How much debt do University at Buffalo anthropology graduates have?

The median federal loan balance is $24,500, which ranks 13th lowest of 13 anthropology bachelor's programs in New York. That works out to about $260 a month over 10 years.

Is a anthropology degree from University at Buffalo worth it?

It depends on your other options. Debt equals 83% of first-year earnings, against a national median of 81%. Compare the cost with other New York programs before deciding.

University at Buffalo Anthropology (Bachelor's): Tuition, Graduate Salary, and Debt

Q: Do University at Buffalo anthropology graduates stay in New York?

Most do. 96% (25 of 26) were working in New York one year after graduating.

Bachelor's in Anthropology
Public university
Buffalo, NY
About 19 graduates a year

College Scorecard June 2026 release · BLS wages May 2025

The short answer

University at Buffalo anthropology graduates earn about what anthropology graduates earn nationally, $29,460 in their first year. The typical graduate leaves with $24,500 in federal loans, close to the national median of $22,962. Several New York programs report higher pay.

First-year earnings$29,46063rd percentile of 166 programs nationally

Median federal debt$24,50013th lowest of 13 New York programs

Debt-to-earnings83%New York median 78%, national 81%

How it compares

Each figure is the median for graduates of the program. The New York and national columns are the medians across all anthropology bachelor's programs that report the figure.

	University at Buffalo	New York	National
Earnings, 1 year after graduating	$29,460	$26,449	$27,790
Median federal debt at graduation	$24,500	$21,875	$22,962
Debt as share of first-year pay	83%	78%	81%
Programs compared		14	166

Debt and first-year pay at every New York anthropology program

Programs in the upper left give graduates higher pay for less debt. Dashed lines mark the New York medians.

University at BuffaloOther New York programs

Hover over or tap a dot to see the school. Only programs that report both earnings and debt are shown.

Paying back the loans

On a standard 10-year plan, the median debt means a payment of about $260 a month, or 10.6% of a graduate's typical monthly pay in the first year.

Where graduates work, and what the pay is worth

96% of graduates (25 of 26) were working in New York one year after graduating. Prices in the Buffalo area are about 4% below the national average, so a $29,460 salary here buys what about $30,737 buys in a typical US city.

Careers this field leads to

These are the jobs that the federal crosswalk from fields of study to occupations links to anthropology, largest first. Pay is the median across all experience levels.

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

$87,760

Median pay in New York. 7,690 people work in this job in New York. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, with about 10,500 openings a year. Typical education to start: doctoral or professional degree.

Bottom 10%: $67,490Top 10%: $177,510

Forensic Science Technicians

$81,670

Median pay in New York. 1,140 people work in this job in New York. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 13% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,800 openings a year. Typical education to start: bachelor's degree.

Bottom 10%: $63,970Top 10%: $105,920

Anthropologists and Archeologists

$67,220

Median pay in New York. 120 people work in this job in New York. Nationally, jobs are projected to grow 6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 800 openings a year. Typical education to start: master's degree.

Bottom 10%: $40,110Top 10%: $114,880

About University at Buffalo

In-state tuition and fees	$10,936 / year
Out-of-state tuition and fees	$31,536 / year
Average net price after aid	$20,995 / year
Admission rate	74%
Graduation rate (within 6 years)	75%
Undergraduate students	20,112

Anthropology ranks 27th of 40 bachelor's programs at University at Buffalo by first-year earnings. The top three are Nursing ($78,621), Computer Engineering ($74,753), and Electrical Engineering ($74,205).

Common questions

The median graduate earns $29,460 one year after graduating. The median across anthropology bachelor's programs in New York is $26,449.

About this data

Earnings and debt only include students who received federal financial aid (grants or loans).
Earnings only count graduates who were working and not enrolled in more school. Graduates who went straight to further study are not included.
Debt only includes federal loans. Private loans and credit cards are not counted.
Some schools with several campuses report one combined figure for all of them. We count each of those schools once, and leave them out of New York comparisons when their main campus is in another state.
Scorecard figures describe graduating classes from several years ago. BLS wages are from May 2025.
School-level numbers like tuition, admission rate, and graduation rate are for the whole school, not the anthropology program.

Sources

U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field of study and institution files, June 2026 release
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025 to 2035
Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024
NCES, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, and IPEDS institution directory, 2024

Anthropology bachelor's programs in New York, ranked14 programs by pay and debt Anthropology bachelor's programs in the US, ranked166 programs by pay and debt All University at Buffalo programs, ranked40 programs by pay and debt