Best Anthropology Schools Near Wilkes-Barre, PA (2026)

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

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs, with tuition ranging from $67,812 to $83,756 per year for indexed programs. Wilkes-Barre has a population of about 44,217. Median household income is $47,970 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 19.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Pennsylvania, the top-earning anthropology-related role is Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary at a median $100,880 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Anthropology Schools to Wilkes-Barre

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

Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania

Bloomsburg, PA 34.0 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
56.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $52,416
Avg net price $15,699/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 76

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Muhlenberg College

Allentown, PA 48.9 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
63.8 BOC Score
Graduation rate 80%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $69,107
Avg net price $28,905/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 89%
  • Programs offered: 40

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#3

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

Kutztown, PA 50.9 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
53.2 BOC Score
Graduation rate 58%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,775
Avg net price $21,331/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 56

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Lehigh University

Bethlehem, PA 51.2 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
78.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 90%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $105,584
Avg net price $36,931/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#5

Bucknell University

Lewisburg, PA 56.2 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
  • Accredited
67.6 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 29%
Graduation rate 86%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $93,807
Avg net price $40,766/yr
Tuition
In‑state$67,812
Out‑of‑state$67,812
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 95%
  • Programs offered: 60

Source:Accreditor: Middle States Commission on Higher EducationIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Lycoming College

Williamsport, PA 58.4 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
54.0 BOC Score
Graduation rate 65%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,210
Avg net price $19,140/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 32

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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#7

Susquehanna University

Selinsgrove, PA 60.6 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
58.6 BOC Score
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $61,723
Avg net price $28,819/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 86%
  • Programs offered: 54

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

Franklin and Marshall College

Lancaster, PA 86.0 miles from Wilkes-Barre
  • 4 year
63.7 BOC Score
Graduation rate 84%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $76,124
Avg net price $36,425/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

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

Anthropology Wages Near Wilkes-Barre

Wilkes-Barre is part of the Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA metro area (BLS area code 42540). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Pennsylvania statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Anthropologists and Archeologists $79,660 PA statewide $85,107
Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary $100,880 PA statewide $107,778
Archivists $60,690 PA statewide $64,840
Curators $62,100 PA statewide $66,346
Museum Technicians and Conservators $47,150 PA statewide $50,374
Social Science Research Assistants $54,610 PA statewide $58,344
Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists $60,440 Scranton–Wilkes-Barre, PA $64,573

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.

Wilkes-Barre at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 44,217 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $47,970 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 19.4% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 93.6 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Wilkes-Barre-Area Cities With Anthropology Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited anthropology schools are near Wilkes-Barre, PA?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering anthropology programs near Wilkes-Barre. The closest is Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania in Bloomsburg, PA (34.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Bucknell University (56.2 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying anthropology roles near Wilkes-Barre?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying anthropology-related roles near Wilkes-Barre are: Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary ($100,880), Anthropologists and Archeologists ($79,660), Curators ($62,100). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Pennsylvania statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Scranton instead of Wilkes-Barre?

Scranton, PA is 15.4 miles from Wilkes-Barre 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 Wilkes-Barre an affordable place to study anthropology?

Wilkes-Barre’s median household income of $47,970 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Wilkes-Barre while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Pennsylvania 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 Wilkes-Barre

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

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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