How much does a communications prof make?
a year · about $38 an hour
A typical communications prof in the United States makes $78,580 a year, about $38 an hour, about 1.5× a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
They prepare lessons, teach communication topics, guide class discussions, and grade papers and exams. At some universities, they also do research and publish their work.
Did you know? A communications prof may teach much more than public speaking: O*NET lists subjects from public relations to radio/TV broadcasting and journalism.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $47,590 and $143,720How do you become one?
In the U.S., professors usually earn a bachelor’s degree, then a doctorate for four-year college jobs; some community colleges accept a master’s. Doctoral students do original research and defend a dissertation, and teaching or field experience can help.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., pay can vary with experience and advanced credentials, the kind of college or university, and location. Full-time versus part-time hours also change yearly earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in California ($135,000), lowest in Indiana ($65,390).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
Jobs like this
Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $47,590 | $78,580 | $143,720 | about 29,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| California | $135,000 | about 3,000 |
| Michigan | $87,670 | about 630 |
| New York | $84,690 | about 2,000 |
| Massachusetts | $82,610 | about 1,000 |
| Wisconsin | $78,780 | about 640 |
Official definition: Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- www.onetonline.org/link/summary/25-1122.00
- www.mynextmove.org/profile/summary/25-1122.00
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
- www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes251122.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY