by our College Data Analytics TeamCommunications was the 67th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 12,001 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 1.2% increase in communication arts degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 11,861.
This year's Best Communications Schools ranking compares 162 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom communication arts rankings further below.
When studying Communication Arts, you’ll learn that understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience and 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 are all required skills for careers related to this major.
communications degree applicants generally need have finished high school or their GED. Many schools may also have GPA and SAT/ACT score minimums that must be met. In addition to these basic communications program qualifications, to serve in some communication arts careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of communication arts degrees. You can get anything from a in communications to the highest communication arts degree, a . The time it takes to complete a communication arts degree varies depending on the program.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to communication arts, with approximately 60.9% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for communication arts workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 61.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 14.9% |
| Some College Courses | 6.0% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 4.6% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.9% |
Most workers in communication arts have at least a bachelor's degree. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in communications careers have.
This of course varies depending on which communication arts career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your communication arts degree? Communications careers are expected to grow 4.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to communications.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialists | 282,600 | 8.9% |
| Writers and Authors | 141,200 | 7.6% |
| Editors | 125,600 | -1.4% |
| Reporters and Correspondents | 40,200 | -10.1% |
| Communications Professors | 37,500 | 10.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for communication arts graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for communications graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers communication arts grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Communications Professors | $78,090 |
| Writers and Authors | $73,090 |
| Editors | $69,480 |
| Public Relations Specialists | $68,440 |
| Reporters and Correspondents | $55,530 |
With over 589 different communication arts degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased communication arts school rankings to help you with this.
Communications is one of 3 different types of Communication & Media Studies programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Speech Communication | 41,146 |
| Communication & Media Studies | 10,266 |
| Other Communication & Media Studies | 3,374 |
Image Credit: By UNU-WIDER from Helsinki, Finland under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
