Best Anthropology Schools Near Columbus, OH (2026)

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

Columbus, Ohio has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs. Columbus has a population of about 906,480. Median household income is $65,327 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 38.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Columbus, OH metro area, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists at a median $77,010 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Anthropology Schools to Columbus

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

Ohio State University-Main Campus

Columbus, OH 1.5 miles from Columbus
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
80.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 82%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $60,409
Avg net price $17,339/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 94%
  • Programs offered: 233

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Anthropology Wages Near Columbus

Columbus is part of the Columbus, OH metro area (BLS area code 18140). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Ohio statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $59,160 OH statewide $61,948
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $76,440 OH statewide $80,042
Archivists $59,730 Columbus, OH $62,545
Curators $72,780 Columbus, OH $76,209
Museum Technicians and Conservators $47,570 Columbus, OH $49,812
Social Science Research Assistants $50,330 OH statewide $52,702
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $77,010 Columbus, OH $80,639

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.

Columbus at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 906,480 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $65,327 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 38.2% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 95.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Columbus-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near Columbus, OH?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near Columbus. The closest is Ohio State University-Main Campus in Columbus, OH (1.5 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Wright State University-Main Campus (59.0 miles). 2 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near Columbus?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near Columbus are: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists ($77,010), Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary ($76,440), Curators ($72,780). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Ohio statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Upper Arlington instead of Columbus?

Upper Arlington, OH is 5.3 miles from Columbus 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 Columbus an affordable place to study anthropology?

Columbus’s median household income of $65,327 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Columbus while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Ohio 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 Columbus

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

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 Ohio: Online Programs (2026)