Behavioral Sciences
Interdisciplinary Studies
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Associate's Degree | $41,634 | $41,081 to $43,440 | 5 | 100% |
| Bachelor's Degree | $47,464 | $44,232 to $50,496 | 22 | 95% |
| Master's Degree | $72,822 | $65,965 to $79,232 | 7 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +5% (2025 to 2035), about 45,300 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Social and Community Service Managers | $80,390 | +7.2% | 18,500 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | +5.5% | 11,600 |
| Social Science Research Assistants | $61,990 | +5% | 4,900 |
| Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary | $80,340 | +4% | 3,700 |
| Psychologists, All Other | $110,840 | +2.3% | 3,500 |
| Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other | $101,110 | -0.2% | 2,700 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a behavioral sciences program, of 106 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- Purdue University Global
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Iowa
- San Jacinto Community College
- Teachers College at Columbia University
- Imperial Valley College
- The University of Arizona Global Campus
- University of Pennsylvania
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.