What you'll do in college
Professional communication majors learn to shape how organizations are seen and understood. The umbrella covers public relations, advertising, strategic and corporate communication, organizational and health communication, and technical writing. Coursework includes PR strategy and writing, campaign and media planning, persuasion and audience research, crisis communication, analytics, and media ethics.
Most programs are hands-on—you'll write press releases and pitches, build social and ad campaigns for real clients, and run communications for a student organization. Internships at PR or ad agencies, corporate communications departments, nonprofits, or political campaigns are essential and often lead to first jobs.
What you'll do after college
Grads work in public relations, advertising, corporate and internal communications, marketing, public affairs, and advocacy. Common roles include PR or account associate, social media and content strategist, communications coordinator, media relations specialist, brand or campaign manager, and speechwriter.
The work is strategic, deadline-driven, and increasingly data-informed as organizations track the reach and impact of every message. Entry pay is moderate but rises quickly with experience, and the skill set—clear writing, confident presenting, and managing a narrative—is valued across nearly every industry.
Famous graduates
- Kenny Chesney — Country music superstar; B.A. in Advertising from East Tennessee State University
- Sela Ward — Emmy-winning actress; double major in Advertising and Art from the University of Alabama
- Edward Bernays — The father of public relations who invented the modern PR industry (with a degree, fittingly, in agriculture from Cornell University)
Selectivity vs. earnings
By acceptance rate
By SAT median
Earnings vs. selectivity rank
Majors in this category
| Major | Colleges | Degrees ▼ | Male/Female | Intl | Earnings | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional Communication | 308 | 8,402 | 23% / 77% | 3% | $58,475 | 96% |
| 174 | 3,806 | 19% / 81% | 3% | $58,101 | 96% | |
| 27 | 1,216 | 27% / 73% | 2% | $57,259 | 96% | |
| 24 | 922 | 24% / 76% | 2% | $61,504 | 97% | |
| 36 | 769 | 17% / 83% | 9% | $54,807 | 97% | |
| 48 | 519 | 35% / 65% | 2% | $57,017 | 96% | |
| 6 | 235 | 24% / 76% | 0% | $58,205 | 97% | |
| 9 | 154 | 21% / 79% | 1% | $59,226 | 96% | |
| 5 | 130 | 23% / 77% | 2% | $59,707 | ||
| 2 | 118 | 20% / 80% | 6% | $76,584 | 99% | |
| 21 | 102 | 20% / 80% | 1% | $57,406 | 95% | |
| 9 | 77 | 38% / 62% | 6% | $61,823 | 98% | |
| 4 | 74 | 12% / 88% | 0% | $57,780 | 93% | |
| 4 | 62 | 34% / 66% | 3% | $69,632 | 88% | |
| 8 | 48 | 40% / 60% | 0% | $60,862 | 96% | |
| 6 | 48 | 38% / 62% | 2% | $60,911 | 92% | |
| 4 | 39 | 54% / 46% | 0% | $61,352 | 98% | |
| 1 | 37 | 24% / 76% | 0% | $48,374 | 96% | |
| 1 | 36 | 17% / 83% | 3% | $76,143 | 99% | |
| 1 | 8 | 50% / 50% | 0% | $50,892 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $59,103 | ||
| 1 | 1 | 0% / 100% | 0% | $58,696 |