Best Anthropology Schools Near Palm Springs, CA (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Palm Springs, California has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs. Palm Springs has a population of about 44,998. Median household income is $71,979 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 45.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $159,680 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Anthropology Schools to Palm Springs

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer anthropology programs near Palm Springs, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Palm Springs city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Palm Springs. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

Crafton Hills College

Yucaipa, CA 36.2 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 31%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $42,553
Avg net price $11,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 41

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of California-Riverside

Riverside, CA 46.8 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
84.1 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,699
Avg net price $14,304/yr
Tuition
In‑state$15,606
Out‑of‑state$49,806
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 87

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

California Baptist University

Riverside, CA 51.7 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 62%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,504
Avg net price $26,285/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 74%
  • Programs offered: 98

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

California State University-San Bernardino

San Bernardino, CA 52.2 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
78.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 94%
Graduation rate 55%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $59,977
Avg net price $4,564/yr
Tuition
In‑state$8,093
Out‑of‑state$20,693
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 78

Source:Accreditor: Western Association of Schools and Colleges Senior Colleges and University CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

California State University-San Marcos

San Marcos, CA 58.6 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
75.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 68%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $62,908
Avg net price $10,229/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 49

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

MiraCosta College

Oceanside, CA 61.0 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
54.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 28%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,845
Avg net price $7,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Pitzer College

Claremont, CA 70.2 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
64.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 87%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,512
Avg net price $34,191/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Scripps College

Claremont, CA 70.4 miles from Palm Springs
  • 4 year
64.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,539
Avg net price $36,294/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 53

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all California schools on the California anthropology page.

Anthropology Wages Near Palm Springs

Palm Springs is part of the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area (BLS area code 40140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to California statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $63,630 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $59,803
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $159,680 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $150,075
Archivists $62,030 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $58,299
Curators $74,950 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $70,442
Museum Technicians and Conservators $61,040 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $57,368
Social Science Research Assistants $36,710 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $34,502
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $69,840 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $65,639

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Palm Springs at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,998 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $71,979 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 45.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 106.4 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Palm Springs-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near Palm Springs, CA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near Palm Springs. The closest is College of the Desert in Palm Desert, CA (9.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Moreno Valley College (38.6 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near Palm Springs?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near Palm Springs are: Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary ($159,680), Curators ($74,950), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($69,840). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with California statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Cathedral City instead of Palm Springs?

Cathedral City, CA is 4.8 miles from Palm Springs and has its own set of local anthropology programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Palm Springs an affordable place to study anthropology?

Palm Springs’s median household income of $71,979 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Palm Springs while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and California public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Anthropology Programs

Other Programs Available in Palm Springs

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Palm Springs:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

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