# Communications Teachers, Postsecondary

> Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/communications-teachers-postsecondary
- SOC code: 25-1122.00
- Career family: Education
- Median annual pay: $78,580 (10th percentile $47,590, 90th percentile $143,720)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +2.1%
- Openings a year: 2,400
- Typical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code SIA)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 20 |
| Investigative (I) | 60 |
| Artistic (A) | 47 |
| Social (S) | 99 |
| Enterprising (E) | 36 |
| Conventional (C) | 43 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 94/100)
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge (importance 92/100)
- Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others (importance 90/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 88/100)
- Processing Information (importance 88/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 87/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 87/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 87/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 86/100)
- Thinking Creatively (importance 86/100)

## Skills

Instructing, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Active Listening, Learning Strategies, Writing, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Complex Problem Solving

## Knowledge

Communications and Media, English Language, Education and Training, Customer and Personal Service, Law and Government, Computers and Electronics, Telecommunications, Administrative, Sociology and Anthropology, Administration and Management

## Also called

Adjunct Communications Instructor, College Professor, Communication Arts Lecturer, Communication Arts Professor, Communication Instructor, Communication Lecturer, Communication Professor, Communication Skills Instructor, Communication Studies Instructor, Communication Studies Professor

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Communication and Media Studies](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0901) (CIP 0901, 1,386 colleges)
- [Film/Video and Photographic Arts](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5006) (CIP 5006, 676 colleges)
- [Radio, Television, and Digital Communication](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0907) (CIP 0907, 653 colleges)
- [Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0909) (CIP 0909, 621 colleges)
- [Journalism](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0904) (CIP 0904, 544 colleges)
- [Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0999) (CIP 0999, 113 colleges)
- [Business/Corporate Communications](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5205) (CIP 5205, 74 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Pennsylvania UPENN](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-pennsylvania-upenn-3009) | Communication and Media Studies | $65,287 | $114,266 | not reported |
| [Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus GA Tech](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgia-institute-of-technology-main-campus-ga-tech-1072) | Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | not reported | $99,915 | $20,437 |
| [Northwestern University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/northwestern-university-illinois-1966) | Communication and Media Studies | $64,034 | $93,541 | $19,500 |
| [Rochester Institute of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/rochester-institute-of-technology-2250) | Radio, Television, and Digital Communication | $65,196 | $91,222 | $25,500 |
| [Syracuse University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/syracuse-university-2667) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,858 | $90,535 | $24,250 |
| [Southern Methodist University SMU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-methodist-university-smu-2498) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $56,398 | $89,330 | $17,375 |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Communication and Media Studies | $63,499 | $88,463 | $10,000 |
| [University of Southern California USC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-southern-california-usc-3050) | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | $63,165 | $87,946 | $12,125 |

## Related careers

- [Education Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/education-teachers-postsecondary): $75,350 median pay
- [Sociology Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/sociology-teachers-postsecondary): $84,290 median pay
- [Political Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/political-science-teachers-postsecondary): $98,070 median pay
- [Library Science Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/library-science-teachers-postsecondary): $80,340 median pay
- [English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/english-language-and-literature-teachers-postsecondary): $78,760 median pay
- [Instructional Coordinators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/instructional-coordinators): $77,440 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.