Only 6 colleges in the country offer Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, which means graduates enter the workforce from a smaller, more specialized pool. Median earnings four years out: $46,475.
This page covers Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Family & Consumer Sciences and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences is a focused area of study within Family & Consumer Sciences. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $46,475 four years out, a modest return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 6 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 142 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. Coursework pairs research methods with the applied study of people and institutions.
Four years after finishing Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, a typical graduate earns $46,475, below average for bachelor's degree holders. Half of earners land somewhere between $32,932 and $61,944, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Source: College Scorecard.
What that figure means in practice depends on what the degree cost to get, which is a matter of lifetime earnings against total outlay.
Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.
Below average for bachelor's degree holders.
Not every Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out a moderate amount, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Degree level and sector drive the gap. Graduate-level government and research roles anchor the top; entry-level social services and nonprofit roles anchor the bottom.
At median 4-year earnings of $46,475 and an estimated $76,680 four-year net cost, earnings breakeven against a baseline wage takes approximately 4.7 years. Compare specific programs before committing to a high-cost option.
Based on outcomes from 7 schools. Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Of the 142 students who complete Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences programs each year, the majority (96%) earn a bachelor's degree. The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
This degree does not lock you into one job. Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences graduates show up in 8 different occupations, and Marketing Manager pays the most at $166,790/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
The best-paid of these is what a Marketing Manager earns and how fast the role is growing, though entry requirements vary across the list.
Only 4 colleges had enough verified data to appear here for Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. They are sorted by graduate volume, not selectivity, so use them as a starting point rather than a ranking.
Ranked by score, that list starts with the cost and outcomes at University of Utah, and the rest follow the same measures.
| # | College | Graduates | Acceptance | Net Price/yr | Earnings 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT · Public | 100 | 86% | $16,200 | $67,170 |
| 2 | Auburn University Auburn, AL · Public | 17 | 45.9% | $24,323 | $65,337 |
| 3 | Hood College Frederick, MD · Nonprofit | 6 | 77.8% | $20,873 | $57,089 |
| 4 | Norfolk State University Norfolk, VA · Public | 5 | 87.8% | $15,282 | $44,666 |
Ranked by Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats. Read our methodology →
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find schools that match your profile.
See if a Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences degree pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings its graduates actually see.
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences carries financial trade-offs prospective students should weigh carefully. The 3 strengths and 3 concerns below are drawn from College Scorecard earnings, BLS job growth data, and IPEDS completion counts.
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Scout uses AI and can make mistakes. Verify important numbers on the page.
