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Anthropology at California State University-Fullerton

Fullerton, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree
42 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
43
Optimistic
42
Base Case
39
Pessimistic
Earnings $26,794/yr (-5% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (121,600 openings/yr)
ROI 19.3x earnings multiple (7.2x out-of-state)
Ranked #17 of 178 Anthropology programs Top 10%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Anthropology graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $552K $547K $501K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.5x 19.3x 17.7x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.3x 7.2x 6.6x
Probability of Field Employment 44% 41% 30%
DegreeOutlook Score 43 42 39

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$28,292
Out-of-state: $75,812 (7.2x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$22,584
20% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$16,419
7.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$51,703
93% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $26,794/yr, Anthropology graduates from California State University-Fullerton land near the $28,155 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 19.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $16,419 debt-to-$26,794 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

A #17 ranking out of 178 Anthropology programs nationally puts California State University-Fullerton in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.

Earnings growth from $26,794 to $51,703 over five years (93% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About California State University-Fullerton

With 87% of applicants admitted, California State University-Fullerton prioritizes broad access, with 36,956 students enrolled in Fullerton, CA. With 47% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at California State University-Fullerton →

Top Career Paths

Managers, all other $136,550/yr
Medical scientists, except epidemiologists $100,590/yr
Anthropology and archeology teachers, postsecondary $95,770/yr
View all 6 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 178 schools offering Anthropology →

Anthropology at Other Schools

Southern Methodist University ($56,550) Monmouth University ($46,302) Duke University ($43,924) Southern New Hampshire University ($41,986) Fordham University ($40,384) Dartmouth College ($40,071) CUNY Lehman College ($38,879) George Mason University ($37,081)

Compare Anthropology

California State University-Fullerton vs Southern Methodist University → California State University-Fullerton vs Southern New Hampshire University → California State University-Fullerton vs CUNY Lehman College →

Other Majors at California State University-Fullerton

Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing ($103,028) Civil Engineering ($72,606) Mechanical Engineering ($65,252) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($63,468) Computer Science ($57,307) Computer Engineering ($55,093) Information Science/Studies ($49,897) Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods ($49,830)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Anthropology trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does California State University-Fullerton's Anthropology program score?
This program scores 42/100 — on the lower end for Anthropology. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Anthropology to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Anthropology careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →