Post job

Digital communication specialist education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a digital communication specialist. Digital communication specialists usually study communication, business, or marketing. 79% of digital communication specialists hold a bachelor's degree, and 10% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 229 real digital communication specialist resumes to see exactly what digital communication specialist education sections show.

The most common colleges for digital communication specialists are the University of Wisconsin - Madison and the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

There are also many online digital communication specialist courses to help get the education required to be a digital communication specialist.

What education do you need to become a digital communication specialist?

What degree do you need to be a digital communication specialist?

The most common degree for digital communication specialists is bachelor's degree, with 79% of digital communication specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 10% and master's degree degree at 8%.
  • Bachelor's, 79%
  • Master's, 10%
  • Associate, 8%
  • High School Diploma, 2%
  • Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become a digital communication specialist?

You should major in communication to become a digital communication specialist. 27% of digital communication specialists major in communication. Other common majors for a digital communication specialist include business and marketing.

Most common colleges for digital communication specialists

Digital communication specialists often get their degrees at University of Wisconsin - Madison, Temple University, and Ohio State University. Here are the most common colleges for digital communication specialists in the US based on their resumes.
Digital communication specialist common collegePercentages
University of Wisconsin - Madison6.82%
Temple University6.82%
Ohio State University6.82%
Auburn University Main Campus6.82%
Washington State University4.55%

Best majors for digital communication specialists

RankMajorPercentages
1Communication27.3%
2Business10.4%
3Marketing8.4%
4Journalism8.4%
5English6.5%

Best colleges for digital communication specialists

The best colleges for digital communication specialists are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

A digital communication specialist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for digital communication specialists. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become digital communication specialists.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

5. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

6. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,308

Enrollment

6,819

7. University of Houston

Houston, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$8,913

Enrollment

37,291

8. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

9. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$49,880

Enrollment

4,177

10. Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,853

Enrollment

14,759

20 best online courses for digital communication specialists

Advertising disclosure

1. Data Streaming

udacity

Learn how to process data in real-time by building fluency in modern data engineering tools, such as Apache Spark, Kafka, Spark Streaming, and Kafka Streaming. ...

2. Digital Communication and Emotion

coursera

Communication online can be hard, especially when emotions get involved. Whether you’re facing someone’s sarcastic joke or a heated discussion, digital communication requires finesse. Even in normal situations, this communication can benefit from specific skills that let you get your message across clearly on any medium. However, you may still wonder about the best ways to go about online communication. With the expertise of Dr. Nicholas Proferes of the ASU School of Social and Behavioral...

3. Communication Skills Masterclass - Your Communication Guide

udemy
4.5
(961)

Communication Skill For Business Communication & Effective Communication In Workplace & Relationships...

4. Advanced Product Management: Leadership & Communication

udemy
4.5
(2,424)

Accelerate your Product Management career. Master communication, people management, & leadership...

5. Email Communication: 10 Principles to Write Better Emails

udemy
4.4
(500)

Learn How to Write Better Emails and Improve Your Email Communication with a former Bain & Company Manager...

6. Digital Diversity/Cyber-Citizen/Cross-Cultural Communication

udemy
4.5
(6,325)

Learn Global Leadership, Communications, Listening, and Conflict Management Skills for Teams...

7. Communication Fundamentals: How To Communicate Better

udemy
4.5
(82,838)

Become an Effective Communicator And Learn How to Get Your Message Across By Learning Communication Fundamentals...

8. [2023] Customer Service 2.0: Learn Digital Customer Service

udemy
4.5
(3,956)

Used by Chase®, Intel®, & more! Learn soft skills, social media customer service, diagnosing user problems, & more...

9. Effective Communication in the Workplace

udemy
4.6
(9,714)

Business Communication Training...

10. Winning With Communication - Master Communication Skills

udemy
4.4
(539)

Communication Training Course - Develop True Communication Mastery!...

11. Communication Skills for Beginners

udemy
4.5
(5,736)

Start Building Your Communication Skills Now...

12. Communication Skills every Manager should Master

udemy
4.4
(3,456)

Powerful Communication Techniques to better Delegate, Communicate Decisions, Change Resistance, Say No & Admit Mistakes...

13. Communication Skills - 7 Communication Courses In 1

udemy
4.6
(748)

Master Communication Skills: Learn Persuasion, Negotiation, Body Language, Emotional Intelligence & More!...

14. Digital Marketing B2B: Dekker's Ultimate Digital Marketing

udemy
4.6
(1,291)

Digital Marketing Course Udemy A-Z (Unofficial): Learn B2B Digital Marketing from a F100 Exec: Udemy Digital Marketing...

15. Write Better Emails: Tactics for Smarter Team Communication

udemy
4.6
(68,992)

How to improve your email writing skills to save time & improve communication with your team; easy business writing tips...

16. Communication Skills PLUS Leadership - 2 in 1 Masterclass

udemy
4.5
(4,367)

Learn Communication & Leadership Skills For Inspiration, Success In Life, Work PLUS Interviews, Case Studies, Activities...

17. Business Communication Skills: Handling Clients & Customers

udemy
4.4
(1,161)

Soft Skills Training Social Skills Business Etiquette Business English Customer Service Training...

18. Digital Marketing Agency Start a Social Media Business

udemy
4.7
(4,192)

Build a Digital Marketing Agency Business with Social Media (SMMA), Chat GPT, Facebook Ads, Instagram, Word Press, SEO...

19. Learn Digital Marketing (12 Courses in 1)

udemy
4.3
(710)

Master Digital Marketing Strategy, SEO, Advertising, Social Media Marketing, Email, Analytics, Content Marketing & More...

20. Effective Email Communication: Enhancing Your Voice at Work

udemy
4.3
(23,596)

Improving the Clarity and Effectiveness of Digital Communication...

Top 10 most affordable universities for digital communication specialists

The most affordable schools for digital communication specialists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and suny farmingdale.

If the best universities for digital communication specialists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for digital communication specialists.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

7. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

8. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. University of Central Florida

Orlando, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,368

Cost of attendance

21,034

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for digital communication specialists

The hardest universities for digital communication specialists to get into are Northwestern University, Stanford University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for digital communication specialists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for digital communication specialists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

4%

SAT average

1,497

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

6. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

10. Tulane University

New Orleans, LA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,428

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for digital communication specialists

The easiest schools for digital communication specialists to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a digital communication specialist without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for digital communication specialists.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Grand View University

Des Moines, IA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,060

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average digital communication specialist salary by education level

According to our data, digital communication specialists with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $62,736 annually. Digital communication specialists with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $59,646.
Digital communication specialist education levelDigital communication specialist salary
Master's Degree$62,736
Bachelor's Degree$59,646

Digital communication specialist education FAQs

Search for digital communication specialist jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs