Program Analysis
First-year earnings of $34,862 at Portland State University come in 24% above the national median of $28,155 for Anthropology programs.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 10.6x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Anthropology programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Anthropology's typical career paths, with 47% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 5% gap from the optimistic case.
Median debt of $17,937 represents roughly 6 months of the $34,862 starting salary — a manageable burden by most borrower standards.
At #43 of 178 nationally, this is a top-5% Anthropology program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $34,862 to $43,474 over five years — a 25% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.