Anthropologists and Archeologists Salary
The median pay for a anthropologists and archeologists in St. Louis, MO-IL is $72,740/year ($34.97/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $108K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.09), that's roughly $76,496 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,218/month, or 25.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $73K get you in St. Louis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by St. Louis’s Regional Price Parity (95.09). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About anthropologists and archeologists
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What this looks like in St. Louis
Anthropologists and archeologists pay in St. Louis tracks closely to the national median, $73K locally vs. $71K nationwide, a 3% difference. Rent runs $1,218/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.09) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for anthropologists and archeologists in metros near St. Louis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $60K | $57K |
| Knoxville | $61K | $66K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $61K | $63K |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $60K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, St. Louis, MO-IL
Entry-level anthropologists and archeologists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $73K. Top earners bring in $108K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Anthropologists and Archeologists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Anthropologists and Archeologists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $121K | +71% | 80 |
| Nebraska | $95K | +34% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $91K | +29% | N/A |
| Alaska | $90K | +27% | 130 |
| Idaho | $89K | +25% | 170 |
| Oregon | $85K | +20% | 240 |
| Hawaii | $85K | +19% | 210 |
| Virginia | $80K | +13% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $80K | +13% | 130 |
| Montana | $79K | +12% | 80 |
| Wyoming | $76K | +8% | 80 |
| Alabama | $76K | +7% | 170 |
| Washington | $75K | +6% | 260 |
| Utah | $74K | +4% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $73K | +3% | 200 |
| California | $72K | +2% | 2,060 |
| Kentucky | $72K | +2% | 70 |
| Oklahoma | $72K | +1% | 90 |
| Colorado | $69K | -3% | 250 |
| New Mexico | $68K | -4% | 230 |
| Texas | $68K | -4% | 430 |
| Iowa | $67K | -5% | 40 |
| New York | $67K | -5% | 120 |
| Missouri | $67K | -5% | 80 |
| New Jersey | $66K | -6% | 140 |
| Minnesota | $66K | -7% | 140 |
| Arizona | $65K | -8% | 500 |
| Michigan | $65K | -9% | N/A |
| Nevada | $64K | -9% | 230 |
| North Dakota | $64K | -10% | N/A |
| Indiana | $64K | -10% | 70 |
| South Dakota | $63K | -11% | 40 |
| Wisconsin | $63K | -11% | 40 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -11% | 50 |
| Arkansas | $62K | -12% | 60 |
| New Hampshire | $61K | -14% | 40 |
| Tennessee | $60K | -15% | 160 |
| Illinois | $60K | -16% | 140 |
| Florida | $59K | -16% | 620 |
| Ohio | $59K | -16% | 70 |
| Georgia | $59K | -17% | 150 |
| West Virginia | $54K | -23% | 50 |
| Maryland | $54K | -23% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $48K | -33% | 110 |
| Kansas | $42K | -41% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track anthropologists and archeologists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when St. Louis numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a anthropologists and archeologist afford a 2BR apartment alone in St. Louis?
Yes — at the median salary of $73K, rent takes 25.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,218/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for anthropologists and archeologists in St. Louis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new anthropologists and archeologists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,019/month. At HUD’s $1,218/month FMR, rent would take 40% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is anthropologists and archeologist a high-paying job in St. Louis?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $73K locally vs. $71K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does St. Louis compare to the national average for anthropologists and archeologists?
St. Louis pays $73K median vs. the U.S. average of $71K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do anthropologists and archeologists make in St. Louis, MO-IL?
The median is $72,740 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,320, and experienced anthropologists and archeologists can clear $108,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $73K enough to live in St. Louis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,740/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,218/month, which eats 25.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a anthropologists and archeologists salary go in St. Louis?
St. Louis has a Regional Price Parity of 95.09 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median anthropologists and archeologists salary is worth about $76,496 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do anthropologists and archeologists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.