Best Anthropology Schools Near Grand Rapids, MI (2026)

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

Grand Rapids, Michigan has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs, with tuition ranging from $14,760 to $30,681 per year for indexed programs. Grand Rapids has a population of about 197,768. Median household income is $65,526 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 40.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Michigan, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $104,890 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Anthropology Schools to Grand Rapids

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer anthropology programs near Grand Rapids, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

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

Sort:
#1

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 11.8 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
65.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 137

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 47.0 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
63.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 188

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#3

Michigan State University

East Lansing, MI 61.8 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $67,253
Avg net price $19,680/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 91%
  • Programs offered: 230

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 62.1 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
60.7 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 183

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#5

Albion College

Albion, MI 67.8 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
54.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 63%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,799
Avg net price $14,301/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 70%
  • Programs offered: 50

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

University of Michigan-Flint

Flint, MI 99.4 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
58.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,230
Avg net price $7,007/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 80

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad
#7

University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, MI 108.5 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
93.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 94%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $83,648
Avg net price $13,138/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 98%
  • Programs offered: 206

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Eastern Michigan University

Ypsilanti, MI 114.2 miles from Grand Rapids
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
50.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 54%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,793
Avg net price $15,407/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 156

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Sponsored Ad

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

Anthropology Wages Near Grand Rapids

Grand Rapids is part of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area (BLS area code 24340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $64,700 MI statewide $67,749
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $104,890 MI statewide $109,832
Archivists $63,890 MI statewide $66,901
Curators $63,190 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $66,168
Museum Technicians and Conservators $45,870 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $48,031
Social Science Research Assistants $60,210 MI statewide $63,047
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $64,880 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI $67,937

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.

Grand Rapids at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 197,768 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $65,526 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 40.1% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Grand Rapids-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near Grand Rapids, MI?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near Grand Rapids. The closest is Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI (11.8 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Central Michigan University (62.1 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near Grand Rapids?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near Grand Rapids are: Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary ($104,890), Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($64,880), Anthropologists and Archeologists ($64,700). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Walker instead of Grand Rapids?

Walker, MI is 4.8 miles from Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids an affordable place to study anthropology?

Grand Rapids’s median household income of $65,526 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Grand Rapids while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan 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 Grand Rapids

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Grand Rapids:

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.

Back to Best Anthropology Schools in Michigan: Online Programs (2026)