The Italian archaeologist of 2024 is female, freelance and highly trained

From the data emerging from the research Discovering the Archaeologists of Italy 2024, conducted by the Italian Confederation of Archaeologists (CIA) and presented at the conference 20 Years of CIA, 20 Years for Archaeology - From the Code to the Worksite: Regulatory Basis, Prospects for Development and Professional Growth, the identikit of theItalian archaeologist of 2024 emerged: female, around 42 years old, freelance and highly educated (very often having earned a doctorate and specialization in addition to her degree), earning between 25 and 30 thousand euros annually.

Based on a large sample of more than 1,250 responses from about 4,200 active archaeologists in Italy, the analyses confirm a female predominance in the profession, although the percentage of men is growing. The gender ratio, which a decade ago was 70 percent women and 30 percent men, has now been reduced to 64 percent women and 36 percent men.

A significant gender gap is observed in the highest income levels (30,000-100,000 euros annually and above), where only 15 percent of women are represented, compared to 29 percent of men. In terms of educational attainment, 70% of archaeologists now have an education beyond a bachelor’s degree (a significant increase from 53% in 2014). Among them, 42 percent hold a postgraduate degree, 15 percent a doctorate, and 13 percent both degrees. Analyses reveal that the doctorate is the key to accessing the highest salary brackets, clearly outpacing the postgraduate degree. In contrast, bachelor’s graduates remain in the lowest income bracket.

In 2024, permanent contracts account for 30.1 percent (an improvement from 16 percent in 2014), while fixed-term contracts have dropped to 11 percent (from 14 percent a decade ago). The majority of archaeologists, 58.9 percent, work as freelancers (up from 43 percent in 2014), including 52 percent with a VAT number and 5.4 percent as collaborators without a VAT number. In addition, 22 percent are employed in the public sector, while 17.9 percent work in the private sector.

On the unemployment front, only 2.6 percent of archaeologists declare themselves unemployed, which is significantly lower than the 28 percent recorded in 2014 at the height of the economic crisis. This greater stability has positively affected quality of life, as evidenced by the increase in archaeologists with children (33.15 percent compared to 19 percent in 2014).

The Italian archaeologist of 2024 is female, freelance and highly trained

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