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Communications Technology Major

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Communications Technology

238 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
21 Master's Degrees Annually
#244 in Popularity
$52,430 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Communications Technology Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many communications technology graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Basic Certificate 396
Bachelor’s Degree 238
Associate Degree 187
Undergraduate Certificate 73
Master’s Degree 21

What Communications Technology Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to communications tech and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Communications Tech Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

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  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Telecommunications - Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

Skills for Communications Tech Majors

communications tech majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • 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.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Abilities for Communications Tech Majors

As you progress with your communications tech degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.

What Can You Do With a Communications Technology Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with communications tech:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Film and Video Editors 17.0% $62,650
Media and Communication Workers 10.0% $48,330
Sound Engineering Technicians 6.5% $52,390

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications Technology?

238 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
28% Percent Women
61% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 238 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications technology in 2021, making it rank #244 in popularity. This major tends to be male dominated. About 72% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of communications tech majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 9
Black or African American 54
Hispanic or Latino 71
White 82
International Students 3
Other Races/Ethnicities 19

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Communications Tech, too. About 1.3% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

  • India
  • Saudi Arabia
  • China
  • Mexico
  • Thailand

How Much Do Communications Technology Majors Make?

Bachelor’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communications tech have a median salary of $24,247 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $21,624 (25th percentile) and $24,762 (75th percentile).

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One thing to note here is that not all of these people may be working in careers related to communications tech.

Salaries According to BLS

Communications Tech majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $46,770 to $63,500 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Communications Technology Major  ( 46770 to 63500 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with communications tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to communications tech have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 3.6%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 21.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 16.1%
Some College Courses 19.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 21.3%
Bachelor’s Degree 20.0%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 1.2%

Online Communications Technology Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 52 schools offered some type of communications technology program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 14 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 14 1
Bachelor’s Degree 1 0
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 3 0
Post-Master’s 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Communications Technology Worth It?

The median salary for a communications tech grad is $52,430 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 31% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $250,600 after 20 years!

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to communications tech.

Major Number of Grads
Graphic Communications 7,518
Audiovisual Communications 6,229
Other Communication Technology 164

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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