To date, we’ve asked 40 current and past human development students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it above average.

No matter the degree, there are some common factors that predict satisfaction.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a human development degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a human development degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are human development students compared to other degrees?

Overall, human development students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.3 out of 5. This is standard compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, human development students rate their happiness similarly to students in Political Science, Business and Economics.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to human development

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Natural Resource Conservation and Related Studies$56,897
Public Relations$69,712
Business$83,735
Political Science$86,515
Human Development$47,897
Economics$103,169
Neuroscience and Related Studies$50,883
Biological and Biomedical Sciences$65,257
Computer Engineering$97,177
Molecular Biology and Related Studies$63,343

Let's break that down further.

Are human development students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
4.1 out of 5 stars
39 ratings
5 stars
44%
4 stars
26%
3 stars
26%
2 stars
5%
1 stars
0%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
3.7 out of 5 stars
40 ratings
5 stars
40%
4 stars
23%
3 stars
13%
2 stars
15%
1 stars
10%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in human development experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did human development graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what human development grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
2.8 out of 5 stars
38 ratings
5 stars
16%
4 stars
8%
3 stars
37%
2 stars
21%
1 stars
18%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were human development students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
3.3 out of 5 stars
40 ratings
5 stars
23%
4 stars
28%
3 stars
20%
2 stars
18%
1 stars
13%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Career Paths

Learn about your career prospects after graduation.

Read about Career Paths