Forensic Anthropologist Career

Forensic anthropology is a specialty branch of anthropology that involves using anthropological knowledge to help the law. Most typically, a forensic anthropologist will be called into a law enforcement agency when skeletal remains are found in order to help identify the victim. Forensic anthropologists are educated in the study of bones and from the remains of a body can identify age, sex, height, and health status of the individual bones.

Educational Requirements for Forensic Anthropologist In order to become a forensic anthropologist, it’s necessary to have a master’s degree or Ph.D. in forensic anthropology. A person interested in this career should study a broad form of anthropology as an undergraduate. Some classes to consider in your undergraduate courses include chemistry, biology, criminology, physics, biochemistry, statistics, electron microscopy, and computer forensics. Top forensic anthropologists have an expert grasp on osteology; understanding bones and their characteristics is a large part of the job. The American Board of Forensic Anthropologists offers certification that requires candidates to pass an examination that covers practice and theory.

Career Choices as a Forensic Anthropologist

There are three main choices for careers as a forensic anthropologist. The first is working as a faculty member at a university or as a museum curator. The second is working for the armed services, which hires forensic anthropologists to work at their centers in Washington, D.C. and Hawaii. The final choice of career as a forensic anthropologist is working for a state, federal, or local crime lab as a staff member, who happens to have a forensic anthropology background. These jobs are all very difficult to obtain, as there are oftentimes more candidates for the positions than there are open positions.

Hints and Tips for Obtaining Jobs in Forensic Anthropology

Most individuals interested in forensic anthropologist jobs take the route of working in a local, state, or federal crime lab as a basic lab tech. The main reason for this is that the job opportunities are more plentiful within this area of the forensic science industry. Another way to gain information about jobs in the forensic anthropology field is to join a local anthropology group. This is a way to meet individuals working in the area. Joining a local anthropology group also offers a wonderful way to network skills when seeking out a job within the industry.

Career Outlook

The career outlook for a person wishing to become a forensic anthropologist is not great. In order to be hired in the industry, it’s necessary to have a Ph.D. in the field. The reason for the lack of jobs is simple: There just are not enough cases to keep a forensic anthropologist busy, even in large cities like New York and Los Angeles. Another reason there are not many jobs available is that many students who are studying forensic anthropology will work on cases for free in order to gain experience.

If you’re considering a career as a forensic anthropologist, it’s important to understand that getting a job in the industry may be difficult. In addition, most jobs will require a Ph.D., which means attending school for a long time. One of the best ways to work in the forensic anthropology field is to take a job as a lab technician with a law enforcement agency.

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Forensic Anthropologist Salary

Forensic Anthropologist Starting Salary

Becoming a forensic anthropologist will require an extensive education in the field of anthropology. The first step will be to obtain a bachelor’s degree in anthropology. After completing a bachelor’s degree, many students choose to go on and get their masters degree, as forensic anthropology jobs are not widely available for those individuals with strictly a bachelor’s degree. The average pay for someone working in forensic anthropology with only a bachelor’s degree will be on the low end of the pay scale, averaging around $35,000 per year. However, working as a professor’s assistant offers a way for individuals to earn a bit of money while studying for their master’s.

How Much Money Can I Make?

Work in forensic anthropology will be either in the world of academia, as a consultant for a police or other government office, or as a lab technician. Careers in forensic anthropology can be very rewarding, but the pay scale for these jobs varies. The average salary for these jobs can be anywhere from $35,000 to $50,000 when starting out, but those entering the world of academia can expect much higher salaries. Most professors with doctorate degrees in forensic anthropology will earn starting salaries of around $50,000 and can earn upwards of $100,000.

Types of Jobs: Lab Technicians

The work of a forensic anthropologist is somewhat limited because many people interested in the field will have a heavy background in the sciences and apply for jobs as lab technicians. Working as a lab technician is a way to gain experience in the field of forensics and at the same time use your knowledge of anthropology to help solve cases. The other possibility is to work as a consultant for your local law enforcement agency. The average salary of a lab technician is around $35,380, depending on the type of facility you work in. Many lab technicians will work full time doing research and work as consultants on the side.

Types of Jobs: Professors

One of the other popular routes individuals choose is becoming a professor of anthropology at a university.
In order to qualify for this type of position you will need to have your Ph.D. and experience in the field. One of the benefits of working for a university is the possibility of obtaining grants for research in the field. This is one of the best ways to fund your special area of interest. Publishing your research in scientific journals can boost your career within the world of academia. Jobs as professors pay very well, with full time professors at major universities averaging over $90,000 per year.

Overall, the expected salary of a forensic anthropologist will depend directly on the amount of education received and the area chosen to work. Working in an academic setting has the potential for high earnings, but these positions are fiercely competitive. Working as a professor’s assistant is the best way to get your foot in the door. Starting out working in a laboratory for a law enforcement agency offers another way to gain experience in the industry.


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Forensic Anthropologists Definition

Forensic anthropologists are experts in analyzing human remains and for this reason are integral to a number of different types of forensic investigations. Oftentimes, forensic anthropologists are called on after mass disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis in order to assist in identifying human remains. They are also used at crime scenes to help recover evidence.

What Does a Forensic Anthropologist Do?

Forensic anthropologists are educated in osteology, or the study of bones. Using this knowledge, a forensic anthropologist can look at human remains and determine how the person died; whether it was suicide, homicide, accidental, or from natural causes. Using human bones the forensic anthropologist can determine the age of the individuals, the sex, the height, the type of occupation they worked in and the overall health status at the time of death. This information can lead crime scene investigators to their identities is as well as how they died.

Educational Requirements

Forensic anthropology is a specialization within the anthropology field. The first step in becoming a forensic anthropologist is to earn a bachelor’s degree in anthropology. Undergraduates focus on taking classes in a wide variety of areas such as archaeology, cultural and physical anthropology, and science classes such as genetics, anatomy, and chemistry. Mastering osteology, ethnobotany, and dentition is important for someone who wishes to be successful in this career. A master’s degree or Ph.D. in forensic anthropology is necessary to find a job within the field.

Places that Employ Forensic Anthropologists

There are two main categories of forensic anthropologists, academic and applied. Those employed in the academic world work in colleges and universities teaching classes and performing individual research projects. The number of projects a forensic anthropologist works on in the academic area will depend on the university he/she works for. Forensic anthropologists working in the applied field may work with a law enforcement agency, a coroner’s office, or directly with medical examiners. Applied forensic anthropology involves visiting crime scenes and working directly with bodies to gather information about how the individual died.

Job Outlook and Salary

The job outlook for forensic anthropologists is not great since most of the positions for this type of work are within universities or as consultants for cases involving unknown identity. Consultant work can consist of working in a medical examiner’s office, with local, state, or federal law enforcement agencies, or on human rights cases. The number of people specialized in this field is not large, which means getting a job may prove difficult. The average salary is around $54,000 per year with salaries of up to $75,000 per year for individuals with more than five years of experience.

Forensic anthropology is the study of human remains for scientific evidence. Using just bones, a forensic anthropologist can determine information about the deceased individual, which may aid in criminal investigations. During times of disasters, forensic anthropologist can help uncover and identify the bones of missing people.


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