Behavioral Science

Types of Degrees Behavioral Science Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many behavioral science graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	2,433
Master’s Degree	612
Associate’s Degree	531
Graduate Certificate	59
Doctor’s Degree	53
Basic Certificate	32
Undergraduate Certificate	11

What Behavioral Science Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, behavioral science majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Behavioral Science Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in behavioral science should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Behavioral Science Majors

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to behavioral science:

• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Abilities for Behavioral Science Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a behavioral science student include the following:

• Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Behavioral Science Major?

People with a behavioral science degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Community and Social Service Specialists	13.2%	$42,620
Life Scientists	9.0%	$78,190
Neuropsychologists and Clinical Neuropsychologists	10.3%	$100,770
Transportation Planners	6.7%	$81,340

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Behavioral Science?

This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 2,421 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in behavioral science in 2019, making it rank #122 in popularity. The major attracts more women than men. About 81% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of behavioral science majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	52
Black or African American	481
Hispanic or Latino	386
White	1,028
International Students	27
Other Races/Ethnicities	459

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Behavioral Science. About 1.1% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• Canada
• India
• Malaysia
• China
• South Korea

How Much Do Behavioral Science Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

Data from the U.S. Department of Education shows that behavioral science students who graduated in 2015-2017 with a bachelor’s degree made a median starting salary of $29,800 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $29,800 (25th percentile) and $29,800 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in behavioral science, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $46,050 to $89,150 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to behavioral science. This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Behavioral Science

Some degrees associated with behavioral science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to behavioral science have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Bachelor’s Degree	36.2%
Master’s Degree	12.1%
Doctoral Degree	4.0%
Post-Doctoral Training	48.2%

Online Behavioral Science Programs

In 2018-2019, 115 schools offered a behavioral science program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	6	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	2	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	20	7
Bachelor’s Degree	8	2
Post-Baccalaureate	6	0
Master’s Degree	22	1
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	9	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	1	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Behavioral Science Worth It?

The median salary for a behavioral science grad is $85,750 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 115% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $917,000 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Behavioral Science

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to behavioral science.

Major	Number of Grads
Other Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies	37,392
Biological & Physical Science	29,278
International Studies	7,967
Interdisciplinary Studies	6,609
Nutrition Science	4,794
Natural Sciences	2,571
Cognitive Science	2,275
Sustainability Science	2,194
Human Biology	1,460
Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution	1,310
Gerontology	1,281
Human Computer Interaction	1,272
Science, Technology & Society	1,171
Mathematics & Computer Science	1,105
Computational Science	927
Systems Theory	917
Museum Studies	801
Dispute Resolution	668
Historic Preservation	433
Multicultural & Diversity Studies	424
Classical & Ancient Studies	303
Marine Science	275
Cultural Studies & Analysis	227
Biopsychology	165
Medieval Studies	108
Accounting & Computer Science	71
Maritime Studies	45
Holocaust Studies	40

References

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Polimerek under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.