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Communications Professor

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What Do Communications Professor Do?

Job Description & Duties Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

A Day in the Life of a Communications Professor

  • Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
  • Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
  • Participate in campus and community events.
  • Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
  • Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
  • Collaborate with colleagues to address teaching and research issues.

What a Communications Professor Should Know

When polled, Communications Professors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.

  • Communications Department Chairperson
  • College or University Faculty Member
  • Communications Department Chair
  • Lecturer
  • Associate Professor of Media Arts

Are There Job Opportunities for Communications Professors?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 34,100 jobs in the United States for Communications Professor. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,400 new jobs for Communications Professor by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,000 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Communications Professor are Utah, Colorado, and Missouri. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Wyoming, or Rhode Island. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Do Communications Professors Make A Lot Of Money?

The average yearly salary of a Communications Professor ranges between $35,870 and $133,570.

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Communications Professors who work in Connecticut, New Hampshire, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.

How much do Communications Professors make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $64,270
Arkansas $65,060
Colorado $58,270
Connecticut $83,720
District of Columbia $92,970
Florida $77,290
Georgia $77,820
Hawaii $60,030
Idaho $71,100
Illinois $78,810
Iowa $88,340
Kansas $70,090
Kentucky $68,530
Louisiana $65,150
Maine $62,060
Maryland $76,040
Massachusetts $79,930
Michigan $71,770
Minnesota $67,630
Mississippi $54,940
Missouri $76,730
Montana $59,700
Nebraska $71,140
Nevada $59,780
New Hampshire $88,600
New Jersey $92,200
New York $90,470
North Carolina $65,770
North Dakota $68,790
Ohio $74,860
Oklahoma $50,700
Oregon $80,700
Pennsylvania $76,720
Rhode Island $80,330
South Carolina $65,620
South Dakota $66,390
Tennessee $56,860
Texas $68,900
Utah $74,270
Virginia $67,530
Washington $60,370
West Virginia $51,150
Wisconsin $79,870
Wyoming $66,780

What Tools do Communications Professors Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Communications Professors may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Web browser software
  • Data entry software
  • Email software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
  • Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
  • Google Docs
  • Blackboard
  • Calendar and scheduling software
  • Apple Final Cut Pro
  • Learning management system LMS
  • Blackboard Learn
  • Course management system software
  • Sakai CLE
  • Collaborative editing software
  • Desire2Learn

How to Become a Communications Professor

What education or degrees do I need to become a Communications Professor?

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What work experience do I need to become a Communications Professor?

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Communications Professors Sector

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The table below shows the approximate number of Communications Professors employed by various industries.

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Other Jobs You May be Interested In

Those thinking about becoming a Communications Professor might also be interested in the following careers:

Are you already one of the many Communications Professor in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:

References:

Image Credit: UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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