All careers › Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
Communication professor: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $47,590lowest 10% earn less
- $61,25025th percentile
- $78,580median
- $102,45075th percentile
- $143,720top 10% earn more
Communication professors earned a median of $78,580 a year in May 2025[1]. BLS projects job growth a little slower than the average for all occupations[2][3].
- Job growth, 2025–35
- +2.1%[2]
- Openings per year
- 2,400[6]
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree[7]
How much do communication professors make?
The official BLS title is Communications Teachers, Postsecondary. In May 2025, the median pay was $78,580 a year[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $90,010[8]. For all occupations in the US, the median was $50,980[5].
The range was wide. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,590[4]. The 90th percentile was $143,720[4].
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th[4] | $47,590 |
| 25th[4] | $61,250 |
| Median[1] | $78,580 |
| 75th[4] | $102,450 |
| 90th[4] | $143,720 |
These percentiles are pay boundaries. BLS does not publish a starting salary[9]. It also publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[10]. The figures cover wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed and do not include bonuses or the cost of benefits[11]. About 29,420 people held these jobs in May 2025[12].
Pay by state and city
State medians differ a lot. California was listed first at $135,000, followed by Delaware at $100,260 and Oregon at $98,900[13]. New Mexico was listed last at $49,880[13].
California also had the most jobs at 3,140[14]. Texas had 2,880 and New York had 2,490[14]. Illinois had 1,580 and Pennsylvania had 1,530[14].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA had the highest median at $180,650[15]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA followed at $166,920, and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA at $134,110[15]. The New York-Newark-Jersey City area had the most jobs at 2,430, with a median of $97,760[16]. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim had 1,360 jobs and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin had 1,020[16].
Show median pay in 47 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| California[13] | $135,000 | 3,140 |
| Delaware | $100,260 | 60 |
| Oregon | $98,900 | 490 |
| Connecticut | $97,210 | 280 |
| Rhode Island | $95,910 | 110 |
| New Hampshire | $95,760 | 40 |
| Michigan | $87,670 | 630 |
| New York | $84,690 | 2,490 |
| District of Columbia | $83,910 | 180 |
| Maryland | $83,510 | 440 |
| Minnesota | $83,380 | 450 |
| Massachusetts | $82,610 | 1,110 |
| Nevada | $82,020 | 70 |
| South Carolina | $79,810 | 320 |
| Nebraska | $79,180 | 90 |
| Wisconsin | $78,780 | 640 |
| Illinois | $78,150 | 1,580 |
| North Dakota | $78,120 | 50 |
| Montana | $78,110 | 60 |
| Maine | $78,000 | 60 |
| Utah | $77,950 | 180 |
| West Virginia | $77,880 | 110 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,790 | 1,530 |
| New Jersey | $77,780 | 1,380 |
| Iowa | $77,700 | 320 |
| Ohio | $77,660 | 1,390 |
| Louisiana | $77,250 | 170 |
| Texas | $77,050 | 2,880 |
| Wyoming | $76,760 | 50 |
| Vermont | $76,120 | 60 |
| Washington | $75,330 | 420 |
| Virginia | $73,750 | 790 |
| Georgia | $73,430 | 460 |
| Missouri | $71,830 | 480 |
| South Dakota | $71,300 | 80 |
| Arizona | $71,230 | 630 |
| Colorado | $69,200 | 560 |
| Oklahoma | $66,650 | 230 |
| Tennessee | $66,630 | 440 |
| North Carolina | $65,850 | 950 |
| Florida | $65,740 | 1,260 |
| Indiana | $65,390 | 670 |
| Kansas | $64,180 | 300 |
| Alabama | $63,760 | 300 |
| Kentucky | $62,380 | 470 |
| Mississippi | $61,290 | 180 |
| Arkansas | $59,810 | 140 |
| New Mexico | $49,880 | 400 |
How to become a communication professor
BLS says the typical education for entry is a doctoral or professional degree. It lists no typical work experience and no typical on-the-job training[7]. An O*NET survey of 21 workers gave a different picture[17]. In it, 71% said a master's degree is required, 17% said a doctoral degree and 11% said post-doctoral training[17]. That is a small survey, so treat it as a sample of workers and not a rule.
- First: earn a bachelor's or master's degree. Students typically need one of these to enroll in a doctoral program[18].
- Next: complete a graduate program. Doctoral programs usually take several years, and most ask for a dissertation based on original research[18].
- Then: build teaching experience. Some teachers gain it as graduate teaching assistants while still enrolled[19]. Some schools prefer to hire people with teaching experience[20].
- Later: many people with a doctorate seek tenure, which protects a professor from being fired without just cause. Reaching it may take up to 7 years across the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor and professor[21].
A master's degree may be enough at some community colleges, though some of them prefer a Ph.D.[22].
