Upon returning to the United States, Anderson attended Stanford University, graduating in 1904[1] with a Bachelor of Arts in zoology.

Before completing his degree, he had already undertaken thousands of miles' worth of scientific expeditions, traversing Arizona, California, and Alaska.

[1] In 1911, British zoologist Oldfield Thomas wrote: "To our great loss and regret, Mr Anderson now proposes to give up the arduous life of the field collector.

"[6] Mr. Anderson has worked for the Exploration with superb enthusiasm and success, and in the extent to which his collections have revolutionized our knowledge of an extended part of the earth's surface he has made a record which, so far as I know, has never been equalled .

.In response to the demands of World War I on American manufacturing, Anderson began working at a shipyard in 1918, as he was unable to join the Army.