What Do Communications Professors Do?

Job Description & Duties Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

Daily Life Of a Communications Professor

• Keep abreast of developments and technological advances in the communication field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
• Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
• Evaluate and grade students’ class work, assignments, and papers.
• Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

Communications Professor Needed Skills

These are the skills Communications Professors say are the most useful in their careers:

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Active Listening: 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.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Speech Communication Instructor
• Theatre Arts Professor
• Communication Instructor
• Communication Arts Lecturer
• Communication Studies Professor

Job Outlook for Communications Professors

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 34,100 jobs in the United States for Communications Professors.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 10% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 3,400 new jobs for Communications Professors by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,000 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Communications Professors are New York, Texas, and Florida.

Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Wyoming, or Rhode Island. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

How Much Does a Communications Professor Make?

Communications Professors Make between $35,870 and $133,570 a year. A Communications Professor median salary is $68,910.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
District of Columbia	$92,970
New Jersey	$92,200
New York	$90,470
New Hampshire	$88,600
Iowa	$88,340
Connecticut	$83,720
Oregon	$80,700
Rhode Island	$80,330
Massachusetts	$79,930
Wisconsin	$79,870
Illinois	$78,810
Georgia	$77,820
Florida	$77,290
Missouri	$76,730
Pennsylvania	$76,720
Maryland	$76,040
Ohio	$74,860
Utah	$74,270
Michigan	$71,770
Nebraska	$71,140
Idaho	$71,100
Kansas	$70,090
Texas	$68,900
North Dakota	$68,790
Kentucky	$68,530
Minnesota	$67,630
Virginia	$67,530
Wyoming	$66,780
South Dakota	$66,390
North Carolina	$65,770
South Carolina	$65,620
Louisiana	$65,150
Arkansas	$65,060
Alabama	$64,270
Maine	$62,060
Washington	$60,370
Hawaii	$60,030
Nevada	$59,780
Montana	$59,700
Colorado	$58,270
Tennessee	$56,860
Mississippi	$54,940
West Virginia	$51,150
Oklahoma	$50,700

Tools & Technologies Used by Communications Professors

Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Communications Professors:

• Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat
• Adobe Systems Adobe Photoshop
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Data entry software
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Google Docs

Becoming a Communications Professor

Individuals working as Communications Professors have obtained the following education levels:

How Long Does it Take to Become Communications Professor?

Where Communications Professors Are Employed

Similar Careers

Those interested in being a Communications Professor may also be interested in:

• Anthropology and Archeology Professors
• Broadcast News Analysts
• Criminal Justice and Law Enforcement Professors

Career changers with experience as a Communications Professor sometimes find work in one of the following fields:

• Graduate Teaching Assistants

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons