Luther’s anthropology program teaches students to think critically and to use broad-based anthropological knowledge to address real-world problems. Regardless of whether or not they define their life’s work as anthropology, many graduates continue to think of themselves as anthropologists and to use their training both to understand and change the world around them—as graduate students, teachers, church youth directors, personnel administrators, urban planners, museum curators, contract archaeologists, international businesspeople, and more.

The American Anthropological Association’s “Careers in Anthropology” webpage notes that “Today's anthropologists do not just work in exotic locations. Anthropologists can be found in a surprising array of fields and careers...” This broad array includes “corporations, all levels of government, educational institutions and non-profit associations."

Luther anthropology majors reflect this diversity of post-graduate experiences. Our recent graduates have found success in the following fields and associated institutions:

• Cultural Resource Management (Bear Creek Archeology; Bureau of Land Management; Wyoming State Historic Preservation Office)
• Museums (Smithsonian Institute; Chicago History Museum; Science Museum of Minnesota; Rochester Art Center; National Museum of the American Indian)
• Education sector (various school districts; University of Missouri; University of Notre Dame; Augustana College; Capella University; Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey; Universal American School, Kuwait)
• Nonprofits (Umoja Student Development Corporation; Admissions Possible; Intercultural Mutual Assistance Association)
• Libraries (Hennepin County Library; San Diego County Library)
• Health Sector (Centers for Disease Control; Veterans Administration Rural Health Resource Center; University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine)

Luther College aggressively tracks the career paths and outcomes of its graduates, from employment to graduate school to postgraduate service. View the anthropology graduate statistics for more detail.

For more information about jobs relating to anthropology, visit the Career Center.