Career comparison
Education Professor vs. Family and Consumer Sciences Professor
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Family and consumer sciences professors earn more at the median ($75,870 vs. $75,350), while family and consumer sciences professors usually get to work faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s of training). Education professors prepare future teachers and research how people learn. Family and consumer sciences professors teach college courses on families, child development, nutrition and personal finance.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Education Professor | Family and Consumer Sciences Professor | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $75,350 | $75,870 |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $39,530 – $126,860 | $47,830 – $130,790 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.5% (about as fast as average) | +2.4% (slower than average) |
| Openings per year | 5,300 | 200 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Training time | 8+ years including teaching | 6–8 years after a bachelor’s |
| Key credential | Ed.D. or Ph.D. | Ph.D. |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, K–12 schools and offices.. | Faculty work in classrooms, lab schools, kitchens and offices.. |
What each job does
Education Professor
- Teach teacher preparation courses
- Supervise student teachers
- Conduct education research
- Partner with schools
- Advise students
Family and Consumer Sciences Professor
- Teach FCS courses
- Prepare future FCS teachers
- Conduct family research
- Supervise child lab schools
- Mentor students
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, helping others, working independently, and high-pay. Both are part of the education & childcare field, so many skills transfer between them.
Which should you choose?
Choose education professor if…
- I’m an experienced teacher
- I want to train teachers
- I like research
Choose family and consumer sciences professor if…
- I care about families
- I like practical subjects
- I want to train teachers
Still torn? Take the Education Professor fit quiz and the Family and Consumer Sciences Professor fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, education professor or family and consumer sciences professor?
Family and Consumer Sciences Professors earn more at the median: $75,870 versus $75,350 for education professors, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Family and Consumer Sciences Professors typically train faster (6–8 years after a bachelor’s) than education professors (8+ years including teaching).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects education professors to grow +2.5% from 2025–35, compared with +2.4% for family and consumer sciences professors.