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Major · Communication & Journalism

The study of how messages move, persuade, and shape public life

Communication, General covers the full breadth of human communication — from interpersonal and group dynamics to mass media, rhetoric, and digital platforms. About 9,537 degrees are awarded annually across 399 colleges. The major prepares students for roles where crafting and analyzing messages is the core skill.

Schools offering
399
Annual completions
9,537
Typical degree level
Associate's + Bachelor's
Median earnings (5yr)
$54k

About this major

Communication, General covers the systematic study of how messages are created, transmitted, and received across every context humans use them in — from two people talking to a corporation managing its public image to a network broadcasting to millions. The CIP definition frames it as spanning mass communication and media studies, new and old media technologies, rhetorical tradition, interpersonal and organizational communication, and research methods for studying all of it. Students typically move from foundational theory in the first two years — communication models, rhetorical criticism, media and society — into applied work in the upper division, where they develop skills in writing, message design, research, and analysis.

The major tends to attract students who are naturally drawn to language, argument, and the mechanics of how information circulates — people who find themselves thinking about why a message landed or failed, not just what it said. Writing is the core skill the curriculum develops, but so is the ability to read media, organizations, and audiences with some analytical precision. That combination shows up across the career list: public relations specialists at a $69,780 median wage, editors at $75,260, writers and authors at $72,270, and on the management end, public relations managers at $138,520.

About 9,537 degrees are awarded annually across 399 colleges — a mid-sized field, not the largest in higher education but widely available. The major's breadth is both its appeal and its challenge: it prepares students for many roles without locking them into a single industry, which means the degree's value often depends on how students use electives, internships, and their own professional development to build a more specific identity within the broader communication space.

Section 3 · Careers

Where this major leads

Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.

Occupation Median wage Job growth Typical education
Public relations specialists $70k +4.8% Bachelor's degree
Writers and authors $72k +3.6% Bachelor's degree
Fundraisers $66k +4.3% Bachelor's degree
Editors $75k +0.6% Bachelor's degree
Public relations managers $139k +5.0% Bachelor's degree
News analysts, reporters, and journalists $60k -3.9% Bachelor's degree
Fundraising managers $123k +4.2% Bachelor's degree
Communications teachers, postsecondary $78k +2.1% Doctoral or professional degree
Section 4 · Earnings

Earnings at a glance

Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.

Median 5-year earnings

$54k

Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings

Associate's

$44k

Bachelor's

$55k

Who this major is for

You may thrive here if you find yourself engaged by the mechanics of argument and persuasion — if you notice when a political statement sidesteps a question, or how a news framing shapes the way a story lands. You may also fit well here if writing is a genuine strength and you want a degree that sharpens it across multiple contexts, from organizational memos to public campaigns. If your career target is in public relations, nonprofit fundraising, or content work, the careers data shows real demand: PR specialists at a $69,780 median and fundraising roles that scale to $123,480 for managers are accessible paths from this degree. And if you're not sure exactly where you want to land in communication-related work, the breadth of this major's curriculum is a feature rather than a design flaw.

Think twice if you are drawn to journalism specifically — the data is direct about the employment outlook for news analysts, reporters, and journalists at -3.9% projected growth, and that trend runs across the industry regardless of which communication program you attend. Think twice, too, if you are expecting the earning power of a business or technical degree: the five-year median for bachelor's completers in this major sits at roughly $54,754, and the ceiling roles in PR and fundraising management take years of work experience to reach. If brand strategy, market research, and business-facing communication interest you, Marketing's larger job market and comparable or higher earnings may be a better structural fit.

Section 6 · Where to study

Top colleges for Communication, General

Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.

College Location Assoc. Bach. Total
University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA 0 597 597
Texas A&M University-College Station College Station, TX 0 438 438
The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX 0 270 270
University of Utah Salt Lake City, UT 0 261 261
University of California-Davis Davis, CA 0 258 258
University of Phoenix-Arizona Phoenix, AZ 0 248 248
University of Massachusetts-Amherst Amherst, MA 0 244 244
University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 0 228 228
University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA 0 220 220
Baylor University Waco, TX 0 192 192
Section 7 · Explore sideways

Related majors to explore

Marketing/Marketing Management, General

42,445 completions/yr

Speech Communication and Rhetoric

29,295 completions/yr

Journalism

8,274 completions/yr

Mass Communication/Media Studies

6,797 completions/yr

Communication Sciences and Disorders, General

4,781 completions/yr

Radio and Television

4,611 completions/yr

Creative Writing

3,403 completions/yr

Public Relations/Image Management

3,305 completions/yr

Considering this direction?

