I’m a senior right now, and just recently, I’ve realized that I actually am interested in studying archaeology. I’ve never thought abt it, but now that I reflect back, I’ve enjoyed researching about history, and getting my hands dirty trying to find old stuff in the garden. What universities are good for archaeology majors? Is it a common/popular job? Does it offer good/enough money?
Archaeology is usually taught in anthropology departments, though sometimes in classics and/or art history departments as well. But for the most part, if you’re looking to major in archaeology, you’ll really be majoring in anthropology with a focus on archaeology. That said, it tends not to be the most active branch in most anthro depts (cultural anthro is usually the top dog). A good way to approach this might be to figure out which schools appeal to you in other ways (location, size, financials, selectivity, campus vibe, etc.) and then go to the websites for their anthro depts. Any dept with more than one archaeologist is likely to be a decent bet for you. If there’s only one archaeologist on staff, check the classics and art history depts. If there are no additional archaeologists in those depts either, probably you should cross that school off your list. You don’t want to be completely reliant on a single professor for the entirety of your archaeology curriculum. Also see whether the school sponsors digs or has any means of hooking you up with fieldwork. If you already have a sense of which cultures you want to work on (Native American? Ancient Greece/Rome? Middle East?), you should also check whether any of the archaeologists in a given dept are working in those areas.
As for post-college employment, archaeology isn’t a booming field but there are options. You can become a professor. You can work for museums. You can work for government agencies (more common abroad than in the U.S.). It’s not a field where you’re likely to get rich, however. And most employment in archaeology will require at least a master’s, if not a doctorate.
For a few actual examples of career outcomes for anthropology/archaeology majors, you can read through here:
https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/departments/Home?dept=anthropology
Foundation archaeologist, museum coordinator, or college professor could be options for those who continue on a direct path in the field. Physician, attorney or teacher might be career destinations for those with different goals. For additional career prospects, also consider a major in geosciences, or the hybrid field geoarchaeology.
sheepskin00 gave you great advice. I’d add only two things. First, I recommend archaeology only if you can’t see yourself doing anything else. The career outlook is not great and is particularly bleak for those wanting to go into academia. Second, if you do want to aim for graduate school and a career in research, you’ll need a strong language background if you’re interested in a historical subfield (classical, Chinese, Egyptian, Near Eastern, etc.). Some languages are much more readily available than others, something to keep in mind while selecting colleges.
Look for schools with strong Anthropology, Languages, History, and Classics/X Culture Departments.
Michigan comes to mind immediately (although I may be a tad bit biased).
A good site to gain field experience: https://www.archaeological.org/fieldwork