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Behavioral Science

Types of Degrees Behavioral Science Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Behavioral Science have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	47
Associate’s Degree	887
Bachelor’s Degree	1,881
Master’s Degree	2,382
Doctor’s Degree	194

What Behavioral Science Majors Need to Know

Programs in Behavioral Science develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Behavioral Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Behavioral Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Therapy and Counseling — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Behavioral Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Abilities

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

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Behavioral Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Behavioral Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Cedrus SuperLab Pro	Analytical or scientific software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Behavioral Science graduates include:

• Psychology Lecturer
• Applied Psychology Teacher
• Industrial Psychology Professor
• Educational Psychology Professor
• Clinical Psychology Professor
• Assistant Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Adjunct Psychology Professor
• Child Development Professor
• Clinical Psychology Teacher
• Human Relations Professor
• Child Psychology Teacher
• Mental Measurements Teacher
• Adjunct Psychology Faculty Member
• Instructor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Post-doctoral training	39.2%
Doctoral degree	26.7%
Master’s degree	15.1%
Bachelor’s degree	14.5%
Some college courses	1.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.0%
Post-master’s certificate	1.0%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.2%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Behavioral Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 81.3% of Behavioral Science degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4,384	81.3%
Men	1,007	18.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Behavioral Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,401	44.5%
Asian	345	6.4%
Hispanic or Latino	1,246	23.1%
Black or African American	571	10.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	35	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	11	0.2%
Two or More Races	245	4.5%
Race Unknown	178	3.3%
International Students	359	6.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Behavioral Science Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Behavioral Science 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	$39,033
4 years	$37,486
5 years	$43,291

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $43,291 — roughly 11% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Behavioral Science Programs

Fully online options is reported by IPEDS for Behavioral Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	9	1
Bachelor’s	8	5
Master’s	3	5

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Behavioral Science Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Behavioral Science graduates earn a median of $37,486 four years after completion — about 1% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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
Multi Interdisciplinary Studies	30
Accounting and Computer Science	30.16
Anthrozoology	30.34
Biological and Physical Sciences	30.01
Biopsychology	30.10
Classical and Ancient Studies	30.22
Climate Science	30.35
Cognitive Science	30.25
Computational Science	30.30
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature	30.36
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	30.26
Data Analytics	30.71

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.