Best Universities for Anthropology in the UK 2027
University of Plymouth tops our 2027 anthropology ranking with a score of 92, achieving 100% on both teaching quality and academic support. Durham University and University of Reading share second place with 88 points each. We ranked 24 UK universities across eight metrics: graduate earnings, teaching quality, student satisfaction, academic support, safety, cost of living, social life and sustainability.
Anthropology is offered at fewer than 30 UK universities as a standalone subject, yet it attracts a genuinely wide range of institutions — from Plymouth and UCL to Oxford and SOAS. Graduate earnings range from £19,000 (Liverpool John Moores) to £33,000 (LSE), and the distance between the top and bottom of this ranking on teaching and academic support is significant. Where you study shapes not just your starting salary but the quality of fieldwork opportunities, staff expertise and postgraduate pathways available to you.
For how these universities compare across all subjects, see the Unifresher best universities overall ranking and our best universities for employability.
Anthropology University Rankings 2027
| # | University | Grad Earnings | Satisfaction | Teaching Quality | Academic Support | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Plymouth Plymouth |
£24,000 | 75% | 100% | 100% | 92 |
| 2 | Durham University Durham |
£30,000 | 78% | 92% | 83% | 88 |
| 2 | University of Reading Reading |
£27,500 | 74% | 96% | 96% | 88 |
| 3 | University of Exeter Exeter |
£27,500 | 79% | 88% | 85% | 84 |
| 4 | University of East Anglia (UEA) Norwich |
£25,500 | 79% | 92% | 88% | 81 |
| 5 | University of Wales Trinity Saint David Lampeter / Carmarthen / Swansea |
£28,000 | 79% | 89% | 93% | 79 |
| 6 | Liverpool John Moores University Liverpool |
£19,000 | 72% | 93% | 87% | 75 |
| 7 | University of Winchester Winchester |
£26,500 | 88% | 87% | 97% | 72 |
| 8 | UCL (University College London) London |
£30,500 | 68% | 91% | 95% | 70 |
| 8 | University of Manchester Manchester |
£24,000 | 70% | 92% | 94% | 70 |
| 9 | Oxford Brookes University Oxford |
£25,000 | 74% | 94% | 92% | 69 |
| 10 | University of Bristol Bristol |
£27,000 | 73% | 88% | 71% | 67 |
| 10 | University of Central Lancashire Preston |
£24,500 | 71% | 96% | 100% | 67 |
| 11 | University of Liverpool Liverpool |
£28,000 | 71% | 85% | 77% | 65 |
| 12 | Brunel University London Uxbridge |
£25,000 | 68% | 96% | 100% | 64 |
| 13 | University of Oxford Oxford |
£29,000 | 76% | 88% | 85% | 63 |
| 13 | University of Dundee Dundee |
£26,500 | 75% | 91% | 89% | 63 |
| 13 | SOAS University of London London |
£25,000 | 66% | 94% | 94% | 63 |
| 14 | London School of Economics and Political Science London |
£33,000 | 69% | 89% | 84% | 61 |
| 15 | University of Southampton Southampton |
£25,000 | 76% | 93% | 86% | 60 |
| 16 | University of Bradford Bradford |
£25,000 | 71% | 87% | 91% | 57 |
| 17 | University of Sussex Brighton and Hove |
£28,000 | 77% | 85% | 80% | 54 |
| 18 | University of Birmingham Birmingham |
£26,000 | 72% | 84% | 90% | 44 |
| 19 | Goldsmiths, University of London London |
£28,000 | 64% | 94% | 81% | 44 |
What the ranking tells you about studying anthropology
Anthropology is a broad, intellectually demanding discipline that spans cultural anthropology, social anthropology, biological anthropology and archaeology. Fewer than 30 UK universities offer it as a dedicated undergraduate degree, and the range of institutions is unusually wide — from specialist research powerhouses to teaching-focused universities with strong student satisfaction scores. This ranking does not just reward research reputation. It scores all 24 universities across eight metrics that reflect the full picture of studying there.
Why Plymouth leads a field that includes Oxford, UCL and LSE
University of Plymouth is not the first name most applicants would associate with anthropology, yet it tops this ranking with 100% on both teaching quality and academic support — the only university in this field to achieve that double. Plymouth's anthropology programme is closely tied to its marine and environmental science strengths, with fieldwork focused on coastal communities, indigenous knowledge systems and environmental change. For students who want a genuinely distinctive programme with high-quality teaching, the data makes a strong case. Durham (2nd) and Reading (joint 2nd) offer the stronger research profile and graduate earnings, but neither matches Plymouth on course delivery metrics.
Where the elite institutions actually rank
Oxford ranks 13th. UCL ranks 8th. LSE ranks 14th. SOAS, one of the most internationally recognised institutions for social anthropology, ranks joint 13th. These are not the positions most applicants would expect. London's high cost of living (cost index 91 — the most expensive bracket in our data) significantly reduces total scores for UCL, LSE, SOAS and Goldsmiths. Oxford's student satisfaction score is strong at 76% but its cost of living and sustainability scores cost it points. The elite institutions still produce strong graduate outcomes — LSE at £33,000 and UCL at £30,500 are the top two earners in this dataset — but the overall student experience picture is more nuanced than the brand alone suggests.
SOAS vs UCL for social anthropology: Both rank in the 8–13 range in this table. SOAS (63 points) is globally recognised for its focus on Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and its anthropology department has produced some of the most influential work in the field. UCL (70 points) sits higher overall due to stronger graduate earnings (£30,500 vs £25,000). If your interest is in non-Western societies, development anthropology or area studies, SOAS's specialist faculty and unique library collections matter significantly beyond what any ranking can capture. If global graduate mobility and earnings are the priority, UCL's network is broader. Neither is the wrong choice.
Winchester: the satisfaction standout
University of Winchester has the highest student satisfaction score in the entire ranking at 88% and the second-highest academic support at 97%. It ranks 7th overall. Winchester's anthropology programme is small and teaching-intensive, set in a city that scores well for safety. Graduate earnings of £26,500 sit in the middle of the field. For students who prioritise the quality of their learning experience over institutional prestige, Winchester's data profile is one of the strongest in this ranking.
For a broader picture of how your shortlisted universities compare, see the Unifresher overall best universities ranking.
