by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, technical and scientific communication was the 828th most popular major nationwide with 217 degrees awarded. This is a difference of 46 over the prior year, a growth of 21.2%.
Our 2023 Best Technical & Scientific Communication Schools ranking analyzes 10 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for technical and scientific communication students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of technical and scientific communication programs later in this article.
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience has been highlighted as one of the most essential skills for careers related to technical and scientific communication. Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents 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.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional technical and scientific communication certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are various different levels of technical and scientific communication degrees. You can spend many years getting as high as a in technical and scientific communication to something that takes less time like a . Different technical and scientific communication degrees vary in how long they take.
| 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 technical and scientific communication, with approximately 37.8% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for technical and scientific communication workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 37.7% |
| Master’s Degree | 30.1% |
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 12.9% |
| Doctoral Degree | 5.9% |
| Some College Courses | 5.8% |
80.7% of technical and scientific communication workers have at least a bachelor's. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in technical and scientific communication have received.
This of course varies depending on which technical and scientific communication career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your technical and scientific communication degree? Technical & Scientific Communication careers are expected to grow 3.4% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to technical and scientific communication.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Editors | 125,600 | -1.4% |
| Technical Writers | 58,100 | 10.9% |
| Communications Professors | 37,500 | 10.0% |
BA English in Professional Writing
Expand your professional skillset with this specialized online degree from Southern New Hampshire University.
As you might expect, salaries for technical and scientific communication graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for technical and scientific communication graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers technical and scientific communication grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Communications Professors | $78,090 |
| Technical Writers | $75,500 |
| Editors | $69,480 |
With over 43 different technical and scientific communication 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 technical and scientific communication school rankings to help you with this.
Technical & Scientific Communication is one of 10 different types of Public Relations & Advertising programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Public Relations | 5,216 |
| Advertising | 4,918 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication | 4,203 |
| General Organizational Communication | 2,013 |
| Other Public Relations, Advertising, & Applied Communication | 1,553 |
View All Technical and Scientific Communication Related Majors >
Image Credit: By Bill Koplitz under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
