Home Schools Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Human Development & Family Studies
Family & Consumer Sciences · Human Development & Family Studies Rank #7 of 156

Human Development & Family Studiesat Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Graduates earn $38,973/yr in their first year — about 16.0% above the national Human Development & Family Studies average. Base-case 10-year earnings $486K; scenarios range from $461K to $485K depending on AI disruption.

Lancaster, OH Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
56 SOLID
57
Optimistic
59
Pessimistic
Earnings
$38,973
1-year post-graduation
ROI
17.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$486K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
41% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

This program's consistent national ranking highlights a curriculum deeply connected to the practical needs of the human services sector. Ohio University-Lancaster benefits from strong local and regional partnerships, feeding graduates into vital roles across Central Ohio. You'll likely find alumni working in non-profits, government agencies like the Department of Job and Family Services, and educational settings, particularly within Fairfield County and the broader Columbus metropolitan area. These local connections often translate into robust internship opportunities that frequently convert into full-time positions upon graduation, explaining the strong early career trajectory.

While the broader field's administrative tasks face some automation risk, your core professional value in human development and family services—empathy, complex interpersonal communication, crisis intervention, and nuanced client support—remains inherently human and irreplaceable. Focus on cultivating these advanced soft skills. Consider actively pursuing internships that involve direct client interaction and program development to fortify your career against technological shifts.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$461K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple18.6x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$486K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple19.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$485K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score57/100
Earnings Multiple19.6x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Ohio University-Lancaster Campus's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Human Development & Family Studies graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Psychologists, all other
+4.3% 10-yr growth · 3,900 openings/yr
$117,580/yr
Moderate
2
Social scientists and related workers, all other
-1.7% 10-yr growth · 3,200 openings/yr
$100,340/yr
High
3
Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary
+3.4% 10-yr growth · 200 openings/yr
$77,280/yr
High
4
Farm and home management educators
-2.5% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$58,120/yr
Moderate
5
Community and social service specialists, all other
+4.6% 10-yr growth · 13,100 openings/yr
$54,940/yr
Low
6
Social and human service assistants
+6.4% 10-yr growth · 50,600 openings/yr
$45,120/yr
Moderate
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Human Development & Family Studies

How Ohio University-Lancaster Campus stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
National Louis University
IL · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$47K
1-yr earn
7.4x
ROI
Warner Pacific University
OR · Private nonprofit
48
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
4.2x
ROI
Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies
OR · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$46K
1-yr earn
George Mason University
VA · Public
53
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
7.2x
ROI
Top score
University of the District of Columbia
DC · Public
67
DW Score
$45K
1-yr earn
22.3x
ROI
Also at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Other top programs at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

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.

Compare Human Development & Family Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Human Development & Family Studies at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Human Development & Family Studies at Ohio University-Lancaster Campus?

A score of 56/100 puts this program in competitive territory — solid outcomes, though not at the top of the Human Development & Family Studies field.

Will AI replace Human Development & Family Studies careers?

With 33% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $460,634 in decade earnings vs $485,034 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

What makes Ohio University-Lancaster Campus's Human Development & Family Studies program stand out?

Ranked #7 of 156 programs nationally, Ohio University-Lancaster Campus lands in the top 5%. The ranking reflects a combination of graduate earnings, return on investment, and job market alignment.