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Family & Consumer Economics

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 19.0401 - 19.0499.

Types of Degrees Family & Consumer Economics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Family & Consumer Economics have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	928
Master’s Degree	231
Doctor’s Degree	6

What Family & Consumer Economics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Family & Consumer Economics build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Family & Consumer Economics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Family & Consumer Economics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Family & Consumer Economics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Family & Consumer Economics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Family & Consumer Economics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Family & Consumer Economics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Zoom	Video conferencing software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Family & Consumer Economics graduates include:

• Adjunct Instructor
• Tailoring Teacher
• College Faculty Member
• Cooking Teacher
• Family and Consumer Sciences Professor (FCS Professor)
• Home Economics Teacher
• Chef Instructor
• Textiles and Clothing Teacher
• Food and Nutrition Instructor
• Food and Nutrition Teacher
• Food and Nutrition Professor
• College Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Home and Family Living Professor

What Can You Do With a Family & Consumer Economics Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Family & Consumer Economics commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Farm and Home Management Educators	14.0%	$55,950	$47,136–$64,765

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Family & Consumer Economics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	51.4%
Doctoral degree	26.2%
Bachelor’s degree	10.4%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	6.4%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%
Less than a high school diploma	1.7%
Some college courses	0.5%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
First professional degree	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Family & Consumer Economics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 68.6% of Family & Consumer Economics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	800	68.6%
Men	366	31.4%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Family & Consumer Economics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	701	60.1%
Asian	50	4.3%
Hispanic or Latino	195	16.7%
Black or African American	121	10.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	8	0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.3%
Two or More Races	46	3.9%
Race Unknown	17	1.5%
International Students	25	2.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Family & Consumer Economics Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Family & Consumer Economics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$41,182
4 years	$45,170
5 years	$51,999

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $51,999 — roughly 26% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Family & Consumer Economics Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Family & Consumer Economics. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	3	2
Master’s	3	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Family & Consumer Economics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Family & Consumer Economics graduates earn a median of $45,170 four years after completion — roughly 19% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Family Consumer Human Sciences	53,684
Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services	42,800
Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services	3,867
Apparel and Textiles	2,711
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General	2,227
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Business Services	493
Housing and Human Environments	255
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other	156
Work and Family Studies	9
Work and Family Studies	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.