Ohio · Human Development

Best colleges for Human Development in Ohio

Ranked by graduate earnings

Ohio University, Ohio State University and Kent State University at Kent are the top bachelor's Human Development programs in Ohio by graduate earnings. Ohio University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $38,973, College Scorecard. Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University and Kent State University at Kent award the most Human Development degrees in Ohio: 103, 61 and 58 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 25 Ohio colleges offer Human Development and award 502 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
25
offering CIP 19.07
States & territories
54
with a program page
Degrees / yr
502
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$30,835
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
10
College Scorecard
Median net price
$21,122
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
44%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Social and Human Service Assistants
$41,150
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 5 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.

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
1Ohio University
Athens Public · Bachelor's degree
$38,9733265%—$27,000
2Ohio State University
Columbus Public · Bachelor's degree
$34,61010388%—$23,250
3Kent State University at Kent
Kent Public · Bachelor's degree
$33,6435864%—$26,913
4Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green Public · Bachelor's degree
$32,1756164%—$26,000
5University of Akron Main Campus
Akron Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$30,8351452%—$31,000

Top 2 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.

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
1Ohio University - Chillicothe Campus
Chillicothe Public · Associate degree Small program
$22,522314%—$11,686
2Apollo Career Center
Lima Public · Certificate Small program
$15,987959%—$11,250

Colleges awarding the most Human Development degrees in Ohio

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.

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)
1Ohio State University
Columbus Public
103$34,610
2Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green Public
61$32,175
3Kent State University at Kent
Kent Public
58$33,643
4Sinclair Community College
Dayton Public
56Not reported
5Ohio University
Athens Public
32$38,973
6Antioch University
Yellow Springs Private not-for-profit
18Not reported
7Franciscan University of Steubenville
Steubenville Private not-for-profit
17Not reported
8Youngstown State University
Youngstown Public
15Not reported
9University of Akron Main Campus
Akron Public
14$30,835
10University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati Public
8Not reported
Show the other 15 Ohio colleges offering Human Development

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 Ohio

Jobs in Ohio
10,970
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$41,150
median $38,390
Best-paying metro
$43,510
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN

Related careers

Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education
$36,500 avg · 19,840 jobs
Childcare Workers
$31,930 avg · 11,300 jobs
Social and Human Service Assistants
$41,150 avg · 10,970 jobs
Social Scientists and Related Workers, All Other
$100,900 avg · 1,520 jobs
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other
$56,270 avg · 820 jobs
Psychologists, All Other
$122,720 avg · 410 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Human Development programs in Ohio.

Which Ohio colleges award the most Human Development degrees?+

Ohio State University (103 graduates a year), Bowling Green State University (61 graduates a year) and Kent State University at Kent (58 graduates a year) award the most Human Development degrees in Ohio, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 25 Ohio colleges offer Human Development.

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

By graduate earnings, Ohio University leads among bachelor's Human Development programs in Ohio, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $38,973, College Scorecard. Ohio State University and Kent State University at Kent follow. By degrees awarded, Ohio State University is the largest, with 103 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

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

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Ohio University tops the list at $38,973. 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 Ohio?+

The average annual wage for Social and Human Service Assistants in Ohio is $41,150 (median $38,390), across about 10,970 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.

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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