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International Communication

Types of Degrees International Communication Majors Are Earning

People majoring in International Communication can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	17
Bachelor’s Degree	46
Master’s Degree	120

What International Communication Majors Need to Know

Programs in International Communication develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that International Communication graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in International Communication emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.9 / 5; level 6.3 / 7.
• Communications and Media — Importance 4.4 / 5; level 5.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a International Communication program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to International Communication careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, International Communication graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Thinking Creatively	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by International Communication professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Apple Final Cut Pro	Video creation and editing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Adobe InDesign	Desktop publishing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Adobe Photoshop	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Adobe Creative Cloud software	Graphics or photo imaging software	✓
Google Docs	Word processing software	—
Adobe Acrobat	Document management software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for International Communication graduates include:

• Speech Professor
• Associate Professor
• Journalism Instructor
• Public Speaking Professor
• Adjunct Instructor
• University Faculty Member
• Interpersonal Communications Professor
• Media Arts Professor
• Adjunct Lecturer
• Communications Instructor
• Communication Professor
• Adjunct Communications Instructor
• Journalism Teacher
• Communication Instructor
• Adjunct Communications Faculty Member

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to International Communication graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	55.8%
Bachelor’s degree	22.1%
Doctoral degree	13.2%
Post-doctoral training	8.2%
Post-master’s certificate	0.7%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in International Communication?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 76% of International Communication degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	139	76.0%
Men	44	24.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of International Communication graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	67	36.6%
Asian	4	2.2%
Hispanic or Latino	31	16.9%
Black or African American	11	6.0%
Two or More Races	7	3.8%
Race Unknown	2	1.1%
International Students	61	33.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do International Communication Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of International Communication graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,317
4 years	$55,248
5 years	$64,495

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $64,495 — roughly 49% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in International Communication Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, International Communication graduates earn a median of $55,248 four years after completion — roughly 45% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Speech Communication and Rhetoric	32,944
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	19,636
Communication, General	11,299
Journalism	9,378
Mass Communication/Media Studies	8,694
Advertising	4,308
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication	4,077
Public Relations/Image Management	4,061
Communication Management and Strategic Communications	1,956
Organizational Communication, General	1,789
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication, Other	1,296
Sports Communication	1,202

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.