Home › Majors › Human Development & Family Studies

Human Development & Family Studies Degree

156 schools compared · Average earnings $33,473/yr

Students study human growth across the lifespan, family dynamics, parenting, and the social systems that support healthy child and family development. Graduates typically pursue careers in child and family services, early childhood programs, marriage and family counseling, social services, and youth development organizations. This major is excellent preparation for graduate programs in counseling, social work, or family therapy.

What Human Development & Family Studies Graduates Do

Your degree in human development prepares you for careers centered on direct human connection. Initially, you might work as a social and human service assistant, spending your days helping a family navigate the paperwork for housing assistance or connecting clients with community food banks. Another common path is in early childhood education, where as a preschool teacher, you’ll guide a classroom of four-year-olds through foundational literacy and social-emotional learning.

Career progression often involves moving from direct service to management. An assistant can become a community service specialist, designing and running entire programs for seniors or at-risk youth. While roles for social service assistants and preschool teachers are growing, be aware that some high-turnover fields like childcare face headwinds. Advancing to higher-paying psychologist or social scientist positions almost always requires a master's degree or doctorate.

The core of this work—building trust, showing empathy, and providing hands-on care—is difficult to automate. This field is more insulated from technological disruption than many others, a genuine advantage. AI may eventually handle some administrative tasks, but the essential human-to-human element that defines these careers remains your key asset.

Schools Offering

156

Avg Grad Earnings

$33,473/yr

Avg DegreeOutlook Score

43/100

AI Automation Risk

High

41% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Human Development & Family Studies graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 297,800 combined openings per year.

Career Path	Salary Range	Openings/yr	Growth	AI Risk
Psychologists, all other	$117,580 $74K$145K	3,900	+4.3%	44%
Social scientists and related workers, all other	$100,340 $79K$128K	3,200	-1.7%	52%
Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary	$77,280 $57K$100K	200	+3.4%	54%
Farm and home management educators	$58,120 $46K$69K	1,100	-2.5%	37%
Community and social service specialists, all other	$54,940 $45K$68K	13,100	+4.6%	0%
Social and human service assistants	$45,120 $38K–$53K	50,600	+6.4%	39%
Preschool teachers, except special education	$37,120 $31K–$47K	65,500	+4.1%	23%
Childcare workers	$32,050 $28K–$37K	160,200	-2.9%	14%

Psychologists, all other

$117,580

$74K $145K

3,900 openings/yr +4.3% growth 44% AI risk

Social scientists and related workers, all other

$100,340

$79K $128K

3,200 openings/yr -1.7% growth 52% AI risk

Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary

$77,280

$57K $100K

200 openings/yr +3.4% growth 54% AI risk

Farm and home management educators

$58,120

$46K $69K

1,100 openings/yr -2.5% growth 37% AI risk

Community and social service specialists, all other

$54,940

$45K $68K

13,100 openings/yr +4.6% growth 0% AI risk

Social and human service assistants

$45,120

$38K–$53K

50,600 openings/yr +6.4% growth 39% AI risk

Preschool teachers, except special education

$37,120

$31K–$47K

65,500 openings/yr +4.1% growth 23% AI risk

Childcare workers

$32,050

$28K–$37K

160,200 openings/yr -2.9% growth 14% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Best Schools for Human Development & Family Studies

