Communications Teachers, Postsecondary: Career Overview
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.
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What Tasks Do Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of communications teachers, postsecondary span:
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public speaking, media criticism, and oral traditions.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Maintain regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective communications teachers, postsecondary rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Adjunct Communications Faculty Member
- Adjunct Communications Instructor
- Adjunct Instructor
- Adjunct Lecturer
- Adjunct Professor
- Assistant Professor
- Associate Professor
- College Faculty Member
How Many Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Are There?
There are about 933,282 communications teachers, postsecondary working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -1.5% over the projection horizon.
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $96,169 |
| Hourly median | $46.24 |
| 10th percentile | $61,933 |
| 25th percentile | $79,051 |
| 75th percentile | $113,286 |
| 90th percentile | $130,404 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $134,780 |
| Connecticut | $97,730 |
| Rhode Island | $92,850 |
| Oregon | $90,120 |
| New York | $84,420 |
| New Jersey | $83,460 |
| Michigan | $82,130 |
| Montana | $81,700 |
| District of Columbia | $81,030 |
| Puerto Rico | $79,950 |
| Minnesota | $79,290 |
| Illinois | $79,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,900 |
| Nevada | $78,710 |
| Maryland | $78,090 |
| Massachusetts | $77,760 |
| Wisconsin | $77,190 |
| Texas | $76,210 |
| Maine | $75,640 |
| North Dakota | $75,460 |
| New Hampshire | $75,000 |
| Wyoming | $73,880 |
| Idaho | $73,770 |
| South Carolina | $73,540 |
| Washington | $72,390 |
| Virginia | $72,340 |
| Arizona | $68,350 |
| Iowa | $67,990 |
| Nebraska | $67,380 |
| Louisiana | $67,000 |
| West Virginia | $66,720 |
| Missouri | $66,530 |
| North Carolina | $66,380 |
| Georgia | $65,690 |
| Delaware | $65,100 |
| Colorado | $64,910 |
| Ohio | $64,360 |
| Florida | $64,090 |
| Oklahoma | $63,960 |
| Kansas | $63,860 |
| Indiana | $63,660 |
| Mississippi | $63,440 |
| Utah | $62,810 |
| Kentucky | $62,450 |
| Alabama | $61,990 |
| South Dakota | $61,670 |
| Arkansas | $61,590 |
| Tennessee | $60,810 |
| Alaska | $49,680 |
| New Mexico | $47,870 |
| Hawaii | $40,130 |
Where Communications Teachers, Postsecondary Earn the Most
Pay for communications teachers, postsecondary vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $121,240 | 13.4% | 0.83 |
| New England | $82,299 | 5.6% | 1.40 |
| Middle Atlantic | $82,263 | 21.3% | 1.44 |
| Other U.S. Territories | $79,950 | 0.2% | 0.35 |
| Great Lakes | $72,731 | 16.7% | 1.21 |
| Southwest | $71,016 | 14.7% | 1.28 |
| Plains States | $69,316 | 6.8% | 1.01 |
| Rocky Mountains | $67,201 | 3.4% | 0.86 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $173,360 | 300 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $154,840 | 350 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $142,330 | 40 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $133,200 | 330 |
| Fresno, CA | CA | $132,190 | 70 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $131,160 | 1,190 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $127,430 | 240 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $123,070 | 100 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of communications teachers, postsecondary are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 29,260 | n/a |
Below are examples of industries where communications teachers, postsecondary work:
Tools and Technology
- Document management software: Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Desktop publishing software: Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Google Docs (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of communications teachers, postsecondary tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
How to Become Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
Entry-level communications teachers, postsecondary positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Business Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Anthropology and Archeology Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Area, Ethnic, and Cultural Studies Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Long)
- Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Psychology Teachers, Postsecondary (Supplemental)
- Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Education Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
- Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary (Primary-Short)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for communications teachers, postsecondary typically earn programs in:
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
20 programs across 5 majors
- Communication & Media Studies
- Radio, TV & Digital Communication
- Public Relations & Advertising
- Journalism
- Other Communication & Journalism
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Visual and Performing Arts
1 programs across 1 majors
References
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 25-1122.00 (Communications Teachers, Postsecondary).
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