What Can I Do with a Business Communication Degree?
Several schools offer business degree programs with concentrations in communications. These programs might appeal to students who are interested in using communication skills and techniques to better help businesses and organizations promote their goals and products. Read on to learn about more specific careers in the field.
Business Communication Degree Programs
A degree program that focuses on business communication should provide students with strong writing, speaking and information technology skills. Graduates can go on to apply those skills to a variety of careers. They should be able to successfully relay information between employees and employers within a company, broadcast a company's intentions to the public, communicate information between a company and its clients, and more.
Graduates of these business communications programs can pursue careers that don't just relate to public relations, advertising and marketing. Business communication degree holders have talents in organizing to meet project deadlines, communicating the benefits of a business' merchandise to the public and understanding how the market works, according to the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC), www.iabc.com. All of these skills allow one to become a consultant if he or she doesn't enter a specific vocation, such as speechwriter or buyer.
Important Facts About Business Communication Degrees
| Entry-Level Education | High School Diploma or GED Equivalent |
| Degrees | Bachelor's, Master's |
| Common Courses | Strategic Business Writing, Business Presentation Strategies, Visual Communication |
| Work Environment | Office Setting |
Career Information
Other potential careers that business communication degree holders can pursue include:
Politics and Lobbying
- Creating press releases
- Networking within the media
- Writing speeches
- Structuring presentations
- Conducting web design for campaign messaging
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the median salary for political scientists was $117,570 and for public relations specialists it was $60,000, as of May 2018.
Media and Broadcasting
- Creating slide shows and organizing media kits
- Drafting news pieces
- Fact-finding
The BLS posted the median salary as of May 2018 for all media and communication occupations as $57,530.
Law and Government
- Mediating
- Labor relations
- Working as government information officers
- Social service
According to BLS, arbitrators, mediators and conciliators earned a median salary of $62,270, as of May 2018. During that same year labor relations specialists made a median salary of $67,790 and social workers were paid $49,470.
Other Fields
- Sales - contract or freelance
- Education
- Religion
The BLS indicates the median annual wage of $48,990 for the Clergy as of May 2018 and for all other religious workers it was $29,310 as of May 2017. For occupations related to sales representatives and services, the median annual wage was $54,550 as of May 2018. And in the field of education the BLS recorded a median pay of $60,320 for high school teachers, as of May 2018.