Family & Consumer Sciences

About Family & Consumer Sciences

Wondering whether Family & Consumer Sciences is worth studying? What matters is what graduates actually earn, where they end up working, and which colleges produce the most of them. Most graduates end up in this field, so it is worth knowing what a Marketing Manager earns and how the role is projected to grow.

Child development, nutrition, family counseling, and consumer economics, applied social science with direct career paths in community health and social services. Four years after finishing the degree, graduates in this field earn a national median of $48,460, per College Scorecard. You can study it at 1,199 colleges and universities across the country, so location is rarely the limiting factor. About 51,926 students complete a degree in this area every year.

Median Earnings · 1yr

$34,030

Median Earnings · 4yr

$48,460

Colleges Offering

1,199

Graduates / Year

51,926

Specializations

8

Avg Net Price / yr

$16,660

Is a Family & Consumer Sciences Degree Right for You?

Is the Investment Worth It?

Solid ROI. Median earnings of $48,460 after 4 years. Against an estimated $66,640 four-year net cost, the typical graduate reaches earnings breakeven in roughly 3.6 years.

How Much Do Family & Consumer Sciences Majors Earn?

Pay for Family & Consumer Sciences graduates climbs fast in the first few years out. The median start is $34,030 one year after graduation, rising to $48,460 by year four, so the early salary is not the ceiling. Source: College Scorecard, across all 1,199 US institutions offering programs in this field.

What Can You Do With a Family & Consumer Sciences Degree?

Career Paths for Family & Consumer Sciences Graduates

Studying Family & Consumer Sciences does not lock you into one job title. It opens 8 occupations tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, from entry-level roles to senior ones, and Marketing Manager pays the most among them at a median $166,790 a year. Each row below adds national wages, employment levels, and the 10-year growth outlook so you can weigh the rest.

Another common path leads to what a Sales Manager typically earns and how the field is trending.

Family & Consumer Sciences Specializations

Family & Consumer Sciences spans 8 specializations, and the choice among them will not swing your paycheck much: four-year earnings run from $46,475 to $64,926 across the whole group. Each row links to a full program profile with institution counts and annual completion data. Source: College Scorecard.

The highest-paying specialization is the cost and outcomes for a Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business program, which is worth a closer look before settling on the broader field.

Best Colleges for Family & Consumer Sciences

These are the 20 colleges that graduate the most students in Family & Consumer Sciences, ranked by how many completed the degree in the most recent reporting year, not by selectivity or prestige. Acceptance rate, net price, earnings, and graduation rate for each one come from College Scorecard and IPEDS.

By that measure, the list starts with the cost and admissions data for Brigham Young University-Idaho.

Ranked by number of Family & Consumer Sciences graduates per IPEDS completion data. Acceptance rate, net price, earnings, and graduation rate from College Scorecard. Read our methodology →

How Family & Consumer Sciences Compares to Similar Majors

Plan Your Path

Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Family & Consumer Sciences degree, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find programs that match your profile.

Family & Consumer Sciences Degree: Pros & Cons

Weigh the financial trade-offs in Family & Consumer Sciences carefully before committing to it. The 3 strengths and 1 concerns below come from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts, so you can see exactly what is driving the caution.

Family & Consumer Sciences Degree: Frequently Asked Questions