Communications Careers

Prepare to start your journey?

Communication students learn to nowadays diverse ideas in dissimilar settings. Most communication programs include required courses in public speaking, modest grouping communication, organizational advice, and cross-cultural communication. Throughout these programs, learners build listening skills and acquire to explicate ideas in engaging and articulate ways.

Communication graduates can pursue careers in which they connect with and influence audiences. Potential job titles include marketing manager, public relations specialist, and news reporter.

This folio provides an overview of common communication careers, professional person resources, and continuing instruction opportunities.

Two communications professionals in business-casual dress crouch around a laptop perched on a busy tabletop.

Why Pursue a Career in Communication?

Communication professionals enjoy interacting with people and know how to engage audiences. They remember creatively and can limited complex ideas through written documents and oral presentations. The best communicators are active listeners who are confident when speaking to big groups.

Companies in many industries rent advice professionals for tasks like building brands, marketing, and community engagement. Professionals can also work in areas of personal interest, like medical writing and sports reporting.

Related Programs That Might Interest You

Acquire about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

Communication Career Outlook

Advice careers are in high demand, due in function to the field's versatility. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) highlights projected market growth and the rise of social media websites as reasons for future growth in communication positions.

Between 2019 and 2029, the BLS projects seven% task growth for public relations specialists, half-dozen% chore growth for advertizing, promotions, and marketing managers, and 7% job growth for technical writers.

The following table provides average salaries for a few popular advice careers based on a worker'southward experience level.

Average Annual Salary for Advice Careers
Job Championship Entry-Level (0-12 months) Early Career (one-4 Years) Midcareer (five-ix Years) Experienced (10-19 Years)
Communications Specialist $xl,720 $49,860 $57,520 $60,410
Marketing Communications Specialist $42,210 $49,470 $56,130 $59,890
Communications Manager Due north/A $54,660 $68,780 $78,360
Communications Managing director N/A $51,600 $68,640 $87,480

Source: PayScale

Skills Gained With a Communication Degree

A communication degree builds loftier-level skills applicative to almost any industry. Communication professionals can farther develop their skills through many avenues, including online coursework, on-the-job preparation, and professional certifications.

Below are several skills that students typically develop during a communication program.

Interpersonal Communication

Communication programs explore how individuals and groups exchange data. Students examine what creates effective interpersonal communication and where problems and misunderstandings occur.

Public Speaking

Communication programs explore persuasive speaking, compelling arguments, and the strategies that speakers tin use to achieve audiences.

Writing

Communication students learn to organize and present their ideas in writing, gaining skills that are valuable in many types of careers.

Trouble-Solving

Communication students examine the factors that lead to problems and determine strategies to fix them. Learners also explore the role data plays in problem-solving and decide strategies to combat misinformation and miscommunication.

Analytical Thinking

Communication professionals must clarify various types of information and draw conclusions. Analytical thinking makes it possible to run into an consequence's many sides and devise solutions to bug.

Advice Career Paths

Advice graduates may write political speeches, plan community events, and piece of work as college recruiters. The following listing explores a few specific career paths in this field.

Advertizement

Advertising uses advice skills to reach and influence consumers. Advertisers design new advert campaigns and revamp companies' public images. These professionals also determine how to best market products and devise innovative means of engaging with consumers through applied science and social media.

Journalism

Expert journalists practise their all-time to communicate the news in a fair and ethical manner. They perform research, interview sources, and create compelling news stories that convey information efficiently. Journalists can publish their work through print, goggle box, radio, or online media.

Public Relations

Public relations professionals maintain a positive public image for organizations, ideas, or individuals by communicating favorable information about their clients. Responsibilities include writing press releases and organizing focus groups.

Sports Communication

Sports communication professionals may work for professional person teams and leagues or sports broadcasting organizations. Workers in this field must understand marketing and public relations.

Digital Filmmaking

Communication majors study the skills needed for constructive messaging, including visual advice and media literacy. Digital filmmaking professionals work on commercials, promotional videos, films, and telly programs.

Visual Communication Design

This field focuses on communicating with audiences through images. Relying heavily on multimedia technologies, these professionals may work on billboards, online campaigns, and boob tube advertisements.

