Human Services, General: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Human Services, General graduates earn a median $48,597 four years after finishing — $237/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 285.3 years. Federal data pools 151 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 5,439 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Syracuse University | NY | $68,314 |
| 2 | Goodwin University | CT | $66,583 |
| 3 | George Washington University | DC | $65,190 |
| 4 | Northeastern University | MA | $61,152 |
| 5 | Northeastern University Professional Programs | MA | $61,152 |
| 6 | St. Joseph's University-New York | NY | $60,091 |
| 7 | University of Nevada-Las Vegas | NV | $58,130 |
| 8 | University of Baltimore | MD | $58,117 |
| 9 | Mount Saint Mary College | NY | $57,910 |
| 10 | CUNY New York City College of Technology | NY | $56,827 |
| 11 | California State University-Monterey Bay | CA | $56,719 |
| 12 | Monroe University | NY | $56,245 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.