Career Planning

The demand in the job market for people with a Human Development degree is stimulated by a growing need for skills associated with a liberal arts education. “According to studies from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), employers often rank skills such as critical thinking and communication—hallmarks of liberal arts training—above technical aptitude as essential for career readiness. Liberal arts study helps students develop strong foundational competencies,” says Paul Timmins, director of career services for the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. “It gives them tools to succeed beyond their first job.”” (From the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Career Outlook website) Below is a list of careers for HD majors by category. Note that while some of the careers listed below require no, or minimal additional education beyond the bachelor’s degree, others require additional work experience or education. At the bottom of this page, you will find career forecast information for select careers, including projected growth and salaries. This information will be updated periodically to highlight new careers, so if these aren't the careers you're interested in, check back! 

Career Forecast

The data listed below were obtained from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) under sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Click on the O*NET link to search for careers not listed below, or click on a link below to obtain detailed information about the specific career, including: tasks, skills, knowledge, abilities necessary for success; typical work activities, styles and context; related occupations; and wages/employment trends. You can also use the O*NET site look for jobs based on ‘career cluster’ (occupations in the same field that require similar skills, like Human Services or Education and Training), ‘job family’ (occupations grouped together based on work performed, skills, education, training, and credentials), or ‘job zone’ (occupations organized by level of preparation needed) to search for jobs that utilize your interests, experience, skills, knowledge or work style. Check it out!   

Occupations are expected to grow rapidly in the next several years, or will have large numbers of job openings.