We've taken a hard look at the debt, earnings trajectory, and degree-level tradeoffs for the Communication, General field. Read our verdict before you commit.

Is Communication, General worth it? Read verdict
Section 9 · Frequently asked

Common questions

What do Communication, General majors actually study day-to-day?
Coursework spans a wide range of communication modes: interpersonal communication, rhetoric and argumentation, organizational communication, media studies, and intercultural communication. Students read theory, write extensively, and analyze how messages work across different contexts — political speeches, advertising campaigns, news coverage, organizational memos. Upper-division work often branches into a specialization like public relations, media criticism, or communication research methods. It is less technical than many majors but demands a high volume of writing and critical reading.
Do I need a bachelor's, or is an associate's enough for Communication?
The earnings gap between degree levels is smaller here than in many fields. Bachelor's completers in this major report five-year median earnings around $54,754, while associate's completers report roughly $44,404 — a difference of about $10,350. That said, every career in this major's data packet — from public relations specialist at a $69,780 median to editors at $75,260 — lists a bachelor's degree as the typical entry credential. An associate's alone will limit your options on the hiring side, even if the earnings gap at five years is modest.
What kinds of jobs do Communication graduates end up in?
Public relations specialist is the most commonly cited destination, with a median wage of $69,780 and a 4.8% projected job growth rate. Writers and authors ($72,270 median, 3.6% growth) and editors ($75,260 median, 0.6% growth) are common paths for students drawn to content and storytelling. Fundraisers ($66,490, 4.3% growth) and fundraising managers ($123,480, 4.2% growth) are a less obvious but accessible track for graduates going into nonprofit or higher-ed work. The senior management ceiling — public relations manager — sits at a $138,520 median. Journalism is available but worth noting: news analysts, reporters, and journalists show a median wage of $60,280 and a -3.9% projected decline.
How competitive is the job market for Communication graduates?
It varies significantly by role. PR specialists show a moderate 4.8% projected growth rate; fundraisers 4.3%; writers 3.6%. Those numbers are roughly in line with or slightly below the national average for all occupations. Editors show only 0.6% projected growth, meaning little net expansion of available positions. Journalism is actively contracting at -3.9%. The field is also wide: Communication is offered at 399 colleges with 9,537 completions per year, so the candidate pool is large. Graduates who develop a specific skill emphasis — digital content, data-driven PR, grant writing — tend to compete more effectively than those with a generalist profile only.
Is Communication, General the right fit, or should I look at a related major?
Communication, General is the broadest version of this field by design. If you already know you want to work in PR, the dedicated Public Relations/Image Management major (3,305 completions) aligns coursework more tightly with that outcome. If journalism is the goal, Journalism (8,274 completions) is the more direct path — though the declining employment trend for reporters applies regardless of which program you attend. Speech Communication and Rhetoric (29,295 completions) is a larger program that emphasizes argumentation and public speaking more heavily. If your interest is in business-facing communication and brand strategy, Marketing (42,445 completions per year) opens broader career options at comparable or higher earnings. The choice often comes down to how much applied specialization you want built into the curriculum.
What's a realistic earnings picture after a Communication degree?
Five-year median earnings for this major run about $53,987 across degree levels, with bachelor's completers landing at roughly $54,754. Those are honest numbers — Communication sits in the lower-middle of the earnings distribution for bachelor's degrees, below business, engineering, and health fields. The ceiling, however, is real: public relations managers earn a $138,520 median, and fundraising managers reach $123,480. Those outcomes typically take several years of career progression. Entry-level roles in PR, content, and nonprofit work are plentiful but often start in the $40,000–$55,000 range depending on market and employer.