Human Development & Family Studies: North Dakota State University-Main Campus vs Sonoma State University

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
Sonoma State University
Rohnert Park, CA
In-State
11.0x
$43,428 tuition
17.6x
$32,760 tuition
Out-of-State
7.7x
$62,044 tuition
7.2x
$80,280 tuition
$479,552 10-yr earnings · Public
$577,248 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

North Dakota State University-Main Campus Sonoma State University
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.0x 17.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.7x 7.2x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $43,428 $32,760
Year 1 Earnings $41,717 $33,906
10-Year Earnings $480K $577K
Median Debt $22,775 $18,250
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 6.6 months 6.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 57/100 59/100
Acceptance Rate 95.8% 94.7%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (33% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Human Development & Family Studies graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Human Development & Family Studies graduates.

North Dakota State University-Main Campus Sonoma State University
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $43,428 $32,760
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $62,044 $80,280
10-Year Projected Earnings $480K $577K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 11.0x 17.6x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.7x 7.2x
5-Year Salary Growth +10% +70%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Human Development & Family Studies (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

North Dakota State University-Main Campus Sonoma State University
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $478K $480K $456K $584K $577K $537K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 11.0x 11.0x 10.5x 17.8x 17.6x 16.4x
DegreeWorth Score 58 57 57 60 59 62

For the full AI analysis of Human Development & Family Studies career paths, see the North Dakota State University-Main Campus or Sonoma State University program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Human Development & Family Studies graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$10,668
Sonoma State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$7,811/yr
North Dakota State University-Main Campus grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
11.0x / 17.6x
Out-of-state: 7.7x / 7.2x

Career Paths

Human Development & Family Studies graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Psychologists, all other $117,580 3,900 +4.3% 44%
Social scientists and related workers, all other $100,340 3,200 -1.7% 52%
Family and consumer sciences teachers, postsecondary $77,280 200 +3.4% 54%
Farm and home management educators $58,120 1,100 -2.5% 37%
Community and social service specialists, all other $54,940 13,100 +4.6% 0%
Social and human service assistants $45,120 50,600 +6.4% 39%
Preschool teachers, except special education $37,120 65,500 +4.1% 23%
Childcare workers $32,050 160,200 -2.9% 14%
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Human Development & Family Studies Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Human Development & Family Studies: North Dakota State University-Main Campus or Sonoma State University?
North Dakota State University-Main Campus scores 57/100 while Sonoma State University scores 59/100. Sonoma State University has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Human Development & Family Studies?
North Dakota State University-Main Campus has an in-state earnings multiple of 11.0x vs Sonoma State University's 17.6x. That means Sonoma State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do North Dakota State University-Main Campus and Sonoma State University compare on Human Development & Family Studies earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $41,717 at North Dakota State University-Main Campus vs $33,906 at Sonoma State University. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $479,552 vs $577,248 — a difference of $97,696.
How much does Human Development & Family Studies cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $43,428 at North Dakota State University-Main Campus and $32,760 at Sonoma State University. Median debt at graduation is $22,775 vs $18,250. Both programs lead to the same Human Development & Family Studies career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.