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CIP 09.0100 Communication and Journalism

Communication, General

IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education · 2025

中文

Total graduates

11,078

2025 · 365 schools

International share

4.5%

502 international students

Bachelor's degrees

9,816

4.1% international

Master's degrees

725

11.6% international

Overview

Communication, General is a versatile and dynamic field that focuses on the study of how information is conveyed and interpreted within various contexts. This major encompasses a wide range of topics including interpersonal communication, mass communication, public relations, media studies, and organizational communication. Students in this program learn to analyze and create messages across different media platforms, which is increasingly important in our digital age.

The curriculum often includes courses on communication theory, research methods, media ethics, and the impact of technology on communication practices. Students develop critical thinking, writing, and presentation skills, enabling them to effectively convey ideas and engage with diverse audiences. This major is particularly beneficial for those interested in careers in journalism, advertising, public relations, corporate communication, and social media management.

Moreover, communication is an essential skill in almost every profession, making graduates of this program highly adaptable and attractive to employers across various industries. Many universities also offer opportunities for internships, allowing students to gain practical experience and build professional networks while they study.

Overall, a degree in Communication, General prepares students to navigate and influence the complex landscape of human interaction and media, equipping them with the tools to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.

Graduates by year

Graduates by degree level (first and second majors)

AssociateBachelor'sMaster'sDoctoral

From 2010 to 2025, graduates grew 171% and the international share went from 2.2% to 4.5%.

International share (%)
Graduates by group, 2025
White
53.8%
Asian
5.0%
Hispanic
18.0%
Black
10.6%
Other
8.1%
Intl.
4.5%

Colleges that award this degree

In 2025, 365 schools awarded this degree as a first major. The table lists those in the 2027 U.S. News National or Liberal Arts rankings, plus the unranked schools with the most graduates.