How to Start Your Career in Communication

An acquaintance degree may be enough for some entry-level positions, only information technology will non typically permit you to ascend to managerial roles. In full general, a bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for careers with advancement potential, although leadership positions often require a master'south degree and many years of experience.

It may be possible to pursue farther education while still maintaining a career. Additionally, some companies assist pay for employees to earn advanced degrees for professional evolution.

The following tables outline some of the most popular positions for each degree level.

Associate Caste in Communication

An associate degree in communication is a great first step toward finding a task or earning a bachelor's degree. Students can sometimes complete an associate program while working full time, specially if they enroll online.

What Can You Do With an Associate in Communication?

true Office Manager

Office managers organize an office's basic functions, such as scheduling meetings, ordering role equipment, and maintaining facilities. Communication majors can employ their trouble-solving and analytical thinking skills in this position.

Salary: $48,560

Client Services Representative

These professionals serve as a liaison between upper direction and a company'due south clients, determining the needs of both parties and maintaining productive relationships. Client services representatives must empathize effective communication practices to correctly identify clients' needs.

Salary: $43,370

Sales Associate

Sales associates interact with customers, operate cash registers, answer to questions, and serve as the public face of a retailer. They use their advice skills to make up one's mind the needs of customers and collaborate with them in an accommodating, respectful manner.

Salary: $44,090

Source: PayScale

Bachelor'due south Degree in Communication

Most competitive advice positions require at least a bachelor's degree. Bachelor's programs move across introductory courses and into more specialized areas, such as organizational advice, public relations, rhetorical assay, and media communication.

Graduates with a available'due south in communication can observe employment in several industries, and the caste can lead to competitive salaries and the potential for career advancement.

What Can You Do With a Bachelor'south in Communication?

true Communications Specialist

These specialists develop and maintain an arrangement'southward relationship with the public. They produce printing releases, manage information output, maintain public relations, and decide social media strategies. At lower levels, they may focus on simply ane attribute of an system's communication strategy.

Salary: $52,320

Public Relations Specialist

Public relations specialists focus on an organisation's human relationship with the public, with an emphasis on maintaining a positive public image. PR specialists develop image-building strategies, write speeches, and create press releases.

Salary: $49,070

Marketing Communications Specialist

These specialists coordinate an organization's public advice strategies, managing relationships with clients and customers. Workers promote their organization during events, develop marketing strategies, coordinate promotional materials, and organize social media efforts.

Bacon: $52,530

Online Marketing Content Writer

These writers create digital content for blogs, websites, and social media. They must have strong written and verbal advice skills, which they use to decide the needs of consumers and organizations.

Salary: $48,690

Social Media Specialist

Social media specialists help companies develop strategies for online platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. These professionals must stay current on developments in social media, equally techniques for reaching consumers constantly evolve.

Salary: $44,970

Source: PayScale

Master's Degree in Communication

Moving beyond the foundational knowledge of a bachelor's program, a master's in advice explores advanced communication theory, preparing graduates for high-level analysis and oversight of an organization's communication strategies.

A master's track often includes the option to focus on a specific area of communication, which tin can lead to specialized career pathways like media communication jobs or organizational communication jobs.

What Tin can Yous Do With a Master's in Communication?

truthful Communications Director

These highly trained specialists are responsible for organizing and directing most aspects of an arrangement's communication strategy. They typically oversee many other employees. Directors concentrate less on individual aspects of communication strategies and more than on the big flick. They often interact with other executives.

Bacon: $71,140

Marketing Communications Manager

These managers oversee marketing strategies and devise plans to increase their organization's market share. Typically responsible for the nigh important aspects of a company'due south marketing strategy, they commission market research studies, direct market assay processes, and make the final call on strategies for pricing and budgeting.

Bacon: $66,050

Public Relations Director

PR managers are responsible for maintaining a visitor'southward public image. They typically direct a team of PR specialists. Their duties include organizing press conferences and answering public questions, developing PR strategies, and writing speeches for company executives.

Salary: $68,960

Senior Copywriter

Typically working at the highest levels of an organization's artistic department, senior copywriters develop ideas for communication campaigns and dictate an organization's written voice. They often serve in an editorial capacity, supervising junior copywriters and helping them develop their writing skills.

