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# Top Anthropology Programs in California by Earnings (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

This page ranks the 26 Anthropology programs in California by the median earnings of Anthropology graduates four years after completing. [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) leads with $64,359, followed by [Sonoma State University](/school/sonoma-state-university/majors/) at $62,674 and [San Francisco State University](/school/san-francisco-state-university/majors/) at $61,300.

Across the listed schools, median earnings range from $64,359 to $25,194, with a median of $49,518.

Every program on the list belongs to a public institution. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

California State University-Los Angeles posts the lowest average net price at $3,967, and California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt reports the highest admission rate at 98%.

## The ranked list

26 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $64,359 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
|  | [University of California-Berkeley](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/majors/) reports [$64,359 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-berkeley/outcomes/) of Anthropology graduates four years after completing and ranks 4th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 2 | Sonoma State University · Rohnert Park, CA | $62,674 | $12,885 | $8,310 | 93.4% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [Sonoma State University](/school/sonoma-state-university/majors/) left with a [median of $16,705](/school/sonoma-state-university/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Anthropology graduates earn $62,674 four years after completing. |
| 3 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $61,300 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
|  | [San Francisco State University](/school/san-francisco-state-university/majors/) [admits 96% of applicants](/school/san-francisco-state-university/admissions/) and its Anthropology graduates earn $61,300 four years after completing. |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $56,982 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
|  | [University of California-San Diego](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/) [ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/university-of-california-san-diego/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $56,982 in median earnings of Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $56,836 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
|  | With an [average net price of $14,741,](/school/university-of-california-davis/cost/) [University of California-Davis](/school/university-of-california-davis/majors/) reports $56,836 in median earnings for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 6 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $56,238 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
|  | [University of California-Santa Barbara](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/majors/) reports [$56,238 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-santa-barbara/outcomes/) of Anthropology graduates four years after completing and carries an average net price of $16,109. |
| 7 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $54,905 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
|  | An [admission rate of 9%](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/admissions/) at [University of California-Los Angeles](/school/university-of-california-los-angeles/majors/) coincides with $54,905 in median earnings for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 8 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $54,092 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [California State University-Fullerton](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/majors/) left with a [median of $13,750](/school/california-state-university-fullerton/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school reports $54,092 in median earnings of Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $53,991 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
|  | [San Diego State University](/school/san-diego-state-university/majors/) reports [$53,991 in median earnings](/school/san-diego-state-university/outcomes/) of Anthropology graduates four years after completing and ranks 36th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 10 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $52,315 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
|  | With an [average net price of $17,890,](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/cost/) [University of California-Santa Cruz](/school/university-of-california-santa-cruz/majors/) reports $52,315 in median earnings for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 11 | California State University-Channel Islands · Camarillo, CA | $51,951 | $9,849 | $6,857 | 94.8% |
|  | [California State University-Channel Islands](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/majors/) [admits 95% of applicants](/school/california-state-university-channel-islands/admissions/) and its Anthropology graduates earn $51,951 four years after completing. |
| 12 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $50,850 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
|  | [University of California-Irvine](/school/university-of-california-irvine/majors/) reports [$50,850 in median earnings](/school/university-of-california-irvine/outcomes/) of Anthropology graduates four years after completing and carries an average net price of $14,251. |
| 13 | California State University-San Marcos · San Marcos, CA | $49,848 | $10,229 | $6,230 | 95.1% |
|  | [California State University-San Marcos](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/majors/) reports [median earnings of $49,848](/school/california-state-university-san-marcos/outcomes/) for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,229. |
| 14 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $49,187 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [California State University-Fresno](/school/california-state-university-fresno/majors/) left with a [median of $14,505](/school/california-state-university-fresno/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Anthropology graduates earn a median of $49,187 four years after completing. |
| 15 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $48,367 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
|  | [California State University-Sacramento](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/majors/) [ranks 10th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-university-sacramento/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts a median of $48,367 for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 16 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $47,166 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
|  | With an [admission rate of 46%](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/admissions/), [California State University-Long Beach](/school/california-state-university-long-beach/majors/) reports median earnings of $47,166 for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | California State University-Stanislaus · Turlock, CA | $46,321 | $6,067 | $3,938 | 98.1% |
|  | [California State University-Stanislaus](/school/california-state-university-stanislaus/majors/) carries an [average net price of $6,067](/school/california-state-university-stanislaus/cost/) and reports median earnings of $46,321 for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 18 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $45,821 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
|  | [University of California-Riverside](/school/university-of-california-riverside/majors/) reports [median earnings of $45,821](/school/university-of-california-riverside/outcomes/) for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 110 graduates in the earnings data. |
| 19 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $43,192 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
|  | [California State University-Northridge](/school/california-state-university-northridge/majors/) [ranks 7th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-university-northridge/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Anthropology graduates earn a median of $43,192 four years after completing. |
| 20 | California State University-Chico · Chico, CA | $43,153 | $14,480 | $9,902 | 92.7% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [California State University-Chico](/school/california-state-university-chico/majors/) left with a [median of $16,552](/school/california-state-university-chico/outcomes/) in federal loans, while the school's Anthropology graduates earn a median of $43,153 four years after completing. |
| 21 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $41,464 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/majors/) [admits 98% of applicants](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-humboldt/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $41,464 for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing. |
| 22 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $40,417 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
|  | An [average net price of $4,564](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/cost/) coincides with median earnings of $40,417 for Anthropology graduates of [California State University-San Bernardino](/school/california-state-university-san-bernardino/majors/) four years after completing. |
| 23 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $37,443 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
|  | [California State Polytechnic University-Pomona](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/majors/) [ranks 15th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/california-state-polytechnic-university-pomona/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Anthropology graduates earn a median of $37,443 four years after completing. |
| 24 | California State University-Dominguez Hills · Carson, CA | $33,281 | $8,615 | $7,303 | 93.3% |
|  | Reporting [median earnings of $33,281](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/outcomes/) for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing, [California State University-Dominguez Hills](/school/california-state-university-dominguez-hills/majors/) carries an average net price of $8,615. |
| 25 | University of California-Merced · Merced, CA | $26,353 | $11,983 | $7,945 | 90.5% |
|  | [University of California-Merced](/school/university-of-california-merced/majors/) reports [median earnings of $26,353](/school/university-of-california-merced/outcomes/) for its Anthropology graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 17. |
| 26 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $25,194 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
|  | With an [average net price of $3,967,](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/cost/) [California State University-Los Angeles](/school/california-state-university-los-angeles/majors/) admits 91% of applicants and ranks 3rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Anthropology graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in California appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after they finished the program. For 3 of the 26 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost of attendance, or the characteristics of the students who enroll, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between first and second is $1,685, with University of California-Berkeley at $64,359 and Sonoma State University at $62,674.

## Related rankings

-   [Best Anthropology Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-anthropology-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in California](/rankings/best-colleges-in-california/)
-   Anthropology Programs in Colorado
-   Anthropology Programs in Florida
-   Anthropology Programs in Georgia
-   Anthropology Programs in Illinois