BA Anthropology is a course that is slowly getting acceptance in our country.
Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures and societies, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of behaviour, while cultural anthropology studies cultural meaning, including norms and values.
After talking to multiple stakeholders, we creates an exhaustive list of all the career options available after pursuing a BA in Anthropology. Here it is:
Tour Guide
A slightly unique or offbeat career option for students of Anthropology is becoming a Tour Guide. But being unique does not mean that the work is not good or that the pay is not that high.
So, what are the responsibilities and work profile of an Tour Guide, you may ask? Worry not, we have the answer.
Tour Guides help visitors by providing information-oriented trips. They do this with groups of tourists or individuals to show them important places. Tours of historical, cultural or regional places of interest can be led by a tour guide. Educating about destinations to tourists, vacationers, and students is a major part of their work.
As you can see, the work is very interesting, especially if you are interested in telling stories. But a word of warning if you are not particularly a ‘storyteller’ guy (or girl), please don’t get into this profession as you would be miserable most of the time. Don’t say that we didn’t warn you!
And of course, how can we not talk about salaries. Starting salaries are roughly in the range of INR 3,50,000 per annum. Mostly employment would be found in cities, so if you are from a rural or semi-urban area, be ready to relocate.
Growth prospects (both monetary and otherwise) are great at the moment (we wouldn’t be recommending this to you otherwise, would we?). So, to stress the original point of this article, becoming a Tour Guide is a great option for BA Anthropology graduates.
Archivist
Another career option that’s been on the rise lately is Archivist. Due to the advancement of humankind into the internet age, archiving old documents and pieces of information has become a necessity for the government. And that’s where you come in.
So, what does an Archivist actually do? Very simple. The collection and management of the historical documents are done by the Archivists. An individual, organization or government agency can hire an Archivist.
For achieving this, Archivists needs to have complete knowledge of various technical skills, along with creative problem-solving skills. There are many courses and books that can hep you learn the different technical skills involved in this profession.
And as for the problem-solving skills, one can only gain them from experience. It is because of this reason that most experienced Archivist recommend beginners to get started as soon as possible. That’s the great thing about archiving; you can practice your skills at home, at an individual level.
Salaries are highly variable in this profession (like most others), but on average, you can expect to earn anywhere around INR 6,50,000 per annum in the beginning of your career.
Cultural Resource Manager
If you’re a BA Anthropology graduate, pursuing the road to becoming a Cultural Resource Manager is a fantastic choice for you. The job description is exciting, and you’ll be challenged to solve new problems every day in a creative manner. Is there anything more satisfying? No, I doubt it.
Managing arts and heritage using cultural resources is the basic work of a Cultural Resource Manager. The person employed as Cultural Resource Manager uses skills of cultural heritage, along with traditional and historical management for managing them.
With time, leadership opportunities become open, and the opportunity for career advancement is enormous. However, bear in mind that this is a desk job, so travel will be a rare aspect of your workday. So, if travel is a top priority or a make-or-break factor for you, this career path may not be the right fit for you.
The pay in this field is good, with freshers being given a good starting salary (approximately INR 7,50,000). The money in this sector is growing slowly but steadily. Not your cup of tea? Continue reading for a few more suggestions to assist you in finding your dream career.
Urban Planner
One more underrated career option for BA Anthropology graduates is becoming an Urban Planner. Think about it, you have studied anthropology for 3 years. Is there anyone else who is more applicable to become a Urban Planner than you? Not if you ask us.
The job of an Urban and Regional Planner is to develop plans and programs to utilize the given land in the best possible manner and provide maximum usability to the maximum number of people.
They help in creating communities, accommodating and adjusting population growth, and revitalizing physical facilities in urban towns, rural settings, cities, countries, and metropolitan areas.
If you are a fresher in this field, you can expect to get a package of anywhere around INR 5,00,000 at your first job. Monetary growth is slow, but quite steady. But keep in mind that Urban Planner is never going to be a profession where you can get huge amounts of money. The money is good enough to maintain a decent lifestyle. Nothing more, nothing less.
The job market is brimming with aspiring Urban Planners, so it might be a little difficult to break in, but if you really loved studying anthropology, then you can be sure that you are going to love being an Urban Planner.
Curator
If you’re undecided about all of the above choices, becoming a Curator could be the best option for you. The demand for this profession has been skyrocketing recently, so now would be an excellent time to enter it. If you’ve recently opened LinkedIn, you’ll notice that it’s flooded with employers looking for curators of various kind.
That’s fine. But what exactly does an Curator do? Here’s the fix.
A Curator collects museum and art exhibits and builds a collection of the antiques. The assembling and managing of cultural collections are done by a curator. Your duties can vary from time to time, but in the end, it all boils down to curating. So, if you think you’d like to do that, becoming a Curator could be the best choice for you.
Problem-solving abilities, which are the bulk of what an employer looks for in this field, can only be learned by experience. As a result, the majority of seasoned curators advise newcomers in this field to get started as soon as possible. That’s one of the best things about Curator – a lot of information about it can be learned online, right from your home.
Salaries in this field (as in most others) are highly variable, but you can expect to earn somewhere between INR 5,50,000-6,00,000 at the start of your career.
So these were some of the highest-paying professions that you can go for after completing a B.A. in Anthropology. Did you like the article and found it informative? Then please share it with fellow anthropology students so that they can make well-informed decisions about their professional life. Subscribe to our newsletter to get a weekly update about the different career options added on the website.