Salary: $75,000

Customs Relations Managing director

Community relations managers develop and maintain an organization's relationship with community members. They interact with the media to create a positive public epitome for their organization. These managers often oversee a company's charitable contributions and volunteer programs.

Bacon: $58,130

Source: PayScale

Doctoral Caste in Communication

A doctoral degree in communication typically prepares graduates for positions in corporate research and academia. Students interested in exploring the psychological, social, and economic processes underlying communication tin pursue a doctorate.

Graduates develop new methods and concepts for organizations to use. After earning this caste, many advice majors enter academia, performing their own enquiry and teaching classes.

What Can You Do With a Doctorate in Communication?

truthful Postsecondary Professor

At the beginning of their careers, professors typically spend more than time teaching and grooming future communication professionals. As they progress and gain tenure, professors may spend more time on their enquiry.

Salary: $88,120

Senior Researcher

Senior researchers develop new ideas and strategies, examining the effectiveness of existing practices and exploring new approaches through qualitative and quantitative enquiry. Researchers work at colleges, recollect tanks, nonprofits, and individual companies.

Bacon: $97,270

Source: PayScale

How to Accelerate Your Career in Communication

Professionals can accelerate their communication careers by pursuing advanced degrees, certificates, and certifications. These programs may explore the field in general or focus on a specific area, such as marketing.

Individuals should choose their ain advancement path based on their career goals. Professionals who want to earn a direction position, for instance, can enroll in an organizational communication certificate program.

The post-obit sections explore some of these advancement options, including specific certifications and online courses.

Certifications

The Society for Technical Communication offers three certifications for technical communicators: foundational, practitioner, and practiced credentials. Candidates must earn these certifications in sequence past taking exams.

The Global Advice Certification Council provides ii certifications. Specialists and generalists can pursue the advice management professional credential, which requires at least six years of fieldwork and 40 grooming hours. Advanced business organisation communicators may authorize for the strategic communication management professional certification if they have at to the lowest degree 11 years of fieldwork, 20 training hours, and a recommendation letter of the alphabet.

Certification for careers with a communication degree may as well focus on a specific profession. Technical writers, for example, can earn a medical writing credential from the American Medical Writers Clan.

These certifications are not required, merely tin help with career advancement.

Continuing Educational activity

Some professionals may opt to pursue an advanced degree to better their task prospects, although many advice careers merely require a bachelor's. Professionals can besides pursue certificates in communication from universities and colleges — certificate tracks are less involved than graduate caste programs, merely can still improve a worker's career prospects by demonstrating a deeper knowledge in a specific communication area.

Additional standing education options include preparation, workshops, and conferences hosted by industry organizations. Professionals can also take gratis online classes or participate in fellowships.

Lorman Education Services offers continuing education courses on topics like event planning and workplace communication. Additionally, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Communications Gild delivers grooming courses.

Next Steps

Earning certifications and completing standing education activities are good ways to keep your communications skills sharp. These opportunities held individuals stay abreast of current communications standards, technologies, and professions. Online courses, preparation, and workshops too cover electric current trends and issues in the field.

Individuals should too consider joining professional organizations. These groups help connect members to resources and networking events.

Professionals tin also use online advice groups and social media websites to extend their networks. They can besides follow field experts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to larn more virtually new communication strategies.

How to Switch Your Career to Communication

Switching to a communication career may require a new degree. For example, aspiring reporters may need an undergraduate degree in journalism or communication.

Yet, companies looking to hire communication professionals oftentimes take candidates with degrees in different fields. Public relations specialists, for example, oftentimes have a background in business, communication, English language, public relations, or journalism. Career changers should enquiry job requirements to decide if they need more pedagogy.

Companies as well look for field experience for advice positions. Candidates can obtain this experience through internships or by volunteering with schoolhouse/local radio stations and newspapers.

Where Tin You Work equally a Advice Professional?

Virtually organizations collaborate with the public and need guidance on brand-edifice and public engagement. Professionals can as well work in journalism or news reporting for popular civilization magazines, political columns, and sports broadcasts. Communication graduates can as well become speechwriters, spokespeople, and lecturers for scientific, academic, and political organizations.