RankSchoolStateGraduatesInternational
#7 University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 5 0
#14 Cornell University New York 78 2
#20 University of California-Los Angeles California 225 18
#29 University of California-San Diego California 239 32
#34 University of California-Davis California 265 53
#34 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois 199 25
#34 Boston University Massachusetts 55 10
#34 Wake Forest University North Carolina 149 11
#44 University of California-Santa Barbara California 618 30
#55 Purdue University-Main Campus Indiana 180 11
#59 George Washington University D.C. 34 6
#59 University of Massachusetts-Amherst Massachusetts 182 7
#59 Stony Brook University New York 6 0
#59 Texas A & M University-College Station Texas 482 2
#69 Michigan State University Michigan 37 1
#69 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute New York 11 2
#80 Pepperdine University California 22 4
#85 Fordham University New York 107 4
#90 Baylor University Texas 284 7
#90 Texas Christian University Texas 18 0
#90 Marquette University Wisconsin 26 4
#95 University of Illinois at Chicago Illinois 81 4
#100 Chapman University California 9 0
#100 University of San Diego California 78 3
#100 Saint Louis University Missouri 46 4
#121 University of the Pacific California 19 1
#133 Clark University Massachusetts 18 4
#137 St John's University (NY) New York 2 2
#137 University of Scranton Pennsylvania 14 0
#137 University of Houston Texas 50 1
#156 CUNY--City College New York 73 2
#156 University of Portland Oregon 8 1
#169 Bradley University Illinois 1 0
#169 Simmons University Massachusetts 2 0
#169 Michigan Technological University Michigan 5 0
#179 University of Utah Utah 293 43
#202 Sacred Heart University Connecticut 47 0
#202 University of Massachusetts-Boston Massachusetts 58 6
#202 Ohio University-Main Campus Ohio 29 0
#219 New York Institute of Technology New York 2 0
#227 University of North Dakota North Dakota 72 6
#227 University of Texas-San Antonio Texas 230 2
#236 University of North Florida Florida 146 3
#236 Bethel University Minnesota 17 0
#236 North Dakota State University-Main Campus North Dakota 7 3
#236 Kent State University at Kent Ohio 122 4
#236 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 63 1
#236 University of Texas-Arlington Texas 87 6
#250 Oakland City University Indiana 1 0
#250 University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth Massachusetts 12 0
#250 New Mexico State University-Main Campus New Mexico 48 4
#250 La Salle University Pennsylvania 28 3
#250 University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley Texas 13 0
#262 University of Alabama--Huntsville Alabama 4 0
#262 University of Maine Maine 33 5
#262 Western New England University Massachusetts 6 0
#262 DeSales University Pennsylvania 7 0
#262 University of Texas--El Paso Texas 2 1
#276 Western Michigan University Michigan 15 3
#276 University of Missouri--St. Louis Missouri 63 2
#276 Marymount University Virginia 10 1
#288 University of Indianapolis Indiana 24 1
#288 Wichita State University Kansas 44 0
#288 Utah State University Utah 61 1
#299 Utica University New York 15 0
#299 Concordia University Wisconsin Wisconsin 2 0
#308 Oakland University Michigan 70 3
#317 Prairie View A&M University Texas 45 0
#332 Mercy University New York 31 2
#332 University of Findlay Ohio 1 0
#332 Texas A&M University--Kingsville Texas 10 1
#342 Concordia University -- Irvine California 16 1
#342 Daemen University New York 2 0
#342 Campbell University North Carolina 5 0
#342 University of Akron Ohio 9 0
#342 University of Texas--Tyler Texas 5 0
#353 Jacksonville State University Alabama 30 0
#353 Arkansas State University Arkansas 21 1
#353 University of Michigan--Flint Michigan 14 0
#353 Youngstown State University Ohio 8 2
#353 University of Houston--Clear Lake Texas 43 0
#353 Pennsylvania Western University Pennsylvania 25 0
#365 University of Central Arkansas Arkansas 12 0
#365 University of Louisiana--Monroe Louisiana 28 1
#365 Liberty University Virginia 180 4
#376 Barry University Florida 11 0
#376 Tennessee State University Tennessee 44 0
#382 Grand Canyon University Arizona 99 0
#382 National University California 18 0
#382 University of Colorado--Colorado Springs Colorado 135 2
#382 Post University Connecticut 14 1
#382 Southeastern University Florida 12 0
#382 Columbus State University Georgia 52 1
#382 Idaho State University Idaho 42 4
#382 National Louis University Illinois 20 0
#382 Southwestern Oklahoma State University Oklahoma 10 0
#382 Angelo State University Texas 12 0
#382 Texas A&M University--Corpus Christi Texas 48 0
#382 Lamar University Texas 42 0
#382 Tarleton State University Texas 8 0
#382 Texas Southern University Texas 29 0
#382 Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Puerto Rico 1 0
LAC #16 Davidson College North Carolina 17 0
LAC #74 Rollins College Florida 66 4
LAC #78 Saint Mary's College Indiana 17 0
LAC #83 Morehouse College Georgia 35 0
LAC #85 Allegheny College Pennsylvania 11 1
LAC #85 Randolph-Macon College Virginia 19 0
LAC #91 College of Wooster Ohio 14 0
LAC #91 Washington and Jefferson College Pennsylvania 12 0
LAC #97 Austin College Texas 3 0
LAC #109 Hanover College Indiana 16 1
LAC #111 Saint Vincent College Pennsylvania 15 0
LAC #116 Ohio Wesleyan University Ohio 8 0
LAC #116 Roanoke College Virginia 17 0
LAC #119 Albion College Michigan 27 1
LAC #128 SUNY at Purchase College New York 37 1
LAC #128 University of Mary Washington Virginia 33 2
LAC #132 Eckerd College Florida 6 0
LAC #132 Centenary College of Louisiana Louisiana 3 1
LAC #140 Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Massachusetts 6 0
LAC #142 Eastern Connecticut State University Connecticut 48 0
LAC #146 Oglethorpe University Georgia 10 1
LAC #160 Wittenberg University Ohio 11 1
LAC #172 Brigham Young University-Idaho Idaho 175 6
LAC #172 University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Wisconsin 35 1
LAC #178 University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Oklahoma 9 0
LAC #181 Warren Wilson College North Carolina 1 0
LAC #184 Edward Waters University Florida 14 0
LAC #184 Young Harris College Georgia 3 0
LAC #184 Harris-Stowe State University Missouri 5 0
LAC #184 Cheyney University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 5 0
LAC #184 Texas A&M University-Texarkana Texas 3 0
— University of Phoenix Arizona 231 1
— Marist University New York 141 0
— Ensign College Utah 123 11
— University of Tennessee--Chattanooga Tennessee 117 0
— University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Wisconsin 102 0
— CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York 93 3
— High Point University North Carolina 90 0
— Towson University Maryland 88 1
— The University of Tampa Florida 83 2
— Merrimack College Massachusetts 76 1
— Connecticut State Community College Connecticut 75 2
— The College of New Jersey New Jersey 74 0
— State University of New York at Cortland New York 61 3
— John Paul the Great Catholic University California 61 0
— University of Houston-Downtown Texas 59 0
— College of Staten Island CUNY New York 54 1
— Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 49 0
— Eastern Illinois University Illinois 47 2
— Texas A&M University-San Antonio Texas 45 0
— University of Wisconsin-Parkside Wisconsin 42 0
— Queens University of Charlotte North Carolina 41 6
— Texas A & M International University Texas 38 5
— Central New Mexico Community College New Mexico 36 0
— Kutztown University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania 36 0
— University of Illinois Springfield Illinois 35 3
— Northwest Missouri State University Missouri 33 0
— Texas A&M University-Victoria Texas 31 0
— The University of Texas Permian Basin Texas 31 1
— Ouachita Baptist University Arkansas 30 1
— Anderson University South Carolina 30 0

Purple: international students are 25% or more of the school's graduates.

Related jobs and pay

OccupationUS employmentMean hourly wageMean annual wage
Public Relations Specialists 283,380 $40.44 $84,120
Fundraisers 111,040 $37.12 $77,200
Editors 91,690 $43.30 $90,060
Public Relations Managers 74,850 $79.21 $164,760
Writers and Authors 47,940 $41.39 $86,090
News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists 39,250 $49.26 $102,460
Fundraising Managers 38,810 $67.32 $140,020
Communications Teachers, Postsecondary 29,420 — $90,010
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys 21,240 $37.85 $78,720

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.

Graduate counts: IPEDS Completions, US Department of Education, 2010–2025. Rankings: 2027 U.S. News.