Careers with a Communication Bachelor’s DegreeCareers with a Communication Bachelor’s DegreeCareers with a Communication Bachelor’s Degree

To achieve success, companies large and small need to understand how to communicate effectively with their desired audiences. Firms must employ individuals who not only grasp the fundamentals of communication across a range of mediums — verbal, print, web, social media — but also comprehend the intricacies of interpersonal communication. Graduates of a Bachelor of Arts in Communication program are true communication specialists — they boast a complete understanding of the tools and skills required to develop meaningful relationships with target audiences across all mediums. Careers with a communication degree can be quite varied and are constantly evolving. With a communication degree, graduates can establish themselves in a range of cutting-edge fields and industries, from emerging media strategy to content creation and beyond.

Most major industries rely on communication experts to handle their internal and external communications. However, the following industries specialize in communication, making them an ideal employment choice for communication graduates:

With a communication degree, graduates can go on to pursue communication-related careers in a wide range of fields. The following careers are some of the most popular for dedicated communication graduates:

Social media is a revolutionary communication platform that allows businesses to connect directly with their target audiences on a massive scale. When organizational leaders hire social media specialists, they are looking for communication professionals who understand how to use popular platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat to build a dedicated following. This requires innovative content strategies that are built around the interests of a specific audience, as well as an understanding of trending social media platforms and the intricacies of online communication. By studying the core tenets of content creation, as taught in communication coursework, social media specialists can learn how to regularly engage with an audience and grow an entity’s presence on social media.

Social media specialist is a very competitive job for graduates with a bachelor’s degree in communication. The position offers an average salary of $58,220, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), excluding the wages of self-employed social media specialists. There are also title variations for the position, as a social media specialist can also be known as an online community manager, digital engagement specialist, or social media strategist.

Skills recommended to succeed:

A single individual may be able to handle all of his or her communications alone, but organizations — ranging from major companies to startups — often require a team of managers to monitor their many internal and external communication channels. Internal communications are any messages that must be conveyed to an organization’s employees, while external communications are the messages that are being delivered to a company’s audience or customer base. Managing these processes is an important responsibility, as poor communication with employees or customers could lead to low productivity or negative public perceptions.

Through undergraduate communication coursework, professionals in this field can refine their ability to systematically plan, implement, and coordinate effective organization-wide communication strategies. According to the BLS, the average wage for media and communication managers is $54,780.

Skills recommended to succeed:

An advertising manager is focused on producing advertisements for products or services, with the intention of attracting new customers. Traditionally, advertising was centered upon creating television commercials and print advertisements for publications, but the internet has made digital advertising and content a new focal point of this field. Producing these advertisements requires scrutinizing data and market trends to attract the interest of customers. Of course, doing this correctly demands that an advertising professional know which forms of communication will be best for delivering an impactful message.

A bachelor’s degree in communication or marketing may qualify advertising managers in this field to earn the median wage of $127,560, according to the BLS.

Skills recommended to succeed:

The primary objective of a public relations specialist is maintaining a positive image for his or her employer, which could be an individual, a company, or an entire organization. Depending on the nature of the employer, a public relations specialist’s role in achieving this goal could be complex, limiting career progression for someone without a technical comprehension of interpersonal communication. For example, if one of a large organization’s competitors starts spreading a false rumor that could harm the given organization’s image, a communication expert will need to apply a combination of creativity, crisis management, and research skills to convince the public of the truth. A public relations specialist has to be able to utilize a range of digital tools, such as social media, and interpersonal communication strategies to construct a proper narrative that meets the needs of all involved parties, ranging from the average customer to the CEO.

By completing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree, individuals can distinguish themselves as professionals who are well-versed in using media to guard the public reputation of the clients they serve. Qualified public relations specialists receive a median salary of $58,020, and according to the BLS, the job market for public relations specialists is expected to grow by 9%, with 23,300 new positions being created in the field between 2016 and 2026.

Skills recommended to succeed:

Most businesses must hire dedicated sales experts to sell their products. Therefore, sales spans a diverse field of expertise that could allow an individual to work in several completely unrelated industries throughout his or her career. A sales professional uses communication techniques to help customers understand why they may need a product and then guides them through the purchasing process.

Educated sales professionals have a competitive advantage in this field that may allow them to receive positions with commission compensation packages that could lead them to exceed the BLS’ national mean wage of $63,070.

Skills recommended to succeed:

Marketing is a multidisciplinary field that combines communications, sales, and advertising to generate interest in an organization’s products or services. As a marketing specialist, professionals are tasked with using digital and traditional media to strategize the best plan for getting customers to buy a product or service. This position also entails analyzing market data to inform marketing strategies and collaborating with other departments to facilitate marketing campaigns. For instance, if the marketing team wishes to advertise a new pricing strategy to drive sales, it will need to work with the finance and production departments to determine if the plan will be profitable.

A bachelor’s degree would qualify an individual for entry-level positions in this field, but a degree in communication or marketing may help a marketing specialist achieve the BLS national median salary of $62,560 for this position.

Skills recommended to succeed:

Event planners coordinate professional events and private gatherings. They could be hired for positions that require them to handle the logistical processes behind hosting corporate affairs such as training events, conventions, and meetings, and personal affairs such as weddings and private birthday parties. The planner must work closely with the client, vendors, and service providers to ensure that the event plans meet the employer’s expectations.

By studying communication, event planners can learn how to encourage their employers to effectively communicate their needs, allowing them to reach higher levels of customer satisfaction and distinguish themselves in the events industry. According to the BLS, there will be 10% job growth in the field in the next decade, with 11,800 new event planning positions, and the median wage is $47,350.

Skills recommended to succeed:

Writing is a diverse field of expertise that can lead to many lucrative and professionally rewarding positions. As a professional communicator, a writer is responsible for effectively articulating an idea, concept, or narrative to a given audience. This could be done for an extensive array of industries or mediums. For instance, writers can delve into journalism, producing hard-hitting nonfiction content for major news organizations. As another option, they can explore roles within creative services departments or agencies, helping organizations and companies craft content and narratives as they seek to engage with particular audiences or customer bases. As a communication expert, a writer can help clients, ranging from Fortune 500 firms to major publications, tell their stories in an engaging fashion.

A communication degree can introduce writers to academic concepts that could help them alter their perspectives and match their writing to the interests of their target audiences, thereby qualifying them to potentially earn the BLS’ median national wage of $61,240.

Skills recommended to succeed:

Communication is integral to relationship-building processes, and sustaining positive relationships with customers is essential to growing businesses. Therefore, professionals with a strong proficiency in communication skills can be highly marketable. Upon refining these job skills through a Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree program, professionals in communications, sales, or marketing could stand out as exceptional candidates.

Now that you understand potential careers with a communication bachelor’s degree, discover the intricacies of a degree in communication in the digital age.

Sources

BLS: Public Relations Specialists

BLS: Meeting, Convention and Event Planners

BLS: Advertising, Promotions and Marketing Managers

BLS: Writers and Authors

BLS: Social Media Specialist

BLS: Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists

BLS: Sales Representatives, Services, All Other

BLS: Media and Communication Occupations