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Radio, TV & Digital Communication

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 09.0701 - 09.0799.

Types of Degrees Radio, TV & Digital Communication Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Radio, TV & Digital Communication have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	839
Associate’s Degree	1,620
Bachelor’s Degree	10,772
Master’s Degree	4,445
Doctor’s Degree	98

What Radio, TV & Digital Communication Majors Need to Know

Programs in Radio, TV & Digital Communication develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Radio, TV & Digital Communication graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Radio, TV & Digital Communication emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Administration and Management — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set developed in a Radio, TV & Digital Communication program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Radio, TV & Digital Communication careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Radio, TV & Digital Communication graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.4 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Radio, TV & Digital Communication 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	✓
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Adobe Illustrator	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 Radio, TV & Digital Communication graduates include:

• Communication Studies Professor
• Assistant Professor
• Communication Skills Instructor
• Speech Instructor
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Communication Instructor
• Journalism Instructor
• Adjunct Communications Instructor
• Journalism Teacher
• Lecturer
• Communications Professor
• Interpersonal Communications Professor
• Adjunct Professor
• Public Speaking Professor
• College Professor

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.8%
Master’s degree	33.0%
Doctoral degree	7.6%
High school diploma or equivalent	6.7%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	6.1%
Post-doctoral training	4.6%
Some college courses	3.6%
Postsecondary certificate	2.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	1.1%
Post-master’s certificate	0.5%
Less than a high school diploma	0.5%
First professional degree	0.3%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Radio, TV & Digital Communication?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 56.3% women and 43.7% men among Radio, TV & Digital Communication graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	10,033	56.3%
Men	7,780	43.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	8,085	45.4%
Asian	1,036	5.8%
Hispanic or Latino	3,501	19.7%
Black or African American	1,837	10.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native	65	0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	16	0.1%
Two or More Races	802	4.5%
Race Unknown	434	2.4%
International Students	2,037	11.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Radio, TV & Digital Communication Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Radio, TV & Digital Communication 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	$30,213
4 years	$40,945
5 years	$47,545

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $47,545 — roughly 57% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Radio, TV & Digital Communication Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Radio, TV & Digital Communication. 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	8	12
Bachelor’s	23	25
Master’s	21	12
Doctoral (Research)	2	0

^{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 Radio, TV & Digital Communication Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Radio, TV & Digital Communication graduates earn a median of $40,945 four years after completion — roughly 8% 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.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Communication Journalism Media	105,413
Communication, General	55,210
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	19,636
Journalism	11,334
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other	1,080
Publishing	340
COMMUNICATION, JOURNALISM, AND RELATED PROGRAMS	—

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.