by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 51 U.S. colleges awarded 365 degrees and certificates in Health Communication. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 71% of graduates. College Factual ranks 13 schools in its 2027 Best Health Communication Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $43,684 one year after completing, rising to $67,080 after four years.
Studying Health Communication covers Health Communication. A Program That Focuses On How People, Individually And Collectively, Understand And Accommodate To Health And Illness And The Role Of Communication And Media In Shaping Professional Health Care Messages And Public Acceptance Of These Messages. Includes Instruction In The Development And Use Of Health-Related And Care-Related Messages And Media; The Goals And Strategies Of Health Care Promotion; Relationships, Roles, Situations, And Social Structures In The Context Of Health Maintenance And Promotion; And Applications To Disease Prevention, Health Advocacy, And Communications Concerning Treatments. Examples: [Health And Health Science Communication].
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, health communication is a popular field of study, with 365 degrees awarded annually. 51 colleges award health communication degrees, an average of 7 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 30.
By level, the 365 awards include 10 certificates, 81 bachelor’s degrees, 258 master’s degrees and 16 doctorates.
Women earned 81% of health communication degrees and certificates in the latest year (296 of 365). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (179) and Hispanic or Latino (42), and international students earned 40.
College Factual ranks 13 schools in its 2027 Best Health Communication Schools ranking, including 8 for bachelor’s degrees and 3 for master’s degrees. It also ranks health communication schools within 7 states. In all, 51 colleges offer health communication programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Health Communication Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common health communication credential is the master’s degree: 258 of the 365 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to health communication call most for Speaking, Active Listening and Reading Comprehension, and for knowledge of English Language, Education and Training and Communications and Media, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Comprehension, Oral Expression and Speech Clarity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a health communication degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 10 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 81 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 258 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 16 |
Master’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to health communication, at 44.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Master’s degree | 44.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 27.7% |
| Doctoral degree | 9.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 9.7% |
| Post-doctoral training | 6.1% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Health Communication, with an average median salary of $88,886; the strongest outlook belongs to Community Health Workers, at 13.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Instructor, Associate Professor, Professor and Communications Professor.
The occupation related to health communication with the most projected jobs is Communications Teachers, Postsecondary, at 919,494.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | 919,494 | -1.5% |
| Community Health Workers | 300,538 | 13.4% |
| Public Relations Specialists | 288,926 | -3.5% |
| Health Education Specialists | 169,157 | 3.7% |
Health Communication graduates earn a median $43,684 one year after completing their program, $67,080 after four years and $64,953 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $43,684 |
| 4 years | $67,080 |
| 5 years | $64,953 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to health communication is Public Relations Specialists, with a median salary of $103,749.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Public Relations Specialists | $103,749 |
| Communications Teachers, Postsecondary | $96,169 |
| Health Education Specialists | $81,726 |
| Community Health Workers | $73,901 |
Health Communication has 10 similar majors in the Communication & Journalism field, which together award 20,182 degrees a year; the largest are Advertising (4,633), Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication (4,246) and Public Relations/Image Management (4,191). Browse all Communication & Journalism majors or the full list of college majors.
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