Expert: Ralph Salier - 7/21/2008

Question
Hello I am Aaron Waite of North Dakota and I'm thinking of taking up the career
of archaeology. I was wondering what are the best colleges in the states that
offer archaeology? I like studying about the Romans and Greeks. I also have
much knowledge about egypt too. I would love to do under water archaeology
too. Thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Aaron,

Columbia University or University of Chicago in the states, Oxford, Cambridge or the U of London in the UK, are your very best choices to study the classical cultures.  Very hard places to get into.  

Here is a bit of advice my parents gave me many years ago.  As you work to get your degree, also think of an alternative career path.  Archaeology does not pay well and getting jobs at the university level is very hard at best and nearly impossible at worst.  So, you need to know what you want to do with this degree, and have a back up plan in mind.  My other degrees are in Geology and in Computer Sciences, and my Masters is in Business Anthropology NOT Archaeology.   

I still work in the field and run digs but I don't get to play in the dirt as much as I would like.  Just keep that in mind!

Ralph