Human Development and Family Studies degree: salary, jobs & colleges
Bachelor's graduates in human development and family studies earn a median $46,979 four years after finishing, across 167 U.S. colleges. At ages 25-34, people whose degree is in family and consumer sciences earn $47,048, $15,001 less than all bachelor's holders. The most common job is preschool and kindergarten teachers (7%).
Median across 167 colleges; middle half $45,199–$52,084.
College Scorecard field of study (graduates who received federal aid)
Middle half $30,458–$65,067. 3,528 survey respondents.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; field "Family And Consumer Sciences"; EducationGuide calculation
- All bachelor's, 25-34$62,049
- High school, 25-34$35,638
- This degree vs high school+$11,410/yr
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school
Median across colleges reporting.
College Scorecard field of study
Jobs human development and family studies graduates hold
What employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in family and consumer sciences actually do, with U.S. wages and the outlook for each job. The first column comes from the Census survey; wages and growth from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Job | Share of graduates | U.S. median wage | Jobs growth 2025-35 | Typical entry | Interests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preschool And Kindergarten Teachers | 7% | $43,780 | +3.7% | — | — |
| Elementary And Middle School Teachers | 6% | $64,170 | -0.4% | — | — |
| Registered Nurses | 3% | $97,550 | +5.6% | Bachelor's degree | SCI |
| Human Resources Workers | 3% | $76,700 | +6.1% | — | — |
| Other Managers | 3% | — | — | — | — |
| Childcare Workers | 3% | $34,980 | -2.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | SA |
| Secretaries And Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, And Executive | 3% | $47,540 | -6.0% | High school diploma or equivalent | CES |
| Teaching Assistants | 2% | $37,010 | +0.0% | — | — |
These 8 jobs account for 29% of employed graduates: people with this degree spread across many kinds of work.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, bachelor's as highest degree, employed); BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35; O*NET 31.0 interest codes (R realistic, I investigative, A artistic, S social, E enterprising, C conventional).
Human Development and Family Studies earnings by state
Two views of pay: recent graduates of the state's colleges four years out (College Scorecard), and everyone ages 25-34 living in the state with this field of degree (Census). States show a figure only with at least 3 colleges or 100 survey respondents.
| State | Graduates, 4 yrs (colleges) | Ages 25-34 (respondents) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $46,242 (3) | — |
| California | $50,850 (17) | $47,730 (787) |
| Colorado | — | $52,473 (104) |
| Connecticut | $57,888 (6) | — |
| Florida | — | $35,682 (101) |
| Georgia | $45,505 (3) | — |
| Illinois | $50,123 (5) | $51,167 (107) |
| Indiana | $43,564 (4) | — |
| Louisiana | $44,918 (4) | — |
| Maryland | $55,238 (4) | — |
| Michigan | $45,881 (9) | — |
| Missouri | $41,866 (5) | — |
| New York | $53,679 (6) | $52,473 (147) |
| North Carolina | $46,140 (5) | $48,881 (114) |
| Ohio | $45,346 (13) | $48,881 (118) |
| Oklahoma | $46,420 (5) | — |
| Oregon | $53,109 (5) | — |
| Pennsylvania | $45,943 (15) | — |
| Texas | $49,680 (10) | $51,325 (316) |
| Utah | $33,803 (4) | $36,990 (113) |
| Virginia | $59,952 (4) | — |
| Washington | $54,858 (3) | — |
| Wisconsin | $48,043 (3) | — |
College Scorecard field of study (median of each college's graduates); Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata; EducationGuide calculations.
Colleges where human development and family studies graduates earn the most
In the states we cover so far (Florida, Virginia, California): 5 in Florida, 5 in Virginia, 25 in California offer this major. Open a college to see cost to finish and payback for your income.
| # | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of VirginiaVA | $71,638 | $19,500 |
| 2 | Florida State UniversityFL | $62,663 | $20,000 |
| 3 | George Mason UniversityVA | $61,565 | $24,300 |
| 4 | University of California-San DiegoCA | $61,262 | $19,342 |
| 5 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State UniversityVA | $58,340 | $21,500 |
| 6 | California State University-East BayCA | $57,898 | $18,000 |
| 7 | California State University-San MarcosCA | $53,568 | $17,193 |
| 8 | Sonoma State UniversityCA | $52,672 | $18,250 |
| 9 | Fresno Pacific UniversityCA | $51,756 | $24,549 |
| 10 | University of FloridaFL | $51,497 | $17,296 |
| 11 | California State University-FullertonCA | $51,261 | $12,500 |
| 12 | California State University-Monterey BayCA | $51,118 | $12,408 |
College Scorecard field of study. Colleges meeting our core-data standard; online campuses left out.
Related degrees
Human Development and Family Studies degree questions
How much do Human Development and Family Studies graduates make?
Human Development and Family Studies graduates earn a median $46,979 four years after finishing, across 167 U.S. colleges that report it (the middle half of colleges: $45,199 to $52,084; College Scorecard, graduates who received federal aid). Among all workers ages 25-34 whose bachelor's degree is in family and consumer sciences, the median is $47,048 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is a Human Development and Family Studies degree worth it?
At ages 25-34, people with a bachelor's in family and consumer sciences earn a median $47,048: $15,001 less than all bachelor's degree holders ($62,049) and $11,410 more than high school graduates ($35,638). EducationGuide calculation from Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers not in school.
What jobs do Human Development and Family Studies graduates get?
Among employed 25-34-year-olds whose bachelor's is in family and consumer sciences, the most common jobs are preschool and kindergarten teachers (7%), elementary and middle school teachers (6%), registered nurses (3%). Preschool And Kindergarten Teachers earn a U.S. median $43,780.
Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey microdata; Bureau of Labor Statistics; O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Method
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Cite this: “Human Development and Family Studies degree: salary, jobs and colleges,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/degrees/human-development-and-family-studies.