List of All U.S. Colleges with an Archeology Major

Maybe you’ve always been fascinated by ancient civilizations. Maybe you’re a history buff who prefers a hands-on approach to learning about the past. Or maybe you’ve just been obsessed with Indiana Jones since you first saw Raiders of the Lost Ark in grade school. Whatever the case is, if you’re fascinated by ancient history and the study of past civilizations, archeology may be a great field for you.

Many schools across the country offer an archeology major for undergrad students, and while these programs can be competitive, with the right preparation and approach, you can ensure that you submit your best possible application for getting a spot in one of them. If you’re interested in learning more about majoring in archeology and which schools offer it as a major, keep reading.

Why Major in Archeology?

Archeology is the study of the past through material items. Essentially, archeologists study human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts and physical remains around the world. Work is often hands-on with lots of opportunities for field work and/or studying abroad. Many students think of archeology as an exciting field due to the travel and lifestyle it can afford.

That being said, not all undergraduates who major in archeology become archeologists. An archeology degree can also be used to secure a job as an anthropologist, heritage manager, museum educator or exhibitions officer, museum curator, archivist, cartographer, or even a tourism officer.

Archeology is also sometimes taken as part of a dual major. For students who want to go on to graduate school or get a job in the field immediately, completing a dual major in archeology paired with anthropology, history of art, classics, or history is a good choice.

Although earning potential for archeologists is generally not huge, it is an attractive career for many people due to the lifestyle it affords. According to Payscale, the average archeologist with an undergrad degree makes around $55k annually. That being said, many aspiring archeologists are eager to prioritize travel, adventure, and discovery over raw earning potential. If this sounds like you, you’ll want to check out our list of schools with an archeology major below.

How to Increase Your Chances of Getting In

College admissions are becoming increasingly competitive, so it’s a good idea to plan your approach to college applications well in advance if you hope to get into the archeology program of your dreams. You can start with a few simple steps in high school:

• Take History and Language Classes Seriously. These two fields will be the ones that become most helpful in higher studies of archeology. In fact, if you’re able to take a few APs in these areas, you might be able to place out of lower level prerequisites when you begin your degree program.

• Find an Extracurricular that Reinforces Your Interests. Choose at least one extracurricular that helps to expand your worldview. This could be a foreign language, an art history club, or anything else directly related to the social sciences.

• Consider Getting Some Extra Help from the Pros. Optimizing your applicant profile is extremely important. It ensures that you are putting your best foot forward and drawing attention to the specific elements of your application that are most likely to get you into the college you want to attend. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to know exactly what you should be highlighting and how to do it in a cohesive way. 

Keep in mind that no matter how much planning you do, nothing will get you into college if you don’t choose a school that’s a great fit for you. Look at admissions statistics, learn more about the programs available, and contact a trusted mentor or guidance counselor to help narrow down your college list.

What Colleges Have an Archeology Major?

Andrews University

Ball State University | BSU

Biola University

Boston University | BU

Bridgewater State University

Brown University

Bryn Mawr College

California University of Pennsylvania | Cal U

Carthage College

College of Charleston

College of Wooster

Columbia University

Cornell University

Dartmouth College

Dickinson College

Eastern New Mexico University | ENMU

George Washington University | GW

Grand Valley State University | GVSU

Hamilton College

Hood College

Johns Hopkins University | JHU

La Sierra University | LSU

Loyola Marymount University | LMU

Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MIT

Mercyhurst University

Millersville University of Pennsylvania | MU

Minnesota State University Moorhead | MSUM

Murray State University | MSU

Northwestern University

Oklahoma Baptist University | OBU

Pennsylvania State University | PSU

Princeton University

Rollins College

Rutgers University–New Brunswick | Rutgers

Saint Mary’s College of California | St. Mary’s

Salem State University

Southern Adventist University

State University of New York at Cortland | SUNY Cortland

State University of New York at Potsdam | SUNY Potsdam

Stephen F. Austin State University | SFA

Tufts University

University of California, Berkeley | UC Berkeley

University of California, San Diego | UCSD

University of Cincinnati

University of Evansville

University of Georgia

University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland

University of Massachusetts Amherst | UMass Amherst

University of Massachusetts Boston | UMass Boston

University of Michigan

University of Montana

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | UNC

University of North Carolina at Greensboro | UNC Greensboro

University of Southern California | USC

University of Virginia | UVA

University of Wisconsin–La Crosse | UW–La Crosse

Washington University in St. Louis | WashU

Wesleyan University

Wheaton College (Illinois)

Willamette University

Yale University

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!