Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
Offered at 1,511 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 585 | $28,506 | $32,441 | $11,100 |
| Associate | 469 | $30,402 | $36,127 | $15,737 |
| Bachelor's | 286 | $38,751 | $49,939 | $23,004 |
| Post-bacc certificate | 1 | — | — | — |
| Master's | 104 | $51,345 | $57,186 | — |
| Doctoral | 34 | — | — | — |
| Graduate certificate | 32 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
One year after finishing, a typical certificate program in this field reports median earnings of $28,506, versus $38,751 for a typical bachelor's program.
Highest-earning certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ferris State University | MI | $57,527 | $63,372 | $27,000 |
| 2 | City College of San Francisco | CA | — | $61,670 | — |
| 3 | Merritt College | CA | — | $53,345 | — |
| 4 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harold Washington College | IL | $51,399 | — | $8,000 |
| 5 | Community College of Philadelphia | PA | — | $46,554 | — |
| 6 | Northwood Technical College | WI | — | $42,302 | $9,750 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Mission College | CA | — | $42,047 | — |
| 8 | Miami Dade College | FL | — | $41,205 | $9,750 |
| 9 | Cabrillo College | CA | $27,023 | $40,747 | — |
| 10 | Milwaukee Area Technical College | WI | — | $40,683 | $20,750 |
| 11 | Santa Ana College | CA | $32,629 | $40,401 | $14,200 |
| 12 | American Public University System | WV | $39,248 | — | $19,188 |
| 13 | Arapahoe Community College | CO | — | $39,051 | — |
| 14 | Palm Beach State College | FL | — | $38,463 | — |
| 15 | Chattahoochee Technical College | GA | $35,337 | $38,256 | $21,616 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada College | CA | — | $58,193 | — |
| 2 | College of Southern Nevada | NV | $36,642 | $52,268 | — |
| 3 | North Shore Community College | MA | $42,643 | $49,690 | $11,175 |
| 4 | West Valley College | CA | — | $47,440 | — |
| 5 | College of the Canyons | CA | — | $46,014 | — |
| 6 | Massasoit Community College | MA | $44,527 | $45,586 | — |
| 7 | Pasadena City College | CA | — | $45,411 | — |
| 8 | Central New Mexico Community College | NM | — | $44,115 | $9,393 |
| 9 | Post University | CT | $29,348 | $42,935 | $32,125 |
| 10 | Hudson Valley Community College | NY | $25,962 | $42,850 | $14,016 |
| 11 | CUNY Hostos Community College | NY | — | $41,793 | — |
| 12 | City Colleges of Chicago-Harry S Truman College | IL | — | $41,715 | — |
| 13 | Tulsa Community College | OK | $32,166 | $41,696 | $14,947 |
| 14 | Southeast Missouri State University | MO | — | $41,632 | — |
| 15 | Oakland Community College | MI | — | $41,492 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornell University | NY | $50,055 | $80,718 | $12,000 |
| 2 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $31,391 | $73,561 | $12,000 |
| 3 | Howard University | DC | — | $72,556 | $23,165 |
| 4 | Tufts University | MA | $43,411 | $66,511 | $17,000 |
| 5 | Syracuse University | NY | $42,302 | $65,258 | $21,000 |
| 6 | University of Maryland-College Park | MD | $43,070 | $64,579 | $16,372 |
| 7 | San Jose State University | CA | — | $64,400 | — |
| 8 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | $39,331 | $64,299 | $20,500 |
| 9 | University of the District of Columbia | DC | $54,880 | $64,272 | — |
| 10 | California State University-East Bay | CA | $48,157 | $64,037 | $18,137 |
| 11 | University of Virginia-Main Campus | VA | $46,352 | $63,597 | $19,500 |
| 12 | University of Wisconsin-Madison | WI | $42,901 | $63,562 | $20,250 |
| 13 | Whittier College | CA | $27,127 | $62,241 | $20,875 |
| 14 | University of Connecticut | CT | $39,329 | $62,136 | $19,500 |
| 15 | University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus | CT | $39,329 | $62,136 | $19,500 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning post-bacc certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erikson Institute | IL | — | $58,639 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tufts University | MA | $55,787 | $80,804 | — |
| 2 | University of Illinois Chicago | IL | — | $73,985 | — |
| 3 | University of La Verne | CA | — | $71,930 | — |
| 4 | Clemson University | SC | $51,352 | $70,110 | — |
| 5 | Pacific Oaks College | CA | $58,652 | $69,062 | — |
| 6 | Eastern Michigan University | MI | — | $65,398 | — |
| 7 | National Louis University | IL | $56,989 | $62,888 | — |
| 8 | California State University-Dominguez Hills | CA | $65,253 | $62,811 | — |
| 9 | University of Missouri-Columbia | MO | $50,666 | $60,854 | — |
| 10 | Kansas State University | KS | $58,557 | $60,406 | — |
| 11 | University of Rhode Island | RI | $57,209 | $60,234 | — |
| 12 | University of Florida | FL | $56,011 | $59,885 | — |
| 13 | Erikson Institute | IL | $55,314 | $59,549 | — |
| 14 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | $52,443 | $58,791 | — |
| 15 | Arizona State University Digital Immersion | AZ | $52,443 | $58,791 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Capella University | MN | — | $79,682 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning graduate certificate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Portland State University | OR | $71,622 | — | — |
| 2 | Capella University | MN | — | $58,247 | — |
| 3 | Erikson Institute | IL | $66,086 | $57,950 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
Quick answers
- How much do human development, family studies, and related services graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in human development, family studies, and related services reports median earnings of $38,751. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
