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Human Development & Family Studies at University of California-San Diego

La Jolla, CA · Public · Bachelor's Degree · Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services
50 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
51
Optimistic
50
Base Case
55
Pessimistic
Earnings $33,489/yr (0% vs median)
AI Risk High (33% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (297,800 openings/yr)
ROI 10.3x earnings multiple (3.4x out-of-state)
Ranked #31 of 156 Human Development & Family Studies programs Top 25%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Human Development & Family Studies graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $638K $627K $579K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 10.4x 10.3x 9.5x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 3.5x 3.4x 3.1x
Probability of Field Employment 54% 50% 42%
DegreeOutlook Score 51 50 55

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$61,060
Out-of-state: $184,168 (3.4x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$47,000
23% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$19,000
6.8 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$63,343
89% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $33,489/yr, Human Development & Family Studies graduates from University of California-San Diego land near the $33,473 national average — neither a standout nor a red flag.

The 10.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 33% task exposure — and the 9% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The $19,000 debt-to-$33,489 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.

Ranked #31 out of 156 programs, University of California-San Diego's Human Development & Family Studies program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $33,489 to $63,343 over five years (89% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of California-San Diego

A 25% acceptance rate puts University of California-San Diego in competitive admissions territory, serving a student body of 33,787 in La Jolla, CA.

See all programs and financial aid at University of California-San Diego →

Top Career Paths

Psychologists, all other $117,580/yr
Social scientists and related workers, all other $100,340/yr
Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary $77,280/yr
View all 8 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 156 schools offering Human Development & Family Studies →

Human Development & Family Studies at Other Schools

National Louis University ($46,954) Warner Pacific University ($45,523) Warner Pacific University Professional and Graduate Studies ($45,523) George Mason University ($45,140) University of the District of Columbia ($44,819) Tufts University ($44,345) Walden University ($43,693) North Dakota State University-Main Campus ($41,717)

Other Majors at University of California-San Diego

Computer Science ($112,006) Computer Engineering ($96,256) Mathematics and Computer Science ($89,651) Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering ($80,687) Biomathematics, Bioinformatics, and Computational Biology ($76,592) Mechanical Engineering ($69,555) Biological/Biosystems Engineering ($67,016) Civil Engineering ($65,478)

Consider the Trade Route?

Compare Human Development & Family Studies trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of California-San Diego's Human Development & Family Studies program score?
This program scores 50/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Human Development & Family Studies graduates.
How vulnerable is Human Development & Family Studies to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Human Development & Family Studies careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 33% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does University of California-San Diego rank so high for Human Development & Family Studies?
The #31 ranking out of 156 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →