Find a Job You Really Want In
The communications field is broad and vast and can accommodate just about every interest. This field covers everything from marketing to teaching, interpreting to television broadcasting, and just about everything in between.
It’s a great field to enter because there are so many possibilities and so many different ways you can take your degree and knowledge and pivot in a new direction.
In the most general sense, a communications degree is about communicating effectively, but it obviously goes much deeper than that. Today there are a huge number of ways that people can communicate; verbally, through the written word, in music, in videos, and graphically.
Each branch of communications has many different sub-fields, which means this is a great course to pursue professionally.
Key Takeaways:
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A master’s in communications is a practical degree to get in the information age and can lead to some very lucrative career opportunities.
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In addition to being able to communicate through the written word or verbally, a successful communications professional will also understand how to communicate visually.
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A master’s in communications opens a wide variety of professional options, giving you a chance to find your niche and excel in that field.
10 Best-Paying Jobs for People with a Master’s in Communications
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Average Annual Salary: $117,000
An executive producer is usually a leader of an entertainment enterprise. They may visit a set, but their work is done outside of the stage, where they are raising money and earning interest from television studios, streaming services, and movie studios.
They might be working on commercials, television series, movies, and theatre productions.
In smaller productions, the executive producer might be one of the writers and possibly the person who came up with the idea. They will be responsible for selling that idea and getting the funds to produce their project. It’s a lot of work and often takes years of industry experience to establish the necessary connections.
Executive Producer Skills
While a degree in communications and a master’s degree will help you reach this job level; there are some additional skills that can help you get there.
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Interpersonal communications
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Public speaking skills
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Organizational abilities
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Sales and marketing
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Psychology and empathy
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Next-level networking talents
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Managing people and events
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Senior Vice President of Sales
Average Annual Salary: $204,000
Getting to the level of senior vice president of sales takes a lot of hard work and many years in the industry. When in this role, your main job will be to oversee all aspects of a company’s sales operations.
Because sales is usually a key to bringing income to a company, even one whose main purpose is not retail or services, the senior vice president of sales can be highly influential in the entire direction of the company.
Obviously, an extensive background in sales is important, as well as some on-the-street experience learning the ropes and understanding the psychology behind sales.
While training and managing the sales department will be high on your list of obligations, you might also be involved in cultivating new business, finding better deals for resourcing raw products, developing new products, and conducting a lot of market research.
Senior Vice President of Sales Skills
A master’s degree in communications isn’t the only way to get to this job, but it’s a great start because it proves that your ability to communicate is top-notch. In addition, these skills will help you get there.
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Sales
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Marketing analytics
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Ability to teach and train
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Contract negotiation
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Management skills
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Interpersonal communications
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Psychology
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Average Annual Salary: $114,000
The director of marketing coordinates all of a company’s marketing efforts to strengthen a company’s presence, build brand loyalty, and create a recognizable persona.
This has become more and more important as there is a broader pool of competition in just about every business these days. It’s also more critical because social media makes it possible to take marketing even further than before.
A master’s degree in communications can be your foot in the door if you aspire to be a marketing director. Having an educational background is your first step; next up will be getting experience in marketing.
Director of Marketing Skills
Most people who get a master’s in communications has taken quite a few classes in marketing. Loading up on these classes will help you do well in this field, but the following skills also help.
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Interpersonal communications
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Management skills
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Ability to read and understand analytics
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Marketing strategizing
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Social medial expertise
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Public speaking
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Psychology
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Average Annual Salary: $99,000
The user experience field, or UX, is relatively new, and it’s exploding. Taking user data, analyzing it, and creating a better experience for the user are the crux of this job.
Over the last several years, people have learned that having skilled people working in user experience research can lead to cost savings throughout the company, from creating a better product or service to increasing engagement and loyalty.
Being an expert in user experience takes a lot of skill in understanding people and in analytics. Not all people are wired to be both good at numbers and human interactions, but if you are, then this might be a great field for you.
User Experience Researcher Skills
Being able to communicate well and understand what others are communicating to you is a great first step for a user experience researcher, but the following skills or experiences are also necessary.
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Ability to perform quantitative research
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Behavioral research
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Usability and A/B testing experience
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Conduct interviews, surveys, and questionnaires
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Big-picture thinking
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Observing behavioral attributes
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Communicate findings
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Average Annual Salary: $141,000
If you’re a product marketing director, then you’re responsible for creating a publicity tract for a particular product or a collection of products. You’ll need to understand your audience and the product you’re marketing so you can effectively bring the two together and do it in a way that makes everyone happy.
This is a director-level position, so it takes time to get to this level, and it takes a lot of management and communication to work with your team, stakeholders, and the public. You’ll need to know a lot about the entire world of marketing, and you’ll also need to stay on top of your company’s offerings.
Product Marketing Director Skills
You’ll start with a degree in communications with a heavy emphasis on marketing, but adding the following skills will give you an edge over the competition.
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Specific product knowledge (i.e., if your company sells computer software, then some programming knowledge and experience helps).
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Organizational abilities
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Psychology
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Managing people and events
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Research and development
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Behavioral analysis
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Understanding of finance
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Average Annual Salary: $76,000
An advertising sales director is responsible for developing a strategy and the means to follow through on that strategy in relation to advertising concepts and campaigns. There’s a lot of oversight in this business, so being able to communicate well is going to give you a leg up over the competition.
Many people in advertising begin in a creative capacity and work their way up. But that’s not the only way to get to the top. An advertising sales director may take a route to this job through sales or through management and then make a lateral move into advertising sales.
Advertising Sales Director Skills
This is an interesting field because communication is one way to the top, but there are other paths, and building a resume based on the following skills will help a lot.
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Interpersonal communications
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Public speaking skills
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Organizational abilities
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Sales and marketing
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Social media
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Traditional media (television, radio, print)
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Budgeting and finance
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Average Annual Salary: $43,000
News anchors are journalists who communicate news stories to the public. News anchors can work on a regional, national, and international level. They’re obviously very comfortable communicating on camera, and often they have an investigative journalism background.
Personality plays a big role in the news business because the individual must be likable and trustworthy so they can cultivate followers and viewers who rely on them for information. Most importantly, a news anchor should be unbiased and report the news, not opinion or speculation.
News Anchor Skills
A master’s degree in communication can help you rise to the level of news anchor, but it won’t get you there if you lack the following skills.
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Public speaking skills
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Comfort on camera
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Likeable and trustworthy persona
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Ability to be unbiased
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Newsgathering skills
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Voice and diction
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Average Annual Salary: $94,000
A director of public relations is in charge of managing a company’s or an individual’s persona. They help them establish the best way to behave or present themselves in public and work to cultivate the desired image.
A public relations director might work with the media, put together press releases, manage social media accounts, speak for the organization, and communicate with directors of the company or individuals to make sure they’re on target with long-term goals.
Generally, a public relations director has a staff managing the day-to-day operations as they create the schedule and outlook for the future.
Director of Public Relations Skills
As a director-level position, this job requires a master’s degree in communications and an incredible ability to be savvy about public relations. The following skills will help.
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Interpersonal communications
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Public speaking skills
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Psychology and empathy
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Managing people and events
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Connections in the media
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Marketing background
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Average Annual Salary: $115,000
A chief communications officer or CCO is at the upper echelon of a company. They’re tasked with the company’s public relations as well as marketing and communications. Any sort of presence the company puts out in the world is usually controlled by the CCO. It’s a high-power position, and a top paycheck comes with it.
Many times, the CCO is not just in charge of how the company is perceived outside of its walls but also inside as well. They handle internal announcements, publications, newsletters, video presentations, special events and more.
Of course, they don’t personally handle this work; they oversee a team who does the actual work.
Chief Communications Officer Skills
The first step toward getting this job is proving your commitment to communications by earning a master’s degree in this field. After that, the following skills can help you rise to the top.
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Interpersonal communications
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Public speaking skills
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Organizational abilities
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Sales and marketing
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Psychology and empathy
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Managing people and events
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Finance
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Average Annual Salary: $61,000
A speech writer is often paired with one individual, but they may be working for a particular company, political party, or freelance company.
Most speech writers are not just great at communicating through writing, but they have niche knowledge that makes them well-informed and extremely beneficial to the people who rely on them to put words in their mouths.
Getting a job as a speech writer can be difficult, and it often requires making the right connections very early on in a career. If this is what you want to do, the pay can be very good; all you have to do is prove that you know your topic and the voice of your subject better than anyone else – which is no small task.
Speech Writer Skills
Speech writing is all about communicating effectively, but the topic often varies from political to joke writing to public relations. To do this job, a broad background that includes some of the following skills will help.
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Interpersonal communications
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Public speaking skills
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Organizational abilities
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Psychology and empathy
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Politics
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Analytics and behavioral understanding
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Public relations
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5 Entry-Level Jobs for People with a Master’s in Communication
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Average Annual Salary: $58,000
Content writers are more important today than ever before, with more and more media and products being consumed daily. A content writer’s job is often to explain and sell a client’s products, services, or the industry as a whole. This can be a great entry-level job, and it can turn into a lucrative career with experience.
Content writers need to be very skilled with words and voice, but they also need to be excellent editors of their own work. Focusing on the writing end of communications while earning a degree can help you break into the content writer world.
Content Writer Skills
While a degree in communications and a master’s degree will help you reach this job level; you’ll also want to make sure you get some experience in the following areas.
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Grammar
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Editing
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Marketing
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Computer coding
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Search engine optimization
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Average Annual Salary: $80,000
A human resources manager oversees a team or works independently to manage a company’s benefits, employee relations, and, oftentimes, the payroll. They might also be charged with recruiting, hiring, and terminating employees.
Often, an individual with a master’s in communications who goes into human resources is looking to climb the corporate ladder. This is a good way to get your foot in the door and prove yourself within a company, which can later lead to an executive-level job.
Human Resources Manager Skills
Human resources is a complicated field, and getting experience in areas beyond communication can be very useful. If this is something you’re interested in, the following areas of experience will help.
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Management
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Business and finance
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Planning and organization
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Insurance
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Employment and business law
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Average Annual Salary: $60,000
There are many people who have started out as journalists after earning their master’s in communications. Often these people already have an interest in news or reporting and find that this is a great first step.
The best thing about journalism is that it comes with some clout and authority. If you can prove to be an unbiased and trustworthy journalist, you can open a lot of different doors professionally.
Journalist Skills
A degree in communications and a master’s degree will help you break into this field. In addition to focusing on communications, if your school also has a journalism department, you should take classes in that area and try to master these skills.
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English and grammar
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Newsgathering
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Public speaking
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Interviewing
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Being unbiased
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Average Annual Salary: $67,000
A marketing account manager usually doesn’t manage other people within their company. Instead, they manage clients who have hired the company.
The marketing account manager may have a hand in the creative side of marketing, but more often than not, they’re just there to facilitate communication and oversee the delivery of marketing materials according to a defined schedule.
Marketing account managers are often entry-level employees, but they can be seasoned veterans as well. Some people enjoy this job a lot and thrive in the field, while others see it as a stepping stone to an executive-level marketing career.
Marketing Account Manager Skills
A master’s in communications is a great way to start in this business and will make you a very desirable candidate. Some other skills you should learn include the following.
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Interpersonal communications
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Marketing
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Budgeting and scheduling
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Finance
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Social media and current trends
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Graphic design
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Average Annual Salary: $51,000
One area of communication that’s just as important as speaking and writing is the visual element. This is an exploding field, and being able to visually communicate a message is finally being valued as the art form that it is.
If you go into video or film editing, the good news is that you’ll find the market is more receptive to paying well and appreciating your talent than it was in the past. This is great news and can eventually lead you into a position where you’re doing what you do best and getting paid extremely well, too.
Video Editor Skills
Getting a master’s in communications is a great start, especially if you can focus on the visual arts during your degree. In addition, you should try to earn some experience in the following areas.
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Traditional arts
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Graphic design
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Photography
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Videography
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Social media
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Why Get a Master’s in Communication?
If you’re considering a master’s, then communication is a great field to explore. There are many benefits to this field.
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It’s a creative field. If you’re someone who has a creative mind and an artistic eye, then this is a fantastic field because creativity is what it’s all about. Your vision is often what you’re selling and sometimes what you’re producing.
Some great thinkers in the communication field have reshaped the field itself, creating things like computers, cell phones, and social media platforms.
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There’s room for growth. It seems as if there’s no cap to this field. There’s always somewhere you can move up. If you think you’ve hit the top, then it’s time to move to another company or even start your own.
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Demand is growing. Communications has become more important than ever, and it’s so widely diversified that it’s an exploding industry. This lets people pigeonhole themselves into areas that interest them the most, or they can bounce around with a specific skill set that’s needed everywhere.
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High-paying jobs and easy entry. This is a field that needs workers so getting into it is easy. Once you start earning experience and proving yourself, you can start making a top salary.
Masters in Communications Jobs FAQ
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What can you do with a master’s degree in communication?
With a master’s degree in communications, you can do just about any job that has to do with communicating a message. This can be written, visual, theatric, and more. Not only that, but having a proven ability to communicate a message can benefit you outside of the world of communications.
Many people who graduate with this degree or who earn a masters in this field find that it makes them more well-rounded and better able to express themselves to others, which leads them to succeed in any field they choose.
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What skills do you need for communication jobs?
If you’re interested in getting into a communications field, you’ll obviously need to be able to communicate. Communicating well isn’t just about speaking or writing competently; it also involves listening to others and understanding what they’re saying. It can also include being able to interpret visual images and photographs.
There are a lot of nuances to the different fields of communications but having empathy and an instinct for marketing tends to be useful for any job in this arena.
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Do employees with a master’s in communication get paid more?
Yes, people with a master’s in communication tend to be paid very well. This field has a lot of areas where extreme salaries are possible. Communication is such a broad area that there are many different ways someone can find a path to financial success.
The best part is that having a master’s in communication opens many entry-level doors and will help you move ahead. Not only will your degree be a benefit, but the skills you’ve learned in your education will also help you be more poised and present yourself in a better light, earning you more income in the future.
Author
Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.
