Communications ecompasses a broad swath of careers, including writers, the media and professional services. Often, people only think of traditional roles like corporate public relations, traditional print journalism and advertising agencies. But as a digital presence becomes increasingly important for brands in the communications landscape, there are far more communications jobs than before.
If you have a strong interest in communications and all that it entails: verbal, written and sometimes visual, learn more about the exciting opportunities in this field.
The world-renowned S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University offers an online M.S. in Communications.
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Generally, communications degrees break into three fields: journalism, advertising and public relations. A career in any of these fields will require excellent communication skills, the ability to speak and write well and a deep understanding of audience behavior, which a master’s in communications would also cover.
Advertising is a common communications career that touches many lives daily—on television, social media and even by emails. Careers in advertising can range from a creative director dreaming up what ads look like to a social media specialist spicing up your feed. Some common advertising jobs include:
In journalism, reporters, photographers and print, digital and visual editors work together to provide news and other relevant information to the public. Increasingly, publications are moving toward digital journalism, where the ability to produce news quickly and publish online is in higher demand than print publications. Journalism careers are also becoming more brand-oriented. Those trained in reporting may work for brands to tell corporate stories or optimize information for search engines. Some common journalism careers include:
Public relations is a blend of advertising and journalism. As brands and businesses need to communicate with consumers and the media, they work carefully to craft the messaging. Public relations specialists help brands create intentional communications for customers, investors and other stakeholders. Some common public relations jobs include:
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) lumps careers in communications into one main category and otherwise classifies them by individual occupations. For example:
While there are many ways to use a communications degree, be it working in traditional media or in the digital world of social media, content writing and other internet forums, some jobs are particularly on the rise. Outside of common roles like reporter, advertising account executive or public relations specialist, here are five more niche roles that combine multiple communications skills and can help build up your skill-set:
According to the BLS, employment of media and communication workers is projected to grow 4% from 2018 to 2028, about as fast as the average for all occupations. It is expected there will be about 27,600 new jobs added during that time period. This projected growth is for the overall category, not individual jobs. The median annual wage for media and communication occupations was $59,230 in May 2019, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810.
When looking at specific roles in media and communications, job outlook varies by profession. Review some of these communications job growth projections for more information:Advertising, promotions and marketing managers: 8% (faster than average)
Technical writers: 8% (faster than average)
Broadcast and sound engineering: 8% (faster than average)
Public relations: 6% (average)
Editors: -3% (decline)
Reporters, correspondents and broadcast news analysts: -10% (decline)
The median annual wage for media and communication occupations was $59,230 in May 2019, which was higher than the median annual wage for all occupations of $39,810. The median salary for advertising, marketing and promotions managers was $135,900 per year in 2019. The median salary for marketing managers was $134,290 in 2019. The median salary for public relations specialists was $61,170 in 2019.
BLS data indicates the following states have the highest employment level for different communications careers. The tables compare employment levels, employment per thousand jobs and annual mean wages by state. Interestingly, the states with the most jobs aren’t always the ones with the highest wages (2019).
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
New York | 6,020 | 0.63 | $90,160 |
California | 4,500 | 0.26 | $67,870 |
Texas | 2,640 | 0.21 | $52,660 |
District of Columbia | 2,220 | 3.06 | $103,320 |
Florida | 2,050 | 0.23 | $62,580 |
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
California | 26,700 | 1.54 | $74,990 |
Texas | 26,110 | 2.10 | $60,600 |
New York | 25,760 | 2.70 | $78,230 |
District of Columbia | 18,600 | 25.71 | $109,390 |
Florida | 11,830 | 1.34 | $60,740 |
Advertising and Promotions Managers
| State | Employment | Employment per thousand jobs | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
New York | 7,840 | 0.82 | $184,920 |
California | 2,670 | 0.15 | $149,320 |
Texas | 1,390 | 0.11 | $111,140 |
Florida | 1,290 | 0.15 | $89,810 |
Massachusetts | 880 | 0.24 | $124,370 |
Communications careers vary in requirements and daily tasks but many of them come down to one thing: how can you get a message to an intended audience. Whether you find you are a skilled writer, a great orator, a creative thinker or a visual wizard, a career in communications may be for you.
If you think you want to work in the digital media landscape of today, a communications degree online may be a good option.
Last Updated August 2020
1AHA! “Marketing Overview: What are Some Marketing Job Titles?” Accessed August 2020.Return to footnote reference