Communications Technology

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

In an O*NET survey, communications tech majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Communications Tech Majors

Communications Tech majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• 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:

• 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

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a communications tech student include the following:

• 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?

People with a communications tech degree often go into the following careers:

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?

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 attracts more men than women. About 72% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

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

Communications Tech appeals to people across the globe. 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

The U.S. Department of Education found that students who graduated in 2017-2019 with a bachelor’s degree in communications technology made a median starting salary of $24,247 per year. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $21,624 (25th percentile) and $24,762 (75th percentile).

It’s important to note that just because the people reporting these salaries have a degree in communications tech, it does not mean that they are working in a job related to their degree.

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.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Communications Technology

Some degrees associated with communications tech may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

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.

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 2020-2021, 52 schools offered a communications tech program of some type. 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!

Majors Related to Communications Technology

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.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.