Top Jobs to Pursue with a Communication Degree

College Advice, Student Life, Undergraduate Careers

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If you are considering a career in Communication, broadcasting, media arts, or a related field and want to pursue a Communication degree at a Christian college in Dallas, Texas, DBU offers many excellent options.

Effective communication is essential in business, social, spiritual, and family relationships. As a mission-driven Christian college, DBU faculty and advisors are dedicated to helping Communication majors pursue their passion and calling in a Christ-focused educational path that prepares them to be servant leaders in diverse Communication jobs.

Popular Jobs You Can Get with a Communication Degree

Communication is a broad field of study that spans many career disciplines, including business, journalism, government, sales, marketing, church media, broadcast/digital media, and public relations.

The Department of Communication at DBU offers five undergraduate Communication degrees (BA/BS) and one graduate degree (MA) in communication as follows:

So, what jobs can you get with a communication degree? And how can you apply the knowledge and skills gained in your educational journey at DBU to pursue some of the highest-paying jobs with a Communication degree?

As you choose your degree path, pray, trust God for His guidance, and remember the scripture, "And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the way, walk in it," when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left." - Isaiah 30:21 (ESV).

Below is a list of popular Communication degree jobs and the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data about 2023 median pay, degree requirements, and projected growth from 2023-33.

Public Relations Specialist

2023 Median Annual Pay: $66,750
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 6%

Public relations (PR) covers many industries, including arts and entertainment, government, sports, business, education, healthcare, and nonprofits.

PR specialists create and maintain a favorable public image for individuals, groups, or organizations. They also write speeches for corporate or government officials, coach clients in effective communication, write press releases, respond to media requests, set interviews, create an engaging social media campaign, organize and manage events, and create public interest in a client, product, or organization.¹

¹ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Public Relations Specialists

Journalist

2023 Median Annual Pay: $57,500
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: -3% decline

Journalists are passionate about storytelling and want to share noteworthy events with local, national, or global citizens. Journalists interview sources, research various topics, and share information with the public in news broadcasts, videos, or online and print publications.²

Sharing stories about ordinary people making an extraordinary difference, groundbreaking healthcare and technology advancements, and people doing random acts of kindness are ways to be a light in a journalism career. While this is a declining field, seek God's direction if you feel led to pursue it.

² Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: History - News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists

Event Planner

2023 Median Annual Pay: $56,920
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 7%

As a meeting, convention, and event planner, you'll utilize creativity, communication, and multitasking skills to organize large and small events, professional gatherings, and seminars. This could be sales conventions, training sessions, policy meetings, or work conferences in business. In a church framework, this might look like planning spiritual retreats, leadership conferences, Bible studies, or worship events.³

³ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

Event planning duties may include:

Getting bids from venues and service providers
Hiring caterers
Choosing a theme
Coordinating itineraries
Planning advertising promotions
Making social media announcements

Writer or Author

2023 Median Annual Pay: $73,690
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 5%

Writers and authors write a wide variety of content. For example, inspirational writers can create devotionals, Christ-focused novels and short stories, and church blog posts. Fiction writers create novels, plays, and screenplays (including fiction and nonfiction scripts for films, T.V. series, commercials, podcasts, and videos). Technical writers create training manuals, user guides, research articles, textbooks, and medical guides, and copywriters write promotional materials for products and services.⁴

⁴ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Writers and Authors

Graphic Designer

2023 Median Annual Pay: $58,910
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 2%

If you're passionate about creating visual art, earning a graphic design degree and building a solid portfolio with examples of your work can open many job opportunities. Graphic designers create innovative and engaging visuals in web design, advertising design, publishing design, and effective social media campaigns. Sales and marketing firms, large corporations, small businesses, churches, and nonprofits can all use graphic designers to enhance communications and operations and inspire and inform consumers.⁵

⁵ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Graphic Designers

Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Manager

2023 Median Annual Pay: $156,580
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 8%

Advertising, sales, and marketing managerial positions require excellent communication, time management, interpersonal skills, creativity, and leadership skills. In this creative field, you'll build brand awareness, create successful and engaging sales and marketing strategies, evaluate the effectiveness of current websites and marketing materials, lead sales and marketing teams, help develop and coordinate advertising campaigns, and more.⁶

⁶ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers

Human Resources Specialist

2023 Median Annual Pay: $67,650
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 8%

Strong communication skills are vital for a human resources specialist. You'll recruit, screen, and interview job applicants in this role. You may organize job fairs, travel to college campuses, facilitate employee training, and handle compensation, benefits, and employee relations.⁷

⁷ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Human Resources Specialists

Broadcast, Sound, and Video Technician

2023 Median Annual Pay: $54,160
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 3%

Broadcast, sound, and video technicians set up, operate, and maintain video, audio, and electrical equipment for media programs. This crucial behind-the-scenes technical work can be done in various places, such as a school, church, hospital, corporation, film studio, recording studio, or radio station.⁸

⁸ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Broadcast, Sound, and Video Technicians

Duties include:

Mixing graphics and sound
Operating cameras
Setting up microphones
Creating and displaying digital graphics
Recording or editing video

Fundraiser

2023 Median Annual Pay: $64,160
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 6%

Helping a worthy cause by serving as a fundraiser at a school, church, nonprofit, social services organization, or health research organization has many intrinsic rewards. In this job, you'll research and contact prospective donors, create appealing messages to donors, raise online donations, organize fundraising events, maintain donor records, and train volunteers.⁹

⁹ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Fundraisers

Producer or Director

2023 Median Annual Pay: $82,510
Degree Requirements: Bachelor's degree
2023-33 Projected Growth: 8%

If you are passionate about filmmaking, consider pursuing a career as a producer or director.¹⁰

¹⁰ Based on data available as of Thursday, August 29, 2024, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Producers and Directors

Producers raise money for film, TV, or stage productions, hire the director and key crew members, set and maintain the budget, and keep a project on schedule.

Directors make multiple creative decisions, such as hiring cast members, directing actors during rehearsals, and choosing film locations.

There are many career paths for the Communication grad — trust in our Lord and seek his guidance to find the one that's right for you!