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Communications Technology

Types of Degrees Communications Technology Majors Are Earning

Those studying Communications Technology may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	51
Associate’s Degree	162
Bachelor’s Degree	297
Master’s Degree	520

What Communications Technology Majors Need to Know

Studies in Communications Technology emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Communications Technology graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Communications Technology emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 5.4 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Engineering and Technology — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Telecommunications — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Communications Technology program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.2 / 7.
• Complex Problem Solving — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Communications Technology careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Fluency of Ideas — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Communications Technology graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.8 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Communications Technology professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Adobe Premiere Pro	Video creation and editing software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Avid Technology audio visual editing software	Video creation and editing software	—
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	✓
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Illustrator	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	—
UNIX	Operating system software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Communications Technology graduates include:

• Audio Engineer
• Audio Operator
• Contract Video Editor
• News Editor
• Video Editor
• Electronic News Gathering Editor (ENG Editor)
• Movie Editor
• News Video Editor
• Video Production Editor
• Tape Editor
• Optical Effects Layout Person
• Editor
• Cue Selector
• Online Editor
• Filmmaker

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Communications Technology graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	37.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	22.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	19.0%
Postsecondary certificate	9.7%
Some college courses	7.9%
Post-master’s certificate	1.6%
First professional degree	1.6%
Master’s degree	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Communications Technology?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 69.8% of Communications Technology degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	315	30.2%
Men	728	69.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Communications Technology graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	475	45.5%
Asian	24	2.3%
Hispanic or Latino	210	20.1%
Black or African American	229	22.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native	6	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.1%
Two or More Races	62	5.9%
Race Unknown	25	2.4%
International Students	11	1.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Communications Technology Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Communications Technology graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$19,605
4 years	$28,474
5 years	$36,156

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $36,156 — roughly 84% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Communications Technology Programs

Distance learning are documented by IPEDS for Communications Technology. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	1
Bachelor’s	1	3
Master’s	1	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Communications Technology Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Communications Technology graduates earn a median of $28,474 four years after completion — about 25% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Communications Tech Support	10
Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians	10.02
Communications Technologies/Technicians and Support Services, Other	10.99
COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS AND SUPPORT SERVICES	10.00
Graphic Communications	10.03

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.