapes. While academic archaeology can be competitive and lower-paying, cultural resource management (CRM) offers steadier employment with infrastructure development driving compliance archaeology demand.
How to Get Started
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Career Match Test →Explore the Career Path section to see progression from junior to senior
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Jump to Learning Path →Personality Fit
Based on the Archaeologist role, here are the RIASEC personality types that tend to thrive in this career. While these alignments are common, individual success depends on motivation, skill development, and finding the right work environment.
Investigative
Research, analysis, problem-solving
Realistic
Hands-on, practical, technical work
Conventional
Organizing, detail-oriented, structured
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Career Path
Your career progression roadmap with salary growth at each level
Career Ladder
Field Archaeologist → Archaeologist → Senior Archaeologist → Principal Archaeologist → Director of Archaeology
Where are you on this career path?
Click a level below to set your current position
Salary Growth
5
Levels
$120K
Top Salary
18+
Years
Learning Path
Skills you need to develop and courses to get there
🚀
Set your current level first
Go to the Career Path tab and select your current level to see your personalized learning plan.
Go to Career PathCareer levels
Timeline: 0-3 years | Entry Base: $38,000 - $46,000/year Timeline: 3-7 years | Growing Base: $46,000 - $58,000/year Timeline: 7-12 years | Expert Base: $58,000 - $72,000/year…
Skills used in this career
Click any skill to see how to learn it and what salary boost it gives
Learning Path 0 → Junior
Step-by-step plan from zero to first job
Earn BA/BS in Archaeology or Anthropology; MA/PhD for advancement Attend field school for excavation training Gain CRM fieldwork experience Pursue MA or PhD in archaeology for…
Market 2026–2030
Trends, AI impact, prospects
Growth Rate: Below average through 2030 Remote Trend: Stable, fieldwork essential; analysis and writing partially remote Top Industries: CRM firms, universities, museums,…
💰 Pay for Anthropologists and Archeologists
BLS OEWS, May 2023The federal survey does not count this job title on its own — it is counted under Anthropologists and Archeologists (19-3091).
Half of U.S. workers in this occupation earn more than this, half earn less.
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Create Free AccountPersonality types that fit this career
Based on career-match data from our Result Library:
The % is JobCannon’s editorial fit rating (0-100) for how well a result suits this career — not a statistical prediction. How we rate each test’s validity →
🎯 Is Archaeologist right for you?
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Related Reading
Related Holland / RIASEC Types