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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Anthropology bachelor's degree at James Madison University

Harrisonburg, VA · Public

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above similar programs.

$14,165 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings
33.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff
Not reached
Modeled 10-year payoff
−42% · Negative payoff
Available price data
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$60,841 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+77%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$30,686 → $54,211
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
17Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
24Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
31Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

52Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
Not reportedFederal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
15Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
39Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
25Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$35,969Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$60,841$24,872 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$23,322

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$20,500

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$60,841

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$217/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

Enter my price →
AVERAGE NET PRICE$23,322Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$31,735Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE71.5%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE79.7%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$30,686Year 1
$60,841Year 4
$54,211Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

4.3% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$5,070
Estimated loan payment$217
31borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$60,841 vs. $46,676

$14,165 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Managers, All Other$166,230 median wageVA estimate · 21,560 jobs · 11-9199$138,670–$195,190 middle 50% of VA wages+4.9% projected U.S. growth · 100,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeAnthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary$94,260 median wageVA estimate · 230 jobs · 25-1061$75,160–$119,530 middle 50% of VA wages+2.6% projected U.S. growth · 400 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeAnthropologists and Archeologists$80,230 median wageVA estimate · 320 jobs · 19-3091$61,300–$103,960 middle 50% of VA wages+6.0% projected U.S. growth · 800 openings/yrTypical entry: Master's degreeMedical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists$93,620 median wageVA estimate · 4,560 jobs · 19-1042$77,120–$134,940 middle 50% of VA wages+12.6% projected U.S. growth · 10,500 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeArea, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary$85,960 median wageVA estimate · 300 jobs · 25-1062$68,000–$106,410 middle 50% of VA wages+2.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,000 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeForensic Science Technicians$68,900 median wageVA estimate · 770 jobs · 19-4092$52,970–$99,330 middle 50% of VA wages+13.3% projected U.S. growth · 2,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
CENSUS EMPLOYMENT DESTINATIONS

Where graduates work five years later

The leading industries employing graduates in this college, broad field and credential group.

01

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

about 27.1%
02

Educational Services

about 13.6%
03

Finance and Insurance

about 8.3%
04

Public Administration

about 8.2%
05

Health Care and Social Assistance

about 6.4%

How to read this: This is an observed industry mix, not a list of job titles or proof that every graduate worked in the field studied. Counts and shares are approximate because Census privacy protections add statistical noise.

Coverage is limited to institutions and states participating in the Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes program. These figures do not affect DegreeVerdict ROI calculations.

Download the official Census source file →
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

Charlottesville, VA

University of Virginia-Main Campus

$6,615 less debt · $1,757 lower annual net price

Earnings
$51,811
Debt
$13,885
Annual net price
$21,565
View outcomes →
Richmond, VA

Virginia Commonwealth University

$6,504 less debt

Earnings
$49,641
Debt
$13,996
Annual net price
$23,433
View outcomes →
St. Louis, MO

Washington University in St Louis

$10,177 higher earnings · $5,500 less debt · $1,536 lower annual net price

Earnings
$71,018
Debt
$15,000
Annual net price
$21,786
View outcomes →
Berkeley, CA

University of California, Berkeley

$3,518 higher earnings · $7,551 less debt · $9,841 lower annual net price

Earnings
$64,359
Debt
$12,949
Annual net price
$13,481
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

24 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

Calculate my payoff →