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Communications Technology/Support

Instructional programs that prepare individuals to function as equipment operators, support technicians, and operations managers in the film/video, recording, and graphic communications industries.

Types of Degrees Communications Technology/Support Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Communications Technology/Support may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	2,908
Associate’s Degree	4,101
Bachelor’s Degree	5,145
Master’s Degree	4,463

What Communications Technology/Support Majors Need to Know

Studies in Communications Technology/Support develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Communications Technology/Support graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Communications Technology/Support emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Production and Processing — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set emphasized by a Communications Technology/Support program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Communications Technology/Support careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Information Ordering — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.3 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Communications Technology/Support graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.5 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.7 / 7
Processing Information	3.5 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	3.5 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Communications Technology/Support professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe InDesign	Desktop publishing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Corel CorelDraw Graphics Suite	Graphics or photo imaging software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Communications Technology/Support graduates include:

• Computer Typesetter
• Compositor
• Desktop Operator
• Plate Maker
• Hand Etcher
• Stereotyper
• Electrotyper
• Roller Print Tender
• Press Technician
• Lithographing Machine Operator
• Lithographic Press Operator
• Digital Print Operator
• Steel Die Printer
• Letterpress Setter
• Print Operator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Communications Technology/Support graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
High school diploma or equivalent	37.6%
Bachelor’s degree	19.6%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	18.3%
Some college courses	11.4%
Postsecondary certificate	8.5%
Less than a high school diploma	4.0%
First professional degree	0.3%
Post-master’s certificate	0.3%
Master’s degree	0.1%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Communications Technology/Support?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 40.4% women and 59.6% men among Communications Technology/Support graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	6,730	40.4%
Men	9,946	59.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Communications Technology/Support graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	6,936	41.6%
Asian	963	5.8%
Hispanic or Latino	4,092	24.5%
Black or African American	2,292	13.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	126	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	31	0.2%
Two or More Races	816	4.9%
Race Unknown	471	2.8%
International Students	949	5.7%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Communications Technology/Support Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Communications Technology/Support 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	$22,712
4 years	$31,856
5 years	$36,812

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $36,812 — roughly 62% above the 1-year mark.

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

Online Communications Technology/Support Programs

Fully online options is tracked by IPEDS for Communications Technology/Support. 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	26	26
Bachelor’s	14	10
Master’s	4	4

^{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 Communications Technology/Support Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Communications Technology/Support graduates earn a median of $31,856 four years after completion — about 16% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{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.