National Park Service

Education

A minimum of a Bachelor's degree is required to work as a field archeologist, but you should get at least a Master’s degree if you want to pursue a long-term career in archeology. Without a graduate degree, opportunities for advancement are rare.

You would be a great archeologist if you:

• enjoy discovering new things, and love the idea of a job as a treasure hunt
• pay great attention to detail
• like organizing and keeping strict records
• are comfortable with a slower paced environment

What You Do

Archeologists study and preserve the artifacts or features of past human activity. By collecting and studying remains such as ruins, bones, pottery, and tools, they are able to understand things about past cultures. Some archeologists are responsible for work in a lab, while others work in the field excavating.

Archeologists in the National Park Service try to preserve as much as possible for the enjoyment of the public without excavating. Because there are so many civilizations to study and explore, most archeologists specialize in a particular subject, time period, or geographic area. Archeologists who work in an office or another traditional work environment normally enjoy a regular work schedule from Monday through Friday. Those who do field work often work very long hours.