Other Communication & Journalism

Types of Degrees Other Communication & Journalism Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many communication and journalism (other) graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Master’s Degree	314
Graduate Certificate	17
Doctor’s Degree	10

What Other Communication & Journalism Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to other communications and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Other Communications Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Skills for Other Communications Majors

When studying other communications, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• 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 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.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Other Communications Majors

A major in other communications will prepare for your careers in which the following abilities are important:

• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.

What Can You Do With a Other Communication & Journalism Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with other communications:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Communications Professors	10.0%	$68,910
Copy Writers	7.6%	$62,170

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Other Communication & Journalism?

This major is dominated by women with about 77% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of other communications majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	7
Black or African American	52
Hispanic or Latino	25
White	122
International Students	79
Other Races/Ethnicities	29

Geographic Diversity

Other Communications appeals to people across the globe. About 25.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• Saudi Arabia
• India
• Canada
• Taiwan

How Much Do Other Communication & Journalism Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a master’s degree in communication and journalism (other) made a median starting salary of $42,106 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $41,578 (25th percentile) and $59,569 (75th percentile).

We don’t know for sure if all of these people took jobs related to other communications so take that into consideration.

Salaries According to BLS

Other Communications majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $69,480 to $78,090 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Other Communication & Journalism

Some degrees associated with other communications may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for other communications careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	0.2%
Some College Courses	6.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	3.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	52.6%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.6%
Master’s Degree	27.6%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.7%
Doctoral Degree	5.3%
Post-Doctoral Training	3.3%

Online Other Communication & Journalism Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 114 schools offered some type of communication and journalism (other) program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	5	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	13	2
Bachelor’s Degree	10	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	26	3
Post-Master’s	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	3	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Other Communication & Journalism Worth It?

The median salary for a other communications grad is $73,090 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 83% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $663,800 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Other Communication & Journalism

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to other communications.

Major	Number of Grads
Communication & Media Studies	5,059
Public Relations & Advertising	2,828
Radio, Television & Digital Communication	2,562
Journalism	1,238
Publishing	214

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
• Image Credit: By Josh Hallett under License

More about our data sources and methodologies.