Top 20 of 156 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

#	School	DW Score	Earnings	ROI
1	University of the District of Columbia Washington, DC	67 67–68	$44,819/yr	22.3x
2	California State University-East Bay Hayward, CA	66 66–66	$41,195/yr	21.0x
3	University of Maryland-College Park College Park, MD	58 58–58	$41,157/yr	11.2x
4	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, OH	56 59–57	$38,973/yr	17.8x
5	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, OH	56 59–57	$38,973/yr	17.8x
6	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, OH	56 59–57	$38,973/yr	17.8x
7	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, OH	56 59–57	$38,973/yr	17.8x
8	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, OH	56 59–57	$38,973/yr	17.8x
9	University of Florida Gainesville, FL	55 59–56	$35,759/yr	18.6x
10	Sonoma State University Rohnert Park, CA	55 60–56	$33,906/yr	16.6x
11	Oklahoma State University-Main Campus Stillwater, OK	54 55–54	$41,243/yr	10.8x
12	University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC	54 55–54	$39,924/yr	14.0x
13	SUNY College at Plattsburgh Plattsburgh, NY	54 58–54	$35,025/yr	14.3x
14	George Mason University Fairfax, VA	53 53–54	$45,140/yr	7.2x
15	Binghamton University Vestal, NY	53 57–54	$36,213/yr	12.3x
16	SUNY Oneonta Oneonta, NY	53 56–53	$36,143/yr	13.4x
17	National Louis University Chicago, IL	52 51–52	$46,954/yr	7.4x
18	Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies Portland, OR	52 51–52	$45,523/yr	—
19	North Dakota State University-Main Campus Fargo, ND	52 53–53	$41,717/yr	9.6x
20	Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX	52 54–53	$39,096/yr	9.9x
21	North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC	52 55–52	$37,458/yr	14.8x
22	South Dakota State University Brookings, SD	52 55–52	$37,123/yr	12.2x
23	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX	52 58–53	$33,118/yr	12.4x
24	University of Houston Houston, TX	51 54–52	$37,964/yr	11.4x
25	University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV	51 55–51	$35,322/yr	12.8x
26	Bowie State University Bowie, MD	51 56–52	$34,257/yr	13.6x
27	Florida State University Tallahassee, FL	51 57–52	$29,690/yr	22.6x
28	Walden University Minneapolis, MN	50 50–50	$43,693/yr	7.4x
29	Washington State University Pullman, WA	50 51–50	$39,880/yr	8.2x
30	University of Wisconsin-Madison Madison, WI	50 55–51	$34,149/yr	11.4x
31	University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA	50 55–51	$33,489/yr	9.4x
32	California State University-Sacramento Sacramento, CA	50 56–51	$31,950/yr	16.0x
33	California State University-Fullerton Fullerton, CA	50 55–50	$31,857/yr	16.5x
34	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, CA	50 56–50	$30,205/yr	17.6x
35	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, IN	49 53–49	$35,436/yr	11.2x
36	Warner Pacific University Portland, OR	48 48–49	$45,523/yr	4.2x
37	University of Wisconsin-Stout Menomonie, WI	48 51–49	$37,050/yr	10.2x
38	Weber State University Ogden, UT	48 51–48	$35,861/yr	13.7x
39	University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT	48 52–49	$35,467/yr	11.6x
40	California State University-San Marcos San Marcos, CA	48 54–49	$31,184/yr	15.1x
41	Ohio University-Main Campus Athens, OH	47 49–48	$38,973/yr	7.4x
42	Iowa State University Ames, IA	47 50–48	$36,364/yr	9.8x
43	University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK	47 51–48	$35,491/yr	11.6x
44	Ohio State University-Main Campus Columbus, OH	47 52–48	$34,610/yr	9.3x
45	Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins, CO	46 50–47	$36,214/yr	8.4x
46	Texas State University San Marcos, TX	46 50–47	$35,047/yr	9.4x
47	California State University-Monterey Bay Seaside, CA	46 51–47	$34,089/yr	10.5x
48	University of North Carolina at Greensboro Greensboro, NC	46 51–46	$33,878/yr	12.7x
49	Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA	46 51–47	$33,654/yr	8.1x
50	Kent State University at Stark North Canton, OH	46 50–46	$33,643/yr	13.1x
51	Kent State University at Salem Salem, OH	46 50–46	$33,643/yr	13.1x
52	West Virginia University Morgantown, WV	46 51–47	$32,306/yr	11.7x
53	Texas Woman's University Denton, TX	46 52–47	$30,619/yr	13.2x
54	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL	46 52–47	$29,762/yr	9.1x
55	York College of Pennsylvania York, PA	45 47–46	$39,158/yr	3.0x
56	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, IL	45 48–45	$36,743/yr	5.4x
57	University of Arizona Tucson, AZ	45 49–46	$36,445/yr	7.7x
58	University of Hawaii at Manoa Honolulu, HI	45 48–45	$36,040/yr	6.4x
59	Indiana State University Terre Haute, IN	45 49–46	$35,941/yr	9.7x
60	University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO	45 49–45	$35,234/yr	7.8x
61	American Public University System Charles Town, WV	45 50–46	$34,347/yr	11.6x
62	Southern University at New Orleans New Orleans, LA	45 50–46	$33,687/yr	10.2x
63	Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, OK	45 50–46	$32,997/yr	10.5x
64	Central Methodist University-College of Graduate and Extended Studies Fayette, MO	45 50–46	$32,588/yr	13.6x
65	California State University-Chico Chico, CA	45 51–45	$30,441/yr	13.4x
66	Connecticut College New London, CT	44 45–45	$41,609/yr	0.6x
67	Cornell University Ithaca, NY	44 47–45	$38,401/yr	1.8x
68	Kansas State University Manhattan, KS	44 48–44	$34,241/yr	9.2x
69	Oregon State University-Cascades Campus Bend, OR	44 49–45	$33,543/yr	8.7x
70	Portland State University Portland, OR	44 50–45	$32,481/yr	10.0x
71	University of Arkansas Fayetteville, AR	44 49–45	$31,758/yr	11.0x
72	Appalachian State University Boone, NC	44 50–44	$30,062/yr	13.6x
73	California State University-Northridge Northridge, CA	44 50–45	$28,150/yr	15.3x
74	Tufts University Medford, MA	43 43–44	$44,345/yr	1.3x
75	Southern Nazarene University Bethany, OK	43 44–43	$41,062/yr	2.7x
76	Lesley University Cambridge, MA	43 45–43	$38,516/yr	1.9x
77	Baker College Owosso, MI	43 46–43	$36,494/yr	7.0x
