16 Top Jobs For Graduates With Communications Degrees

Updated July 31, 2023

Obtaining a communications degree will offer you a variety of career options in several industries. Jobs for communications majors can also offer high-earning potential as you gain more experience in your field.

In this article, we review the top jobs available for communication majors, and we list the average salaries and job responsibilities of these roles to help you determine if a communication degree is right for you.

Common communications degree careers

Below is a list of some common roles for communications majors. While some roles are available as entry-level positions, others might require additional education or a certain amount of professional experience. For the most up-to-date information from Indeed, please click on the salary link for each job title below.

1. Business reporter

National average salary: $38,218 per year

Primary duties: Business reporters are journalists that work for online or print publications. They cover trends related to business, including financial news, important company news, economic policies and other government news that might affect businesses.

Companies with this position: Gannett, Nexstar Broadcasting, Sinclair Broadcast Group

2. Marketing coordinator

National average salary: $38,853 per year

Primary duties: Marketing coordinators are responsible for the organization and execution of various marketing activities. They might complete tasks like setting up and monitoring marketing campaigns, analyzing marketing campaigns for performance results and communicating with stakeholders about specific metrics.

Companies with this position: Wyndham Destinations, Sodexo, Live Nation

3. Copywriter

National average salary: $27.08 per hour

Primary duties: Copywriters are responsible for developing and writing for brands in a way that appeals to their audience and marketing goals. Depending on their specialty, they might write for blogs, advertising campaigns or brand slogans, marketing emails, brochures or event signage.

Companies with this position: Deloitte, Nordstrom, Clearlink

4. Brand strategist

National average salary: $23.63 per hour

Primary duties: A brand strategist is responsible for developing strategies to position brands in a certain way. They might work directly with an organization or an agency to achieve the goals of a brand. Some of these goals might include gaining visibility, repositioning a brand’s image or controlling the damage done by a certain incident or issue.

Companies with this position: Smart Apartment Data, Somnio, Microventures

5. Social media manager

National average salary: $50,632 per year

Primary duties: Social media managers are responsible for developing plans for marketing and advertising on social media platforms. They develop strategies for both organic and paid campaigns to ensure their client or company is successful depending on their marketing goals.

Companies with this position: Lifesize, Inc., Nfp, Just Media

6. Managing editor

National average salary: $51,843 per year

Primary duties: A managing editor at a publication, site or organization is responsible for managing and overseeing all production and publication activities. They hire appropriate staff, sign off on final layout and publication plans and make final recommendations on major editing decisions.

Companies with this position: Thomasnet, My Patriot Supply, New York University

7. Content marketing manager

National average salary: $57,903 per year

Primary duties: A content marketing manager is responsible for overseeing an organization or function’s content offerings to their client or audience base—this might include media such as articles, videos, infographics and podcasts. They work to create a content strategy on a variety of platforms including websites, blogs and social media to expand a company’s communications in a way that achieves certain marketing goals like traffic or product adoption.

Companies with this position: American Specialty Health, Blackboard Inc., Facebook

8. Web producer

National average salary: $31.04 per hour

Primary duties: Web producers are responsible for making sure websites create the best possible experience for users. They develop strategies to improve websites by creating or editing content, changing page layouts, arranging menus and buttons, adding and removing information, adjusting the navigation and more.

Companies with this position: 2u, Adobe, California College of the Arts

9. Social media planner

National average salary: $62,522 per year

Primary duties: While the media planner title has taken on many different roles depending on the agency or company, a media planner is generally a person who identifies the best media platform and timing for a specific advertising or marketing campaign. They are responsible for communicating with the platform to buy or sell spots and projecting campaign performance based on the media channel.

Companies with this position: Paladin, Acento Advertising, Dow Jones

10. Senior event planner

National average salary: $62,565 per year

Primary duties: An event planner develops and executes small and large scale events, meetings or conferences. Event planners might work for themselves with their own client base or for an organization. There are many different types of event planners with varying specialties.

Companies with this position: Referee Enterprises, Inc., Service Corporation International, Agile 1

11. Public relations specialist

National average salary: $63,734 per year

Primary duties: Public relationship specialists are responsible for developing public-facing communications strategies that create a brand’s identity. To do this, they might write press releases, build relationships with major publications and conduct damage control when necessary.

Companies with this position: AAA National, National Instruments, Academy Sports & Outdoors

12. Digital strategist

National average salary: $64,517 per year

Primary duties: Digital strategists are responsible for developing plans to reach company goals related to online advertising and marketing. They might create plans for content, social media and website design to boost a company’s digital presence and increase revenue.

Companies with this position: PepsiCo, Unilever, Liberty Mutual

13. Journalist

National average salary: $35.49 per hour

Primary duties: A journalist reports on important news or topics of interest to their readers. Stories may be assigned by an editor or pitched to an editor by the journalist. They might work in a variety of media including podcasts, documentaries, newspapers, radio, online journals and blogs.

Companies with this position: Sinclair Broadcast Group, Disney ABC, Tegna

14. News anchor

National average salary: $74,200 per year

Primary duties: News anchors are journalists that might work for a television or other online source to deliver major metro, state, national or international news. They are the face of a news organization and are responsible for delivering information in an engaging, concise and clear fashion.

Companies with this position: News Anchor, NBC Universal, Meredith Corporation

15. Human resources manager

National average salary: $77,733 per year

Primary duties: HR professionals are the strategic planners focused on making a workforce successful. They are responsible for a wide variety of duties depending on the organization including insurance selection, hiring staff, improving morale and managing company-wide communications.

Companies with this position: Basler Plastics, Hose Tech USA, Seaboard Triumph Foods

16. Product marketing manager

National average salary: $108,846 per year

Primary duties: Product marketing managers are responsible for developing strategies around positioning and communicating an organization’s products to customers. They work closely with sales representatives to create sales collateral, talking points and incentives based on market and audience research.

Companies with this position: IBM, Lifesize, Inc., Kendra Scott

Frequently asked questions

Can you make a six-figure salary in communications?

It's possible to make six figures in the field of communications. Your salary depends on various factors, such as your education, experience, skills and the industry in which you work. In general, those who work in high-level positions in the field of communications, such as directors or vice presidents, can earn six-figure salaries. Additionally, those with specialized skills, such as digital marketing, crisis management or social media management, may earn high salaries.

To maximize your earning potential in communications, it's important to have a strong educational background. A bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field is typically required. Advanced degrees can help differentiate you as a more qualified job candidate and an expert in your communications specialization. Some positions require this level of education and training, so consider pursuing higher credentials before entering the field.

What's the highest degree you can get in communications?

The highest degree you can earn in communications is a doctoral degree, typically a Doctor of Philosophy in communications or a Doctor of Communication. These advanced degrees are for individuals who want to become experts in the field of communications and pursue careers in academia, research or leadership roles in the industry. 

A doctoral degree in communications typically takes four to six years to complete and requires extensive research, writing and analysis. The coursework for a doctoral program in communications may include topics such as media theory, research methods, communication ethics and media law.

Can I be successful with a communications degree?

You can potentially be successful with a communications degree. A degree in communications can provide you with a versatile set of skills that you can apply in a wide range of industries and professions. One of the key advantages of a communications degree is its flexibility. Communication skills are usually valuable in any industry, from marketing and public relations to politics, journalism and entertainment. 

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts media and communication occupations to grow 6% from 2021 to 2031, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.


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