Best Anthropology Schools Near Clayton, NC (2026)

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

Clayton, North Carolina has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs. Clayton has a population of about 28,043. Median household income is $73,348 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.6% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists at a median $78,980 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Anthropology Schools to Clayton

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

William Peace University

Raleigh, NC 13.9 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
38.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 49%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $46,643
Avg net price $21,649/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 68%
  • Programs offered: 26

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Raleigh, NC 15.4 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
84.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 85%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $68,758
Avg net price $17,303/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 152

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Duke University

Durham, NC 36.2 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
82.1 BOC Score
Graduation rate 97%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,800
Avg net price $29,612/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 144

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC 38.1 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
91.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 91%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $72,200
Avg net price $11,655/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 97%
  • Programs offered: 117

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

East Carolina University

Greenville, NC 60.7 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
68.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,146
Avg net price $15,739/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 82%
  • Programs offered: 165

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Elon University

Elon, NC 66.6 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
72.9 BOC Score
Graduation rate 83%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $74,545
Avg net price $41,555/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 90%
  • Programs offered: 71

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Greensboro, NC 81.3 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
59.3 BOC Score
Graduation rate 59%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $48,160
Avg net price $10,965/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 108

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Wilmington, NC 104.2 miles from Clayton
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
69.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 74%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,967
Avg net price $20,109/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 87%
  • Programs offered: 82

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Anthropology Wages Near Clayton

Clayton is part of the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area (BLS area code 39580). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to North Carolina statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $66,560 Raleigh-Cary, NC $67,780
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $64,380 NC statewide $65,560
Archivists $52,090 Raleigh-Cary, NC $53,045
Curators $65,670 Raleigh-Cary, NC $66,874
Museum Technicians and Conservators $45,820 Raleigh-Cary, NC $46,660
Social Science Research Assistants $65,330 Raleigh-Cary, NC $66,527
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $78,980 Raleigh-Cary, NC $80,428

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.

Clayton at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 28,043 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $73,348 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.6% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 98.2 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Clayton-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near Clayton, NC?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near Clayton. The closest is William Peace University in Raleigh, NC (13.9 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is East Carolina University (60.7 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near Clayton?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near Clayton are: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($78,980), Anthropologists and Archeologists ($66,560), Curators ($65,670). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with North Carolina statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Garner instead of Clayton?

Garner, NC is 10.0 miles from Clayton 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 Clayton an affordable place to study anthropology?

Clayton’s median household income of $73,348 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Clayton while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and North Carolina 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 Clayton

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

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 North Carolina (2026)