Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 56 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General pays
Career outlook for Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General graduates
The job market for the occupations Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education | 1,094,500 | -1.6% | $64,580 | Bachelor's degree |
| Farm and home management educators | 12,400 | -2.5% | $58,120 | Master's degree |
| Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary | 3,200 | +3.4% | $77,280 | Doctoral or professional degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General vs similar majors
How Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General stacks up against the closest fields in Family & Consumer Sciences on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General Family & Consumer Sciences · this major | Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services | Housing and Human Environments | Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 21 F | 55 C | 46 D | 35 D |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Break-even |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $45,429 | $63,691 | $60,451 | $56,176 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $34,251 | $41,908 | $44,617 | $35,726 |
| ROI vs cost | -95% | +134% | +91% | +38% |
| Typical debt | $25,359 | $21,982 | $24,989 | $24,431 |
| Colleges offering it | 56 | 8 | 11 | 63 |
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Certificate | $68,293 | — | +729% | Strong return |
| 2 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | Associate's | $58,232 | $13,750 | +459% | Strong return |
| 3 | SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY | Associate's | $64,221 | — | +402% | Strong return |
| 4 | California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA | Associate's | $52,308 | $16,375 | +265% | Strong return |
| 5 | San Francisco State University San Francisco, CA | Associate's | $54,183 | $16,702 | +200% | Strong return |
| 6 | Eastern Illinois University Charleston, IL | Certificate | $61,034 | $19,043 | +176% | Strong return |
| 7 | Western Illinois University Macomb, IL | Associate's | $52,097 | — | +174% | Strong return |
| 8 | Montclair State University Montclair, NJ | Associate's | $53,163 | — | +162% | Strong return |
| 9 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, TX | Certificate | $59,427 | $45,896 | +103% | Strong return |
| 10 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Certificate | $61,399 | $29,627 | +63% | Break-even |
| 11 | Illinois State University Normal, IL | Associate's | $52,374 | $19,653 | +61% | Break-even |
| 12 | Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX | Associate's | $50,684 | $21,250 | +40% | Break-even |
| 13 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA | Associate's | $49,497 | — | +17% | Break-even |
| 14 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO | Associate's | $49,752 | — | +12% | Break-even |
| 15 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX | Associate's | $49,657 | $23,429 | 0% | Poor return |
| 16 | University of North Alabama Florence, AL | Associate's | $48,108 | $21,811 | -4% | Poor return |
| 17 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | Associate's | $47,210 | $12,956 | -14% | Poor return |
| 18 | Ball State University Muncie, IN | Associate's | $47,288 | — | -23% | Poor return |
| 19 | Texas Southern University Houston, TX | Associate's | $47,357 | — | -29% | Poor return |
| 20 | The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL | Associate's | $48,766 | $22,497 | -29% | Poor return |
| 21 | Iowa State University Ames, IA | Associate's | $47,252 | $18,730 | -49% | Poor return |
| 22 | Morgan State University Baltimore, MD | Associate's | $46,585 | $30,750 | -62% | Poor return |
| 23 | Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX | Associate's | $46,569 | — | -62% | Poor return |
| 24 | North Carolina Central University Durham, NC | Certificate | $48,103 | $64,318 | -63% | Poor return |
| 25 | University of Central Arkansas Conway, AR | Certificate | $46,803 | $24,186 | -76% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.