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Communication & Journalism

Instructional programs that focus on how messages in various media are produced, used, and interpreted within and across different contexts, channels, and cultures, and that prepare individuals to apply communication knowledge and skills professionally.

Types of Degrees Communication & Journalism Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Communication & Journalism have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	1,059
Associate’s Degree	7,940
Bachelor’s Degree	79,426
Master’s Degree	16,227
Doctor’s Degree	699

What Communication & Journalism Majors Need to Know

Studies in Communication & Journalism build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Communication & Journalism graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Communication & Journalism emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.7 / 5; level 5.9 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 5.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Communication & Journalism program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Communication & Journalism careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Communication & Journalism graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Communication & Journalism professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe InDesign	Desktop publishing software	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	✓
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Communication & Journalism graduates include:

• Instructor
• Journalism Instructor
• Public Speaking Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Speech Instructor
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Adjunct Communications Faculty Member
• Journalism Teacher
• Communication Studies Instructor
• Communications Media Professor
• Journalist Professor
• Speech Communication Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• Communication Skills Instructor
• College Professor

What Can You Do With a Communication & Journalism Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Communication & Journalism commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Community Health Workers	13.4%	$73,901	$61,028–$86,775
Health Education Specialists	3.7%	$81,726	$64,644–$98,808

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Communication & Journalism graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	43.1%
Bachelor’s degree	27.7%
Doctoral degree	9.9%
Post-doctoral training	6.1%
Some college courses	4.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.7%
Less than a high school diploma	0.7%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.6%
Post-master’s certificate	0.6%
Postsecondary certificate	0.5%
First professional degree	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Communication & Journalism?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 64.3% of Communication & Journalism degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	67,821	64.3%
Men	37,592	35.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Communication & Journalism graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	56,535	53.6%
Asian	4,979	4.7%
Hispanic or Latino	18,931	18.0%
Black or African American	10,937	10.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native	333	0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	173	0.2%
Two or More Races	4,842	4.6%
Race Unknown	2,350	2.2%
International Students	6,333	6.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Communication & Journalism Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Communication & Journalism graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,593
4 years	$49,370
5 years	$57,299

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $57,299 — roughly 52% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Communication & Journalism Programs

Distance learning is tracked by IPEDS for Communication & Journalism. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	142	132
Bachelor’s	386	436
Master’s	302	200
Doctoral (Research)	8	10

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Communication & Journalism Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Communication & Journalism graduates earn a median of $49,370 four years after completion — roughly 30% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.