Industries

The post-obit section examines common industries for communication careers. Students should consider their preferred career path and industry to brand certain their degree complements their goals.

Data Applied science Services

IT services professionals manage It projects, develop software, oversee upgrades and installations, coordinate training, and provide aid desk-bound back up.

Average Salary: $79,680

Advert, Branding, and Sales Promotions

Communication majors often excel in the advertising industry, where they can apply their talents to improve consumer engagement, public relations, and brand evolution.

Average Salary: $58,770

Marketing and Media Management

This field focuses on strategies for reaching consumers through digital channels. Communication professionals in media management often focus on social media content, viral marketing, and other innovative methods for consumer engagement.

Average Salary: $75,330

Financial Services

Communication professionals in the finance industry distinguish their firms from the competition by creating a positive make identity and exploring strategies to meet the financial needs of clients.

Average Salary: $79,060

Healthcare

Healthcare uses communication methods in many ways, including attracting clients and informing patients of new treatment options.

Average Salary: $64,870

Source: PayScale

Interview With a Professional in Communication

Rich Lawry studied journalism and media communications with a modest in public relations at Asbury University. His beginning job out of college was at a tech and marketing company in Charlotte equally a corporate advice specialist. After 18 months, he moved to Atlanta and worked at a chemicals manufacturing company — also in corporate communications. Before this year, he joined VALEO — a startup in Atlanta with three employees and a passion for embedded advice.

What do you lot detect near fulfilling well-nigh a career in communication?

Everyone has a story to tell. My main goal as a advice professional (and the reason I piece of work long hours and drinkable manner too much tea and coffee) is helping my clients tell their stories at the right time to the right people in the right identify.

I get to article of clothing many different hats during the process of telling these stories, from social media expert to investigative journalist. At the end of the day, I am helping someone share what'south important to them. That'due south what gets me excited. I'm crazy well-nigh unearthing and sharing a good story.

What types of people excel in this field?

I wouldn't consider myself the "stereotypical" PR person. My idea of a farewell is wearing jeans, reading super long manufactures nearly current events, and planning weekend hiking trips.

If you take good people skills, are passionate well-nigh writing, and tin can multitask, you're going to do great. Focus on creating an online image via LinkedIn, a blog, and a portfolio. Network like crazy. Write every day. And learn how to interview well for jobs. It makes all the deviation.

What was the job search process similar later earning your degree?

There'due south a lot of competition for communication jobs. That's why networking is paramount. Just do it.

My first chore was a result of keeping up connections with a visitor where I'd interned my junior yr in college. I reached out to a mentor I'd met during my internship, and she created a job for me in corporate communications. That I know of, I was the merely one who interviewed for the job, and I got information technology.

My other two jobs came from emailing the recruiter or hiring managing director directly with examples of my work and a pitch for why I'd be an fantabulous fit for the company. They were personalized, persuasive emails.

What challenges do you face at work on any given twenty-four hours?

It's hard for me at times to continue up with so many moving pieces and projects at different stages. I've had to learn to be more organized and better at projection direction. That'southward something I'll keep learning as I get more than advanced in my career. I'chiliad still a newbie by some standards (I take four years of experience).

What additional advice would you give to a student considering a career in advice?

Most communication jobs are not glamorous. Simply it is so much fun. I love my job. I dear interacting with so many people and learning most companies and industries I didn't even know existed earlier.

If you're passionate virtually public relations or storytelling of any sort, you're going to do peachy. Don't be discouraged if yous don't become the first job you apply for. Continue applying and keep reaching out to your network. Eventually, something will appear. It'due south going to be a crazy ride. Have fun!

Resources for Communication Majors

Resource for communication students and experienced workers include professional person organizations, open courseware, and publications. The post-obit sections explore each of these resources.

Professional Organizations

National Advice Association: NCA offers a yearly convention, a speaking series, and public programs on topics like political communications. The clan also publishes xi journals that examine cultural, educational, and media influences on communication.


Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication: AEJMC is a nonprofit group that hosts regional meetings and a yearly conference. The association provides resources on digital journalism, teaching, and research. Members tin can access journals, including Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly.


