by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 17 U.S. colleges awarded 518 degrees and certificates in Human Sciences Business Services. Bachelor’s degrees are the most popular award, at 81% of graduates. College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Human Sciences Business Services Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $42,391 one year after completing, rising to $64,776 after four years.
A major in Human Sciences and Business Services will provide you with a broad education on health and family, consumer habits and the economy. You will learn how to put theory into practice when you study production, distribution of retail goods, and the management of business. You can choose to focus more on either human resource development or retail and consumer science. Human resources involves training and development, career development, and organization development. Retailing and consumer science may be more intriguing to those interested in merchandising, management, and marketing and sales of consumer goods.
Some courses you may take could include: communications studies, English, economics, mathematics, health, psychology, and sociology.
Depending on your college you may be able to choose a concentration. Some of the more commonly available are: Business Family and Consumer Sciences, Family and Consumer Sciences Communication, and Consumer Merchandising and Retail Management.
A major in Human Sciences Business Services involves the study of Family And Consumer Sciences/human Sciences Business Services.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., human sciences business services draws strong interest, with 518 degrees awarded annually. 17 colleges award human sciences business services degrees, an average of 30 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 213.
By level, the 518 awards include 1 certificates, 418 bachelor’s degrees, 94 master’s degrees and 5 doctorates.
Women earned 76% of human sciences business services degrees and certificates in the latest year (392 of 518). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (308) and Hispanic or Latino (88), and international students earned 22.
College Factual ranks 6 schools in its 2027 Best Human Sciences Business Services Schools ranking, including 5 for bachelor’s degrees and 2 for master’s degrees. It also ranks human sciences business services schools within 5 states. In all, 17 colleges offer human sciences business services programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Human Sciences Business Services Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common human sciences business services credential is the bachelor’s degree: 418 of the 518 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to human sciences business services call most for Active Listening, Speaking and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Customer and Personal Service and Education and Training, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Students who choose this major often have an interest in business, employee and consumer relationships. When organizations treat their employees better, their customers are more satisfied and the companies also perform better. Human Sciences deals directly with these relationships.
Human Science & Business Service is an ideal major for a people-person. You should feel comfortable speaking in front of large groups as well as one-on-one. Also, a natural love for learning and a desire to understand consumers and merchandising will be beneficial. This major will require you to use knowledge from all disciplines and apply it to real life situations in the work place. Critical reading skills and writing skills will be refined as you work towards completing your degree.
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How long a human sciences business services degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 1 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 418 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 94 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 5 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to human sciences business services, at 37.3%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 37.3% |
| Doctoral degree | 21.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 18.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 4.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.0% |
| Some college courses | 3.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 3.0% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 2.4% |
| First professional degree | 0.6% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.3% |
Source: O*NET Online.
11 occupations are related to Human Sciences Business Services, with an average median salary of $78,757; the strongest outlook belongs to Farm and Home Management Educators, at 14.0% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Adjunct Instructor, Home Economics Teacher, Dietetics Professor and Textiles and Clothing Teacher.
There are a wide range of opportunities in this field. Human Science & Business Services graduates find work in retail, healthcare, or education as Training Specialists, Training Managers, Instructional Designers, Human Resources Managers, Training Facilitators, or Human Resources Consultants. This major allows you to focus in on what specifically interest you to prepare you for your ideal career.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to human sciences business services, at 1,304,119.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Farm and Home Management Educators | 1,304,119 | 14.0% |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,267,153 | 0.4% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 830,802 | 5.3% |
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 671,367 | 10.3% |
| Technical Writers | 396,969 | 6.9% |
| Public Relations Specialists | 288,926 | -3.5% |
| Marketing Managers | 259,371 | -4.4% |
| Search Marketing Strategists | 199,758 | 8.2% |
Human Sciences Business Services graduates earn a median $42,391 one year after completing their program, $64,776 after four years and $63,925 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $42,391 |
| 4 years | $64,776 |
| 5 years | $63,925 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to human sciences business services is Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists, with a median salary of $124,518.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $124,518 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $103,749 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,604 |
| Marketing Managers | $90,143 |
| Search Marketing Strategists | $85,177 |
| Poets, Lyricists and Creative Writers | $70,619 |
| Sales Managers | $68,051 |
| Writers and Authors | $63,195 |
Human Sciences Business Services includes 3 concentrations that together award 518 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences (390), Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management (123) and Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication (5). It has 8 similar majors in the Family, Consumer & Human Sciences field, which together award 55,774 degrees a year; the largest are Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services (45,898), Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services (3,673) and Apparel and Textiles (2,698). Browse all Family, Consumer & Human Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences | 390 |
| Consumer Merchandising/Retailing Management | 123 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences Communication | 5 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
