Best Anthropology Schools Near East Chicago, IN (2026)

East Chicago, Indiana has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs. East Chicago has a population of about 26,158. Median household income is $41,071 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 9.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $81,050 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Anthropology Schools to East Chicago

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer anthropology programs near East Chicago, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from East Chicago 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 East Chicago. 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

Indiana University-Northwest

Gary, IN 8.7 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
44.5 BOC Score
Graduation rate 39%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $43,361
Avg net price $5,130/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 47

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN 62.8 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
83.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 96%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $99,980
Avg net price $26,780/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 99%
  • Programs offered: 89

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Indiana University-South Bend

South Bend, IN 63.6 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
43.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 40%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $44,947
Avg net price $8,653/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 66%
  • Programs offered: 63

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Purdue University-Main Campus

West Lafayette, IN 88.9 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
86.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 78%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,424
Avg net price $14,600/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 92%
  • Programs offered: 198

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Purdue University Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN 126.9 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
40.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 84%
Graduation rate 34%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $45,872
Avg net price $13,171/yr
Tuition
In‑state$9,532
Out‑of‑state$22,887
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 65%
  • Programs offered: 73

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Butler University

Indianapolis, IN 142.0 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
73.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $77,235
Avg net price $36,041/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 83

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

DePauw University

Greencastle, IN 142.2 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
68.4 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 57%
Graduation rate 77%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $70,527
Avg net price $22,264/yr
Tuition
In‑state$59,070
Out‑of‑state$59,070
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 44

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Indiana University-Indianapolis

Indianapolis, IN 145.9 miles from East Chicago
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.0 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 76%
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,198
Avg net price $11,668/yr
Tuition
In‑state$10,762
Out‑of‑state$34,891
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 72%
  • Programs offered: 204

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

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


Anthropology Wages Near East Chicago

East Chicago is part of the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area (BLS area code 16980). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Indiana statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $59,560 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $57,490
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $81,050 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $78,234
Archivists $57,930 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $55,917
Curators $63,060 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $60,869
Museum Technicians and Conservators $58,840 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $56,795
Social Science Research Assistants $64,890 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $62,635
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $80,400 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN $77,606

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.


East Chicago at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 26,158 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $41,071 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 9.9% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 103.6 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other East Chicago-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near East Chicago, IN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near East Chicago. The closest is Indiana University-Northwest in Gary, IN (8.7 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Loyola University Chicago (26.5 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near East Chicago?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near East Chicago are: Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary ($81,050), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($80,400), Social Science Research Assistants ($64,890). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Indiana statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Hammond instead of East Chicago?

Hammond, IN is 2.9 miles from East Chicago 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 East Chicago an affordable place to study anthropology?

East Chicago’s median household income of $41,071 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in East Chicago while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Indiana 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 East Chicago

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for East Chicago:

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.