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Consumer Economics

Types of Degrees Consumer Economics Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Consumer Economics may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Associate’s Degree	1
Bachelor’s Degree	90

What Consumer Economics Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Consumer Economics develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Consumer Economics graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Consumer Economics emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.6 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Consumer Economics program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Instructing — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Learning Strategies — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Consumer Economics careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Consumer Economics graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Training and Teaching Others	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Communicating with People Outside the Organization	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Consumer Economics professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Image scanning software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
DOC Cop	Information retrieval or search software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Consumer Economics graduates include:

• Adjunct Instructor
• College Faculty Member
• Lecturer
• Family and Consumer Sciences Professor (FCS Professor)
• Nutrition Program Instructor
• Dietetics Professor
• Nutrition Instructor
• Chef Instructor
• Textiles and Clothing Teacher
• Home and Family Living Professor
• Nutrition Faculty Member
• Home Economics Professor
• Food and Nutrition Instructor
• Sewing Teacher
• Food and Nutrition Teacher

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Consumer Economics graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	52.6%
Doctoral degree	27.0%
Bachelor’s degree	9.0%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	5.9%
Postsecondary certificate	2.8%
Less than a high school diploma	1.8%
Some college courses	0.5%
Post-doctoral training	0.4%
First professional degree	0.2%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Consumer Economics?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 68.1% of Consumer Economics degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	62	68.1%
Men	29	31.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Consumer Economics graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	74	81.3%
Asian	4	4.4%
Hispanic or Latino	6	6.6%
Black or African American	2	2.2%
Two or More Races	3	3.3%
International Students	2	2.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Consumer Economics Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Consumer Economics graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$41,182
4 years	$45,170
5 years	$51,999

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $51,999 — roughly 26% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Consumer Economics Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Consumer Economics graduates earn a median of $45,170 four years after completion — roughly 19% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Studies	19.04
Consumer Services and Advocacy	19.0403
Family and Consumer Economics and Related Services, Other	19.0499
Family Resource Management Studies, General	19.0401
Apparel and Textiles, General	19.0901
Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences	19.0201
Child Development	19.0706
Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General	19.0101
Family Systems	19.0704
Housing and Human Environments, General	19.0601
Adult Development and Aging	19.0702

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.