78	Central Michigan University Mount Pleasant, MI	43 47–44	$35,318/yr	7.2x
79	University of North Texas Denton, TX	43 48–44	$34,499/yr	8.9x
80	Oregon State University Corvallis, OR	43 48–44	$33,543/yr	8.1x
81	University of Northern Iowa Cedar Falls, IA	43 48–43	$32,614/yr	10.3x
82	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, CT	43 49–44	$31,642/yr	7.1x
83	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, CT	43 49–44	$31,642/yr	7.1x
84	University of Connecticut-Stamford Stamford, CT	43 49–44	$31,642/yr	7.1x
85	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, CT	43 49–44	$31,642/yr	7.1x
86	University of Georgia Athens, GA	43 49–44	$31,392/yr	10.0x
87	Georgia Southern University Statesboro, GA	43 49–43	$29,387/yr	15.6x
88	Concordia University-Saint Paul Saint Paul, MN	42 43–43	$40,593/yr	3.0x
89	Pacific Oaks College Pasadena, CA	42 44–43	$39,077/yr	2.8x
90	Ashford University San Diego, CA	42 45–42	$36,944/yr	6.1x
91	University of Idaho Moscow, ID	42 47–43	$34,340/yr	9.6x
92	Montclair State University Montclair, NJ	42 46–42	$34,109/yr	4.8x
93	University of Connecticut Storrs, CT	42 47–43	$31,642/yr	5.9x
94	Spring Arbor University Spring Arbor, MI	41 44–42	$37,401/yr	1.9x
95	Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, MI	41 45–42	$35,209/yr	6.0x
96	University of Rhode Island Kingston, RI	41 46–42	$34,205/yr	6.2x
97	Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI	41 46–42	$33,911/yr	4.5x
98	Illinois State University Normal, IL	41 46–41	$33,682/yr	4.3x
99	East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN	41 46–42	$33,301/yr	9.2x
100	University of Missouri-Columbia Columbia, MO	41 46–42	$33,015/yr	7.2x
101	Ball State University Muncie, IN	41 47–42	$32,836/yr	6.6x
102	East Carolina University Greenville, NC	41 47–42	$29,607/yr	12.5x
103	Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA	41 47–42	$28,589/yr	12.2x
104	University of Virginia-Main Campus Charlottesville, VA	40 45–41	$34,533/yr	3.1x
105	Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO	40 45–41	$32,769/yr	9.4x
106	University of Southern Mississippi Hattiesburg, MS	40 46–41	$31,020/yr	9.8x
107	Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI	39 43–40	$35,216/yr	5.5x
108	Kent State University at Kent Kent, OH	39 44–40	$33,643/yr	7.0x
109	Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Bowling Green, OH	39 44–39	$32,175/yr	6.8x
110	University of New Hampshire-Main Campus Durham, NH	39 45–40	$32,146/yr	5.5x
111	Michigan State University East Lansing, MI	39 44–39	$31,434/yr	6.4x
112	University of Central Missouri Warrensburg, MO	38 44–39	$32,574/yr	8.1x
113	The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Knoxville, TN	38 43–39	$32,300/yr	6.7x
114	Auburn University Auburn, AL	38 44–39	$30,502/yr	7.8x
115	The University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL	38 44–39	$30,264/yr	8.3x
116	Indiana University of Pennsylvania-Main Campus Indiana, PA	37 42–37	$30,675/yr	7.6x
117	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA	37 43–38	$29,539/yr	5.2x
118	Northern Illinois University Dekalb, IL	37 43–38	$28,342/yr	8.0x
119	Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, TX	37 42–37	$27,918/yr	6.1x
120	Northwestern State University of Louisiana Natchitoches, LA	37 42–37	$27,373/yr	6.7x
121	Stevenson University Owings Mills, MD	36 41–37	$34,273/yr	2.3x
122	Temple University Philadelphia, PA	36 42–37	$31,452/yr	2.6x
123	University of Maine Orono, ME	36 42–37	$30,983/yr	6.7x
124	Abilene Christian University-Undergraduate Online Addison, TX	36 42–37	$30,278/yr	6.4x
125	Eastern Kentucky University Richmond, KY	36 42–37	$27,514/yr	9.2x
126	Central Washington University Ellensburg, WA	36 42–37	$27,006/yr	6.3x
127	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, TX	36 41–37	$26,897/yr	5.8x
128	Purdue University Northwest Hammond, IN	36 41–36	$26,384/yr	10.0x
129	New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, NM	36 41–36	$25,965/yr	10.3x
130	Syracuse University Syracuse, NY	35 38–36	$36,858/yr	1.0x
131	Post University Waterbury, CT	35 41–36	$31,627/yr	4.9x
132	Southern Wesleyan University Central, SC	35 41–36	$31,326/yr	1.8x
133	University of Akron Main Campus Akron, OH	35 41–36	$30,835/yr	6.3x
134	University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette, LA	35 41–36	$29,094/yr	7.9x
135	Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA	35 41–36	$26,591/yr	5.6x
136	Brigham Young University Provo, UT	35 40–36	$25,342/yr	10.9x
137	Grambling State University Grambling, LA	35 38–36	$23,073/yr	6.5x
138	Brigham Young University-Idaho Rexburg, ID	35 37–35	$21,619/yr	12.1x
139	Utah Valley University Orem, UT	35 37–36	$20,971/yr	7.4x
140	Central Methodist University-College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Fayette, MO	34 39–34	$32,588/yr	2.7x
141	Merrimack College North Andover, MA	33 38–34	$33,640/yr	1.6x
142	Fresno Pacific University Fresno, CA	33 38–34	$32,957/yr	2.1x
143	Liberty University Lynchburg, VA	33 39–34	$31,083/yr	3.4x
144	Utah State University Logan, UT	33 39–34	$26,561/yr	8.2x
145	Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS	33 36–34	$21,243/yr	4.4x
146	Curry College Milton, MA	32 38–33	$29,532/yr	0.6x
147	University of Vermont Burlington, VT	32 37–32	$25,249/yr	2.3x
148	Messiah University Mechanicsburg, PA	31 36–31	$32,943/yr	1.3x
149	Point University West Point, GA	31 36–32	$25,578/yr	1.9x
150	Baylor University Waco, TX	30 36–31	$32,137/yr	1.2x
151	Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA	30 35–30	$27,037/yr	2.2x
152	Benedict College Columbia, SC	30 33–31	$21,607/yr	2.0x
153	Abilene Christian University Abilene, TX	29 35–30	$30,278/yr	1.5x
154	Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles, CA	29 35–29	$28,453/yr	1.7x
155	St. Joseph's University-New York Brooklyn, NY	29 31–29	$21,796/yr	0.6x
156	John Brown University Siloam Springs, AR	27 32–28	$24,935/yr	2.4x