American Marketing Association: AMA offers training opportunities through bootcamps and webinars, and information technology too delivers conferences and symposia. These experiences allow participants to explore concepts like higher education and social media marketing. Individuals tin can pursue AMA's professional certifications in digital marketing and marketing management.


Rhetoric Society of America: RSA oversees conferences and institutes and connects members to scholarly resources similar journals, libraries, and writing resources. The society also maintains a list of graduate programs and gives awards to members for publishing books and articles.


Public Relations Guild of America: PRSA offers professional development opportunities like webinars, workshops, and document programs. Members can get resume guidance, accept career-edifice classes, and browse career opportunities through the society.


International Association of Business Communicators: IABC provides continuing education opportunities like leadership institutes and webinars. The association also offers professional development experiences that embrace topics like business acumen, corporate communications, and content marketing. IABC offers professional person certifications in communication management and strategic communication direction.


Association for Women in Communications: AWC offers monthly webinars that are designed for female communication professionals. The association also reviews resumes for members and maintains a listing of bachelor careers.

Open Courseware

Public Speaking - Academy of Washington: Offered through Coursera, this form examines how to organize and evangelize ideas for big audiences. The form emphasizes clear and succinct delivery and addresses common difficulties with public speaking. Participants study models for public speaking and argumentation and acquire to arts and crafts stiff speeches.


Writing in the Sciences - Stanford University: The first half of this course deals with general writing topics, similar paragraph structure and concision. Learners then focus on ideas that are relevant to scientific writing, such as peer review and idea simplification for mass audiences. The course lasts eight weeks and includes quizzes, writing submissions, and peer editing.


Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking - Harvard Academy: Offered through edX, this self-paced course prepares students to craft persuasive arguments for editorial pieces and public presentations. This process involves determining an argument's merit and recognizing logical fallacies. The grade references figures like Martin Luther King, Jr. as examples of persuasive communicators.


Effective Communication in the Workplace - The Open Academy: This class trains students to communicate clearly and positively to prevent workplace disharmonize. Students explore examples of effective exact, nonverbal, and written advice in various environments.

Publications

Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies: This journal — hosted by NCA — reviews books on communication and offers essays on the relationship betwixt communication and civilization. Essays address topics like economics, politics, and history as they bear upon cantankerous-cultural communication, likewise as applied science and globalization.


The Communication Review: This quarterly, peer-reviewed journal delivers articles that explore new media and civilization in connection to communication. Content as well examines means that communication can influence various disciplines, such every bit politics, educational activity, and technology.


The Public Relations Journal: This peer-reviewed journal provides articles and case studies that accost innovative ideas in public relations practices. Previous articles covered topics similar influencer relationships, Facebook strategies, and employee date. Readers can access this journal for gratis.


Journal of Advice: This publication explores current research and theories for a variety of communication practices through book reviews and articles. The journal focuses on topics like narrative communication and social influences on organizational choices.


International Journal of Communication: Articles in this public access journal address the influence of communication on various disciplines. The journal's scope includes communication across the globe. The University of Southern California's Annenberg Schoolhouse for Advice and Journalism finances this peer-reviewed publication.


IEEE Wireless Communications: This magazine focuses on wireless communications topics, such as policy and engineering. Articles include tutorials on new applied science for all types of wireless communications.


Technical Communication: This quarterly includes volume reviews and articles that examine technical communication practices, such every bit rhetoric choices and strategies for creating summaries.

Often Asked Questions

Is a advice degree worth information technology?

The BLS projects salubrious growth for several communication careers between 2019 and 2029. Communication careers are a good fit for people who enjoy interacting with others and engaging audiences. If this sounds like you, a communication degree may be worth it.

What kind of jobs tin can yous get with a advice degree?

Many communication careers require at least a bachelor's caste, including public relations specialists and technical writers. A graduate degree allows professionals to ascend into managerial roles or teach postsecondary advice courses.

Is at that place a demand for communication majors?

Yes. Between 2019 and 2029, the BLS projects 7% job growth for public relations specialists, 6% job growth for advertisement, promotions, and marketing managers, and 7% job growth for technical writers.

How much do communication majors make?

Factors similar feel level, location, and chore title impact salaries for communication careers. Lucrative options include public relations directors and marketing and communications directors. Each of these positions offers an average annual salary above $80,000.

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