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Major · Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

Behavioral Sciences broad social-science exposure, not single-discipline depth

Behavioral Sciences blends psychology, sociology, anthropology, and sometimes biomedical or behavioral-economics coursework into one bachelor’s track. The label sits in multi-/interdisciplinary studies because it doesn’t conform to a single named tradition. Curriculum varies considerably by institution, and the ~$48K bachelor’s-level five-year earnings figure reflects that breadth.

Schools offering
99
Annual completions
2,603
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$47k

About this major

Behavioral Sciences is a multi/interdisciplinary undergraduate major that combines psychology, sociology, anthropology, and sometimes biomedical or behavioral-economics coursework into a single track. The CIP definition describes it as a program with a combined or undifferentiated focus on the social sciences, psychology, and biomedical sciences applied to questions of human individual and social growth and behavior. That deliberate breadth is the point — students touch several traditions instead of specializing in one — and it’s also why specific course content varies considerably by institution.

The major fits students who are genuinely curious about human behavior across multiple lenses and aren’t ready to commit to psychology, sociology, or anthropology as a standalone discipline. It also fits students who want to apply the bachelor’s as a launching pad toward graduate work in social work, counseling, public health, behavioral health, or a research-oriented PhD.

A grounding number worth keeping in mind: 99 institutions reported completions in this CIP for a total of 2,603 graduates, while Psychology, General reported 133,179. The Behavioral Sciences label is a small, scattered slice of the social-science landscape. Students who attend universities offering a named psychology, sociology, or anthropology track usually pick those instead, which means the schools that do offer Behavioral Sciences tend to design the program around their own faculty mix — making the curriculum harder to compare across institutions than a named major would be.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Social and community service managers $78k +6.4% Bachelor's degree
Community and social service specialists, all other $55k +4.6% Bachelor's degree
Psychologists, all other $118k +4.3% Master's degree
Psychology teachers, postsecondary $80k +3.6% Doctoral or professional degree
Social scientists and related workers, all other $100k -1.7% Bachelor's degree
Social science research assistants $58k +4.4% Bachelor's degree
Life scientists, all other $88k +3.7% Bachelor's degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$47k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$42k

Bachelor's

$48k

Who this major is for

Strong fit indicators show up when a student wants exposure to several social-science traditions before specializing, when graduate study is already part of the plan (MSW, counseling, MPH, PhD), or when a community-college transfer pathway needs a flexible social-science block. The ~$48K bachelor’s-level five-year earnings figure makes sense for someone willing to treat the bachelor’s as a stepping stone rather than a terminal credential, and the bachelor’s-level career list — community service specialists, social science research assistants, case management — points to public-sector and human-services work where breadth is more valuable than depth in any single discipline.

Reasons for caution include a clear preference for one named tradition (psychology, sociology, anthropology), a wish to enter clinical or licensed practice without graduate school (most named occupations require a master’s or doctoral degree), and any uncertainty about transferring credits — the catchall label doesn’t always articulate cleanly into a named major at a receiving four-year institution. Three of the seven careers tied to this CIP list a master’s or doctoral degree as the typical entry credential, so students hoping to land a psychologist or professor role on a bachelor’s alone will hit a credential ceiling that the major itself can’t solve.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Behavioral Sciences

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC 0 413 413
San Jacinto Community College Pasadena, TX 391 0 391
University of Iowa Iowa City, IA 0 289 289
Imperial Valley College Imperial, CA 163 0 163
Ashford University San Diego, CA 0 151 151
The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX 0 128 128
Purdue University Global West Lafayette, IN 0 95 95
Elizabethtown College Elizabethtown, PA 0 58 58
United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO 0 54 54
University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK 0 49 49
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Psychology, General

133,179 completions/yr

Social Sciences, General

14,846 completions/yr

Research and Experimental Psychology, Other

11,877 completions/yr

Human Services, General

9,327 completions/yr

Experimental Psychology

3,493 completions/yr

Community Organization and Advocacy

1,841 completions/yr

Applied Psychology

1,583 completions/yr

Behavioral Neuroscience

1,302 completions/yr
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

How is Behavioral Sciences different from Psychology or Sociology?
Psychology (CIP 42.0101, ~133,179 completions) and Sociology-style majors are named single-discipline tracks with a defined methodological core. Behavioral Sciences (~2,603 completions across 99 institutions) is a deliberately broad umbrella that mixes psychology, sociology, anthropology, and sometimes biomedical or economic perspectives. The trade-off is breadth instead of depth — you’ll touch more traditions but won’t go as far into any one of them as a Psychology, General major would.
Will I need a graduate degree for the career I want?
Often yes for the named professions. Of the seven careers tied to this CIP, three list a master’s or doctoral degree as the typical entry credential — including psychologists (median wage $117,580) and postsecondary psychology teachers ($80,330). MSW, MA in counseling, MA in HCI/UX research, MPH in behavioral health, or a PhD are common next steps. Bachelor’s-level destinations exist (community-service specialists, social science research assistants, case management, market research), but they’re generally lower-paid than the master’s-required tracks.
Why do curriculum and quality vary so much between schools?
Because the CIP is a catchall. Some programs lean heavily into psychology, others into sociology or anthropology, and a handful add behavioral economics or biomedical coursework. The top completer is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at 413 bachelor’s degrees, followed by University of Iowa, Ashford, UT Austin, and the U.S. Air Force Academy — five institutions with very different academic profiles. Read each program’s course list rather than relying on the major’s title.
What earnings should I expect with just the bachelor’s?
The five-year median across all completers in this CIP is about $46,857, with the bachelor’s-only subgroup at roughly $48,038 and associate’s-only at $41,660. That’s modest by social-science standards and reflects the bachelor’s-level destinations: community service work, behavioral health technician, HR or people-analytics support roles, and entry-level research assistance. Earnings climb meaningfully for those who go on to a master’s or doctoral credential.
Is the major mostly an associate’s track or a bachelor’s track?
Both exist, but the bachelor’s side dominates among four-year completers. Some community colleges (San Jacinto with 391 associate completions, Imperial Valley with 163) use the label as a transfer-friendly social-science block. Most named four-year programs award bachelor’s degrees. If you’re starting at a community college, confirm articulation into a named major (psychology, sociology) at the receiving university — the Behavioral Sciences label doesn’t always transfer cleanly.