undergraduate
General communications
Best schools with general communications
What is a general communications major?
Communications programs focus on how messages are produced, used, and interpreted within and across different contexts, channels, cultures, and media. A wide variety of subtopics exist, including, but not limited to: media studies, sports communication, journalism, communications technicians, speech communication and rhetoric, mass communications and media, advertising, as well as various subtopics related to those previously mentioned.
of students said great professors were a highlight of this major.
of students found this major to be difficult.
of students said they were motivated to select this major because it fit their passion & interest.
of students and alumni plan on being or are currently employed in an occupation related to this major.
of students said balancing many projects & deadlines was a challenging aspect of the major.
How much do general communications majors make?
median average salary
$65,000/yr
The national average salary for general communications graduates in the United States is $65,000 per year. Those in the top 10 percent make over $150,000 a year, while the bottom 10 percent make under $24,200 a year. While salary ranges can vary by role, industry, and location, general communications graduates typically make between $40,000 and $100,000 per year.
How popular is general communications as a major?
Each year, around 57,200 students obtain a bachelor’s degree and around 5,990 students obtain an associate degree in general communications. In 2021, 55,923 students received a bachelor's degree and 6,825 students received an associate degree. This is relatively the same number of general communications majors as there were in 2020. General communications is one of the most popular majors within communications.
Advice from general communications majors
Share your experienceCommunication is an incredible degree to major in, especially if you are passionate about humanitarian work, public speaking, nonprofit work, or counseling. These are passions of mine and I have felt as though my degree refined and sharpened my current skills as well as my desire to grow in these talents.
My advice would be take advantage of teachers help. Most teachers are happy to help and have years of experience. I have gone to my teachers on several occasions and they always helped steered me in the right direction. They are a great wealth of knowledge, use them.
Go into this field if you really love it. It's a great field to go into so just know all that comes with the field and what doesn't. If you're looking for an extremely high paying job maybe communications isn't the right field for you. That's not to say that you can't make money within this specific field. You can make great money in this field don't get me wrong. And you can also do a lot in the field which is great. But if you're trying to make a doctor or lawyer salary then this wouldn't be the field for you. People who go into fields like journalism and communications don't typically pursue these career paths because of money. So just keep that in mind.
Be specific. What drives you ? Where do you see working everyday for a long period of time. What do you enjoy, what’s interesting to you ? Be a good communicator, everything starts with accessing yourself, be true to yourself, be kind and helpful . Words have power to create and destroy use them wisely.
Don't listen to what other people say about our major. There are so many opportunities for you in COMM, such as HR, PR, advertising, broadcasting, the world is your oyster. This major is so interesting, the people are so nice since we all communicate so well. You always will have time to go out and have fun, while also feeling satisfied with your work level. Your boundaries will be pushed with public speaking, but you will learn things about human you never would have known. It's like you can read peoples minds and know what they are going to say next. I strongly recommend.
