Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services: 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 335 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services pays
Career outlook for Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services graduates
The job market for the occupations Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare workers | 991,600 | -2.9% | $32,050 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Preschool teachers, except special education | 555,100 | +4.1% | $37,120 | Associate's degree |
| Social and human service assistants | 449,600 | +6.4% | $45,120 | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Community and social service specialists, all other | 119,200 | +4.6% | $54,940 | Bachelor's degree |
| Psychologists, all other | 55,300 | +4.3% | $117,580 | Master's degree |
| Social scientists and related workers, all other | 40,800 | -1.7% | $100,340 | Bachelor's 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.
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services vs similar majors
How Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 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.
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services Family & Consumer Sciences · this major | Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services | Housing and Human Environments | Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 18 F | 55 C | 46 D | 35 D |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Break-even |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $40,155 | $63,691 | $60,451 | $56,176 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $33,921 | $41,908 | $44,617 | $35,726 |
| ROI vs cost | -160% | +134% | +91% | +38% |
| Typical debt | $23,681 | $21,982 | $24,989 | $24,431 |
| Colleges offering it | 335 | 8 | 11 | 63 |
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services 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 Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
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-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | Associate's | $53,086 | — | +786% | Strong return |
| 2 | Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI | Certificate | $61,396 | $28,796 | +758% | Strong return |
| 3 | Capella University Minneapolis, MN | Master's | $74,835 | — | +731% | Strong return |
| 4 | Bucks County Community College Newtown, PA | Certificate | $50,033 | — | +688% | Strong return |
| 5 | California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA | Associate's | $62,078 | $17,516 | +583% | Strong return |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Associate's | $63,343 | $19,000 | +476% | Strong return |
| 7 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL | Associate's | $64,921 | $17,968 | +465% | Strong return |
| 8 | CUNY Hostos Community College Bronx, NY | Certificate | $47,853 | — | +439% | Strong return |
| 9 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | Associate's | $74,602 | $15,259 | +370% | Strong return |
| 10 | California State University-Dominguez Hills Carson, CA | Certificate | $68,017 | $42,926 | +359% | Strong return |
| 11 | San Jose State University San Jose, CA | Associate's | $56,174 | — | +306% | Strong return |
| 12 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA | Associate's | $57,628 | $18,250 | +290% | Strong return |
| 13 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT | Associate's | $56,312 | $21,500 | +282% | Strong return |
| 14 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | Associate's | $62,473 | $21,500 | +268% | Strong return |
| 15 | Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Winona, MN | Certificate | $60,741 | — | +236% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT | Associate's | $56,312 | $21,500 | +219% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC | Associate's | $57,220 | $51,085 | +206% | Strong return |
| 18 | University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD | Associate's | $56,321 | $18,567 | +197% | Strong return |
| 19 | University of La Verne La Verne, CA | Certificate | $68,799 | — | +195% | Strong return |
| 20 | Florida State University Tallahassee, FL | Associate's | $53,416 | $19,160 | +185% | Strong return |
| 21 | Community College of Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA | Certificate | $48,340 | — | +180% | Strong return |
| 22 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT | Associate's | $56,312 | $21,500 | +178% | Strong return |
| 23 | California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA | Associate's | $51,711 | $15,625 | +175% | Strong return |
| 24 | University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT | Associate's | $56,312 | $21,500 | +173% | Strong return |
| 25 | California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA | Associate's | $52,033 | $13,500 | +173% | Strong 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.