The broad variety of anthropologists are often described as members of four major subfields: Biological Anthropology, Cultural Anthropology, Linguistic Anthropology, and Archaeology. Until World War II, almost all anthropologists worked in universities or museums. Since the 1950s, however, the field of applied anthropology has grown dramatically. 

Applied anthropologists – who may be cultural, biological, linguistic or archaeological anthropologists – use anthropological knowledge and methods to solve modern social problems. Applied anthropologists may work in schools, health care organizations, international development agencies, corporations, government agencies, non-profit foundations, and elsewhere.