Highest Earning Human Development & Family Studies Programs

Schools where Human Development & Family Studies graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

School	1-Year Earnings	DW Score
National Louis University	$46,954/yr	52
Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies	$45,523/yr	52
Warner Pacific University	$45,523/yr	48
George Mason University	$45,140/yr	53
University of the District of Columbia	$44,819/yr	67
Tufts University	$44,345/yr	43
Walden University	$43,693/yr	50
North Dakota State University-Main Campus	$41,717/yr	52
Connecticut College	$41,609/yr	44
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus	$41,243/yr	54

Best ROI for Human Development & Family Studies

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Human Development & Family Studies.

School	ROI Multiple	Earnings	DW Score
Florida State University	22.6x	$29,690/yr	51
University of the District of Columbia	22.3x	$44,819/yr	67
California State University-East Bay	21.0x	$41,195/yr	66
University of Florida	18.6x	$35,759/yr	55
Ohio University-Eastern Campus	17.8x	$38,973/yr	56
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus	17.8x	$38,973/yr	56
Ohio University-Southern Campus	17.8x	$38,973/yr	56
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus	17.8x	$38,973/yr	56
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus	17.8x	$38,973/yr	56
California State University-Long Beach	17.6x	$30,205/yr	50

Want to compare two Human Development & Family Studies programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Human Development & Family Studies offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Human Development & Family Studies graduates earn?

Across 156 schools, Human Development & Family Studies graduates earn an average of $33,473 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $20,971 to $46,954 depending on the school.

What is the AI automation risk for Human Development & Family Studies?

Human Development & Family Studies is rated "High" for AI automation risk, with an average of 41% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means some career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.

Which school has the best Human Development & Family Studies program?

Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), University of the District of Columbia ranks #1 for Human Development & Family Studies with a score of 67/100 and graduate earnings of $44,819/yr.

What's the outlook for a Human Development & Family Studies degree?

On average, Human Development & Family Studies graduates earn 8.6x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a moderate return — school choice matters significantly.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →