2020 Communications Technologies & Support Degree Guide

Communications Technologies and Support is a growing field that gives students the ability to combine their technical side with their passion for creative communication. Students take classes in areas such as computer design, drawing, photography, art, lighting, sound mixing, and film to learn all aspects of their desired career.

Some majors within the Communications Technologies and Support field include Communications Technology, Audiovisual Communications, and Graphic Communications. There are specific areas of specialization within these majors that allow students to hone in on their desired interest.

Communications Technologies & Support Degrees Remain Stable

Communications Technologies & Support was the 34th most popular major in the 2017-2018 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 15,669 degrees in this year alone. This is approximately the same as the 15,767 graduates the prior year.

There are 194 schools offering degrees in communications technologies and support in the United States. Explore this or one of our many other custom communications technologies and support rankings further below.

Requirements for Getting a Degree in Communications Technologies & Support

Since you will be working in the communications field, strong interpersonal skills are required. You must be able to communicate effectively with both colleagues and those who will be receiving your message. Other necessary skills include creativity, attention to detail, and proficiency with computer software.

Workweeks and hours vary depending on the type of job you have within the field. Typically, professionals work full time with extended hours during the week or on weekends while working on projects.

Internships and experience are important within the Communications Technologies field. Some jobs can be competitive and those with previous experience are more likely to be hired or promoted. Internships also give students the ability to build a professional portfolio of their previous work to show to potential clients and employers.

Communications Technologies & Support Degree Program Entry Requirements

A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most communications technologies and support degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. Specific communications technologies and support careers may require a certain level of degree attainment or additional certifications beyond that.

Communications Technologies & Support Degree Types

Communications Technologies & Support degree levels vary. You can get anything from a award taking less than 1 year in communications technologies and support to the highest communications technologies and support degree, a research/scholarship based doctorate. Communications Technologies & Support programs can take anywhere between one to four or more years for a full-time student to complete.

Degree	Credit Requirements	Typical Program Length
Associate Degree	60-70 credits	2 years
Bachelor’s Degree	120 credits	4 years
Master’s Degree	50-70 credits	1-3 years
Doctorate	Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation	At least 4 years

A high school diploma or equivalent is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to communications technologies and support, with approximately 30.4% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for communications technologies and support workers below.

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma	30.3%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	19.8%
Bachelor’s Degree	17.7%
Some College Courses	16.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate	11.8%

64.9% of communications technologies and support workers have at least a one to two year certificate. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in communications technologies and support have obtained.

This of course varies depending on which communications technologies and support career you choose.

Communications Technologies & Support Careers

There are a wide variety of careers available to a Communications Technologies major. Those with a specialization in animation or film may decide to work for a television or motion picture studio while graphic designers or graphic communications professionals may choose to go into advertising or work as a freelancer. A degree within this field will provide graduates with the necessary skills to confidently pursue numerous career paths.

Modest Decline Projected for Communications Technologies & Support Careers

Want a job when you graduate with your communications technologies and support degree?

The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to communications technologies and support.

Occupation Name	Projected Jobs	Expected Growth
Data Entry Keyers	160,600	-21.2%
Printing Press Operators	160,200	-10.4%
Audio and Video Equipment Technicians	94,000	12.8%
Multimedia Artists and Animators	79,900	8.4%
Film and Video Editors	40,000	17.0%

How Much Money Do Communications Technologies & Support Grads Make?

Recently graduated communications technologies and support students earned an average of $25,046 in 2017-2018. Earnings can range from as low as $8,700 to as high as $51,100. As you might expect, salaries for communications technologies and support graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.

Highest Paid Communications Technologies & Support Careers

Salaries for communications technologies and support graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top 5 highest paying careers communications technologies and support grads often go into.

Occupation Name	Median Average Salary
Film and Video Editors	$86,830
Multimedia Artists and Animators	$78,230
Sound Engineering Technicians	$63,500
Television, Video, and Motion Picture Camera Operators	$61,750
Media and Communication Workers	$52,430

Getting Your Communications Technologies & Support Degree

With over 1,611 different communications technologies and support degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased communications technologies and support school rankings to help you with this.

Communications Technologies & Support Related Majors

Communications Technologies & Support Majors to Study

Major	Annual Graduates
Audiovisual Communications	7,329
Graphic Communications	7,115
Communications Technology	844
Other Communication Technology	381

View All Communications Technologies & Support Related Majors >

Most Popular Majors Related to Communications Technologies & Support

Related Major	Annual Graduates
Computer & Information Sciences	209,723
Engineering	197,582
Biological & Biomedical Sciences	157,997
Engineering Technologies	92,253
Physical Sciences	53,768

View All Communications Technologies & Support Related Majors >

References

• National Center for Education Statistics

• O*NET Online

• Image Credit: By {} under License