Mississippi · Human Development

Best colleges for Human Development in Mississippi

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Southern Mississippi, Mississippi State University and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College are the top Human Development programs in Mississippi by graduate earnings. University of Southern Mississippi leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $31,020, College Scorecard. Hinds Community College, Coahoma Community College and University of Southern Mississippi award the most Human Development degrees and certificates in Mississippi: 87, 83 and 73 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 18 Mississippi colleges offer Human Development and award 517 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…

Institutions
18
offering CIP 19.07
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
517
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$21,243
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
4
College Scorecard
Median net price
$19,069
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
45%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Social and Human Service Assistants
$32,850
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 4 institutions, 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.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg Public · Bachelor's degree
$31,0207349%—$32,062
2Mississippi State University
Mississippi State Public · Bachelor's degree
$21,2433467%—$27,500
3Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Perkinston Public · Associate degree
$20,0695248%—$10,940
4East Central Community College
Decatur Public · Associate degree Small program
$21,9501136%——

Colleges awarding the most Human Development degrees in Mississippi

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Hinds Community College
Raymond Public
87Not reported
2Coahoma Community College
Clarksdale Public
83Not reported
3University of Southern Mississippi
Hattiesburg Public
73$31,020
4Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
Perkinston Public
52$20,069
5Northwest Mississippi Community College
Senatobia Public
44Not reported
6Itawamba Community College
Fulton Public
36Not reported
7Mississippi State University
Mississippi State Public
34$21,243
8Alcorn State University
Alcorn State Public
16Not reported
9Jones County Junior College
Ellisville Public
16Not reported
10Southwest Mississippi Community College
Summit Public
15Not reported
Show the other 8 Mississippi colleges offering Human Development
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeWessonPublic13
Meridian Community CollegeMeridianPublic12
East Central Community CollegeDecaturPublic11
Pearl River Community CollegePoplarvillePublic11
Northeast Mississippi Community CollegeBoonevillePublic5
Mississippi University for WomenColumbusPublic4
Tougaloo CollegeTougalooPrivate not-for-profit4
East Mississippi Community CollegeScoobaPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Social and Human Service Assistants (SOC 21-1093).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+6.4%
Faster than average
Openings / yr (US)
~50,600
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$45,120
typically High school diploma or equivalent

Top skills

SpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionMonitoringWritingCritical Thinking

What Social and Human Service Assistants earn in Mississippi

Jobs in Mississippi
—
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$32,850
median $31,200
Best-paying metro
$38,120
Hattiesburg, MS

Related careers

Childcare Workers
$24,310 avg · 5,420 jobs
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
$35,500 avg · 3,600 jobs
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
$47,370 avg · 1,040 jobs
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
$90,040 avg · 170 jobs
Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary
$61,780 avg · 150 jobs
Psychologists, All Other
$95,200 avg · 70 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Human Development programs in Mississippi.

Which Mississippi colleges award the most Human Development degrees?+

Hinds Community College (87 graduates a year), Coahoma Community College (83 graduates a year) and University of Southern Mississippi (73 graduates a year) award the most Human Development degrees and certificates in Mississippi, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 18 Mississippi colleges offer Human Development.

What is the best college for Human Development in Mississippi?+

By graduate earnings, University of Southern Mississippi leads among Human Development programs in Mississippi, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $31,020, College Scorecard. Mississippi State University and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College follow. By degrees awarded, Hinds Community College is the largest, with 87 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Human Development program in Mississippi has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Southern Mississippi tops the list at $31,020. 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 Mississippi?+

The average annual wage for Social and Human Service Assistants in Mississippi is $32,850 (median $31,200). 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.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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