by our College Data Analytics TeamThis major will allow you learn about the development and interactions between individuals, families, and communities. You will learn how economics and finances affect different groups of people, allowing you to come up with solutions to help. These problems do not affect just one area of people, but rather it affects everyone; no matter their age, race, or gender. The role you play is vital to helping the people you work with make decisions and solve problems that can better their life. Through public policy, personal coaching or positive business practices you can influence people to change their lives and live happier and healthier.
There are many different major opportunities and specializations within this field. If you are more interested in health and nutrition you can choose a major in Food & Nutrition. To study the development of families in society, choose a major in Human Development & Family Studies". Have an interest in fashion and clothing design? Major in Textile & Apparel Studies. Other majors in this field are General Family & Consumer Sciences, Housing, and Human Sciences Business Services.
Family, Consumer & Human Sciences was the 22nd most popular major in the 2021-2022 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 54,010 degrees in this year alone. Our 2025 Best Family, Consumer & Human Sciences Schools ranking analyzes 214 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for family, consumer & human sciences students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of family, consumer & human sciences programs later in this article.
Those who choose majors in the Family & Consumer Science field are typically interested in serving people in one form or another. Some essential skills are compassion, dedication and an open mind. Creativity will help you come up with new ideas and fresh approaches when working with people, clothing or food. Classes will involve a lot of abstract theory you will need to synthesize and apply in various real world settings. For example, you may need to determine the developmental needs of a child in order to place them in the best educational setting or home.
Regardless of your specialization, communication will be an essential skill. Writing, reading, speaking, and listening skills are important in every career option. Another skill set is being able to comfortably work on a team either as a team member or in the leadership role. You will have to take initiative while at the same time respecting the other people you are working with and accepting their point of view as well.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Specific family, consumer & human sciences careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.
There are many different family, consumer & human sciences degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in family, consumer & human sciences to something that takes less time like a . How long it takes to complete some common family, consumer & human sciences degree levels is shown below.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to family, consumer & human sciences, with approximately 31.1% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for family, consumer & human sciences workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 27.6% |
| High School Diploma | 23.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 9.9% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 9.0% |
| Some College Courses | 8.2% |
58.7% of family, consumer & human sciences workers have at least a associate. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in family, consumer & human sciences have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which family, consumer & human sciences career you choose.
There are a variety of career opportunities for those who enter the family, consumer, and human sciences field. You may choose to stay in the human services route and work directly with clients. However, fashion and apparel design is a completely different career path that will allow you to design and manufacture clothing, or run your own fashion boutique. Interior design and housing is another option for a person in this field. Or you may become a registered dietician. Lastly, becoming a business administrator or working in management could be your career path. Here you would have less interaction with clients and do more behind the scenes work.
Want a job when you graduate with your family, consumer & human sciences degree? Family, Consumer & Human Sciences careers are expected to grow 8.8% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to family, consumer & human sciences.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Sales Supervisors | 1,590,100 | 3.8% |
| Childcare Workers | 1,300,900 | 6.9% |
| High School Teachers | 1,095,500 | 7.5% |
| Food Preparation and Serving Worker Supervisors | 1,024,500 | 9.3% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 733,700 | 23.2% |
Recently graduated family, consumer & human sciences students earned an average of $34,645 in <nil>. Earnings can range from as low as $10,032 to as high as $75,686. As you might expect, salaries for family, consumer & human sciences graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for family, consumer & human sciences graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers family, consumer & human sciences grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Marketing Managers | $147,240 |
| Sales Managers | $140,320 |
| Fashion Designers | $87,610 |
| Home Economics Professors | $77,170 |
| Technical Writers | $75,500 |
With over 3,488 different family, consumer & human sciences degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased family, consumer & human sciences school rankings to help you with this.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Human Development & Family Studies | 41,177 |
| Food, Nutrition & Related Services | 4,365 |
| Textile & Apparel Studies | 3,136 |
| General Family & Consumer Sciences | 2,780 |
| Family & Consumer Economics | 1,335 |
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Liberal Arts / Sciences & Humanities | 538,925 |
| Social Sciences | 197,356 |
| Communication & Journalism | 116,994 |
| English Language & Literature | 52,704 |
| History | 31,443 |
Image Credit: By National Cancer Institute under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
