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Best Schools for Human Development & Family Studies in 2026

156 schools ranked by DegreeWorth Score · Updated 2026

These are the top schools offering Human Development & Family Studies, ranked by DegreeWorth Score. The score combines graduate earnings, AI automation resilience, job market demand, and return on tuition investment. The average Human Development & Family Studies graduate earns $33,473/yr across 156 schools.

Programs Ranked

156

Avg Earnings

$33,473/yr

Avg DW Score

43/100

AI Risk

High

41% task exposure

All Human Development & Family Studies Programs Ranked

Click any row for full AI scenario analysis, earnings projections, and career path breakdown.

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

Methodology

Programs are ranked by DegreeWorth Score, which combines four equally weighted factors: graduate earnings (Year 1 after graduation), AI automation resilience (based on OpenAI and academic research), job market size (BLS annual openings), and earnings-to-tuition multiple (10-year projected earnings vs. 4-year tuition).

Earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, which reports actual median earnings of graduates — not self-reported surveys.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best school for Human Development & Family Studies?

Based on our DegreeWorth Score, 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.

How much do Human Development & Family Studies graduates earn?

Across 156 schools, Human Development & Family Studies graduates earn an average of $33,473/yr in their first year. The highest-earning program reports $46,954/yr.

Is Human Development & Family Studies a good major for AI resistance?

Human Development & Family Studies has an average AI task exposure of 41%, rated "High". This field has moderate AI exposure — some career paths are more resilient than others.

Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Last updated 2025.