These training details come from a BLS profile that covers a wider group of postsecondary teachers, not only communications[23].
What communication professors do
O*NET describes the job as teaching communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, broadcasting and journalism. Some teachers mainly teach and others combine teaching with research[24]. Typical tasks include:
- Grading class work, assignments and papers[25].
- Writing syllabi, homework and handouts[25].
- Leading classroom discussions[25].
- Writing, giving and grading exams, or passing that work to others[25].
- Doing research and publishing the findings[25].
- Giving lectures on topics such as public speaking and media criticism[25].
- Keeping up with changes in the field through reading and conferences[25].
- Keeping attendance and grade records[25].
Workers in the survey reported job titles such as communication studies professor, journalism professor and mass communications professor[26].
Where they work
For the wider group of postsecondary teachers, BLS lists colleges, universities and professional schools under state ownership as the largest employer group, at 41%[27].
Most postsecondary teachers work full time, but part-time work is common. Some part-timers teach at several schools, and some hold another job in their field[28]. Classes are generally held during the day, with some evening or weekend courses[29]. Academic calendars include breaks between terms. Some teachers use the summer to teach and others use it for research[30]. Schedules are generally flexible, though full-time teachers need to be on campus for classes and office hours[31].
BLS also notes that balancing teaching with research and publishing may be stressful, especially for beginning teachers seeking advancement[32].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 35,800 to 36,500 jobs, a gain of about 800[2]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[3]. These projection counts include self-employed workers[2]. Only 0.2% of these teachers were self-employed in 2025[33]. The May 2025 pay survey counts only wage and salary jobs[12].
BLS expects about 2,400 openings a year on average[6]. Openings include jobs that open when people retire or move to other work, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 3.5% of workers are projected to leave the labor force and 3% to move to a different occupation[34].
Is it a good fit?
The median pay is above the all-occupations median[1][5]. The range is wide, and state medians differ a lot[4][13]. BLS lists a doctoral degree as the typical route, which usually takes several years[7][18]. The field employs about 29,420 wage and salary workers[12]. Projected growth is a little below the all-occupations rate[2][3]. The facts here do not say how hard it is to win a position, so that is worth asking about before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a communication professor make?
- The median was $78,580 a year in May 2025 and the average was $90,010[1][8]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $47,590[4].
- How much does a communication professor make an hour?
- BLS publishes only annual wages for this job, not hourly wages[10].
- What degree do you need to be a communication professor?
- BLS lists a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry education[7]. In an O*NET survey of 21 workers, 71% said a master's degree is required[17].
- Are communication professors in demand?
- BLS projects 2.1% growth from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 2,400 openings a year[2][3][6].
- What is the highest paying state for communication professors?
- California was listed first, with a median of $135,000, followed by Delaware at $100,260[13].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary in the US was $78,580 per year. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Communications Teachers, Postsecondary is projected to grow 2.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 35,800 to 36,500 jobs (a change of +800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary: 10th percentile $47,590, 25th percentile $61,250, 75th percentile $102,450, 90th percentile $143,720. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 2,400 openings for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Communications Teachers, Postsecondary: education needed for entry: Doctoral or professional degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary was $90,010 per year. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS publishes only annual wages for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary, not hourly wages, because many work fewer than 2,080 hours a year but are paid yearly. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 29,420 people were employed as Communications Teachers, Postsecondary in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Communications Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: California 3,140; Texas 2,880; New York 2,490; Illinois 1,580; Pennsylvania 1,530. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary (areas with at least 100 jobs): Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $180,650; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $166,920; San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $134,110; Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA $133,300; Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $130,160; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $119,860; Lawrence, KS $109,350; Ann Arbor, MI $105,440. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Communications Teachers, Postsecondary jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 2,430 (median $97,760); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,360 (median $130,160); Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 1,020 (median $76,730); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 920 (median $80,890); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 920 (median $77,050); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 650 (median $79,870). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET 25-1122.00 survey of workers (21 respondents), education level they say is required: Master's Degree 71%, Doctoral Degree 17%, Post-Doctoral Training 11% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Work Experience in a Related Occupation. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Advancement. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, How to Become One: Education. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile "Postsecondary Teachers" covers Communications Teachers, Postsecondary together with other related occupations, so its text describes the wider group. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- O*NET description of Communications Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 25-1122.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Communication Arts Professor, Communication Instructor, Communication Lecturer, Communication Professor, Communication Skills Instructor, Communication Studies Professor, Journalism Professor, Mass Communications Professor. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, largest employers of postsecondary teachers in 2025: Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state 41%. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment: Work Schedules. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- Occupational Outlook Handbook, Work Environment. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.2% of Communications Teachers, Postsecondary were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Communications Teachers, Postsecondary: 3.5% of workers leave the labor force each year and 3% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the 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. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.