Best Online Master's in Communication for 2019
An online master's in communication provides students with sharpened critical thinking skills and communication strategies. These skills are critical in a wide variety of fields, including entertainment, journalism, marketing, and human resources. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment as a public relations specialist is projected to increase by 9% within the next decade and employment as a technical writer is projected to increase by 11%. If you enjoy writing and public speaking, now may be the time to consider getting an online communications master's degree.
What are the Best Online Master's in Communications Programs?
Top 14 Online Masters in Communications
Admissions Rate
48%
Graduation Rate
87%
Online Enrollment
11%
Retention Rate
96%
Default Rate
3%
The University of Florida operates from a 2,000-acre campus in the city of Gainesville in northern Florida. Striving for environmental sustainability, the university houses the most LEED-certified buildings of any educational institution in the country. UF's online master's degree in mass communication offers eight different specializations: audience analytics, digital strategy, global strategic communications, political communication, public interest communication, public relations and communication management, social media, and web design and online communication. Each specialization requires 36 to 39 credit hours. Except for the specialization in web design and online communication—which has 16-week-long semesters—each semester lasts 12 weeks. Classes are asynchronous. Applicants for the master's in communication online must submit GRE test scores.
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How to Choose an Online Master's in Communications Program
An online master's in communication can vary in length and content depending on the school and specific program you choose. Most programs require 30 to 36 credit hours of coursework that can be completed in a year of full-time study. Core courses will feature strategic communication topics such as audience analytics and public relations. Electives are more likely to vary from program to program; some schools offer healthcare communications while others offer marketing strategies. Some communications programs are nested within specific colleges at a university, such as the college of journalism, which would influence the instructional content as well.
Look into the capstone requirements of various master's programs; some master's degrees require in-person practicums or internships. If you want to get hands-on experience, you might be interested in programs with internship requirements. Also, be sure to check that your program of choice is accredited by either a national or regional accrediting agency.
Careers for Graduates of Master's in Communications Programs
An online communications master's degree is relevant to dozens of industries, including journalism, healthcare, entertainment, and business. While most entry-level communications jobs require a minimum of a bachelor's degree, a master's degree will help you land an intermediate level job, replacing experience with education. An online master's in communication can also be used to transition into the communications field from a different professional background.
The following table features descriptions of five communications careers and their annual median salaries.
A communications coordinator is responsible for maintaining an organization or business' public image and strategizing communication campaigns. They may produce marketing messages and maintain brand guidelines across all company publications.
Median Salary: $40,637
Job Outlook and Salary for Graduates of Communications Master's Degrees
Since an online communications master's degree is so widely applicable, job outlook varies. Generally, the projected employment rates for public relations and similar fields are positive, with average or above average growth. Similarly, salaries will also depend largely on the specific industry and occupation. For instance, a communications coordinator working for a multinational corporation will likely make a higher salary than a journalist working for a local newspaper. In the same way, individuals in executive positions can expect higher salaries than entry-level positions within the same industry.
The following table features the employment growth data for public relations specialists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
| Employment, 2016 | Projected Employment, 2026 |
|---|---|
| 259,600 | 283,000 |
Salary Growth by Experience for Graduates of Communications Master's Programs
Salary can also vary by experience. The more experience you have in the communications field, the higher your salary. Some positions see a consistent salary growth rate based on years of experience. For instance, communications coordinators get a $4,000 raise on average every five to ten years. Others experience a higher salary growth rate at a particular moment in their career. For instance, marketing associates see an average of a $10,000 increase between zero years of experience and ten years of experience.
The following table features data from Payscale on the median annual salaries of technical writers, communications coordinators, and marketing associates by their years of experience.
To determine the best online master's in communications programs, we looked at the most important factors prospective students, mainly common predictors of future success and a school's commitment to online programs. This boils down to admissions rate, student loan default rate, retention rate, graduation rate, and the percent of students enrolled in online classes. All data points are taken from information provided by colleges and universities to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Each factor is weighted evenly in order to give an objective view and determine the best online master's in communications programs. To calculate our rankings, we looked at a school's ranking when organized by a single factor, and then averaged each category's ranking to find an overall score: Admissions Rate (20%) + Default Rate (20%) + Retention Rate (20%) + Graduation Rate (20%) + Percent of Students Enrolled in Online Classes (20%) = Final score.