Best colleges for Human Development in California
Ranked by graduate earnings
California State University - East Bay, Pacific Oaks College and California State University - Monterey Bay are the top bachelor's Human Development programs in California by graduate earnings. California State University - East Bay leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,195, College Scorecard. City College of San Francisco, Cerritos College and Los Angeles Valley College award the most Human Development degrees in California: 935, 689 and 674 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 133 California colleges offer Human Development and award 15,092 degrees and certificates a year in all.
The Human Development program, officially titled Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, focuses on understanding the various aspects of human growth and family dynamics. This interdisciplinary field falls under Family and…
Top 10 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public · Bachelor's degree | $41,195 | 259 | 48% | — | $18,000 |
| 2 | Pacific Oaks College Pasadena Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $39,077 | 43 | — | — | $27,715 |
| 3 | California State University - Monterey Bay Seaside Public · Bachelor's degree | $34,089 | 39 | 59% | — | $12,408 |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla Public · Bachelor's degree | $33,489 | 61 | 86% | — | $19,342 |
| 5 | Fresno Pacific University Fresno Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $32,957 | 81 | 50% | $14,298 | $24,549 |
| 6 | California State University - San Marcos San Marcos Public · Bachelor's degree | $31,184 | 86 | 55% | — | $17,193 |
| 7 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public · Bachelor's degree | $30,205 | 297 | 69% | — | $15,000 |
| 8 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $27,037 | 64 | 77% | $48,795 | $16,300 |
| 9 | Sonoma State University Rohnert Park Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $33,906 | 16 | 58% | — | $18,250 |
| 10 | Mount Saint Mary's University Los Angeles Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree Small program | $28,453 | 12 | 53% | $25,892 | $26,500 |
Top 8 certificate and associate programs
Shorter credentials, ranked separately so they are not compared with four-year degrees. Ranked by median earnings one year after completion (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Ana College Santa Ana Public · Certificate | $23,863 | 280 | 31% | — | $6,630 |
| 2 | Lemoore College Lemoore Public · Associate degree | $23,860 | 272 | 49% | — | $9,500 |
| 3 | Cabrillo College Aptos Public · Certificate | $23,686 | 81 | 38% | — | — |
| 4 | Coalinga College Coalinga Public · Certificate | $18,810 | 210 | 43% | — | $9,500 |
| 5 | College of the Sequoias Visalia Public · Associate degree | $18,158 | 442 | 39% | — | — |
| 6 | Modesto Junior College Modesto Public · Certificate | $15,819 | 264 | 30% | — | $9,136 |
| 7 | East Los Angeles College Monterey Park Public · Associate degree | $10,032 | 294 | 37% | — | — |
| 8 | Fresno City College Fresno Public · Associate degree | $30,519 | 236 | 24% | — | $8,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Human Development degrees in California
Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City College of San Francisco San Francisco Public | 935 | Not reported |
| 2 | Cerritos College Norwalk Public | 689 | Not reported |
| 3 | Los Angeles Valley College Valley Glen Public | 674 | Not reported |
| 4 | University of California-Davis Davis Public | 364 | Not reported |
| 5 | Santa Monica College Santa Monica Public | 336 | Not reported |
| 6 | California State University - Long Beach Long Beach Public | 297 | $30,205 |
| 7 | Antelope Valley Community College District Lancaster Public | 260 | Not reported |
| 8 | California State University - East Bay Hayward Public | 259 | $41,195 |
| 9 | MiraCosta College Oceanside Public | 247 | Not reported |
| 10 | Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill Public | 230 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 123 California colleges offering Human Development
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Social and Human Service Assistants (SOC 21-1093).
Top skills
What Social and Human Service Assistants earn in California
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Human Development programs in California.
Which California colleges award the most Human Development degrees?+
City College of San Francisco (935 graduates a year), Cerritos College (689 graduates a year) and Los Angeles Valley College (674 graduates a year) award the most Human Development degrees in California, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 133 California colleges offer Human Development.
What is the best college for Human Development in California?+
By graduate earnings, California State University - East Bay leads among bachelor's Human Development programs in California, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $41,195, College Scorecard. Pacific Oaks College and California State University - Monterey Bay follow. By degrees awarded, City College of San Francisco is the largest, with 935 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Human Development program in California has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, California State University - East Bay tops the list at $41,195. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Social and Human Service Assistants earn in California?+
The average annual wage for Social and Human Service Assistants in California is $55,100 (median $51,090), across about 58,730 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Human Development program?+
The Human Development program, officially titled Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, focuses on understanding the various aspects of human growth and family dynamics. This interdisciplinary field falls under Family and…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop speaking, active listening, reading comprehension, monitoring, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Social and Human Service Assistants?+
The national job outlook is about +6.4% growth with around 50,600 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
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