Corporate Communications Degree
Students study strategic messaging, internal communications, media relations, crisis communication, and how organizations communicate with stakeholders, employees, and the public. Graduates typically pursue careers as corporate communications managers, internal communications specialists, public affairs directors, and brand communications strategists. Every major company needs skilled communicators, making this a stable field with strong career growth.
What Corporate Communications Graduates Do
Your early career in corporate communications will be hands-on and deadline-driven. As a public relations specialist, you’ll spend your days drafting press releases, pitching stories to journalists, and managing the company’s social media presence during both calm and crisis. Alternatively, you might work as a fundraiser, identifying potential donors, writing compelling grant proposals, and organizing events to build financial support. These roles are about execution.
As you advance, you’ll move from doing the work to directing it, perhaps as a public relations or fundraising manager, where you'll set strategy and lead a team. However, you must be prepared for major shifts driven by AI. With an average exposure of 62%, AI is fundamentally reshaping this field. It now handles the first draft of press releases and internal memos—the exact work that once trained junior staff. This means fewer entry-level jobs focused on pure writing, especially in slow-growth roles like editing. Your long-term value will come from your ability to direct AI, critically evaluate its output, and provide the strategic judgment machines lack.
Common Career Paths
Where Corporate Communications graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 88,400 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Salary Range | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public relations managers | 6,600 | +5.0% | 55% | |
| Fundraising managers | 3,600 | +4.2% | 56% | |
| Business teachers, postsecondary | 8,100 | +5.7% | 49% | |
| Technical writers | 4,500 | +0.9% | 70% | |
| Communications teachers, postsecondary | 2,700 | +2.1% | 43% | |
| Editors | 9,800 | +0.6% | 65% | |
| Writers and authors | 13,400 | +3.6% | 89% | |
| Public relations specialists | 27,600 | +4.8% | 59% | |
| Fundraisers | 10,200 | +4.3% | 52% | |
| Proofreaders and copy markers | 1,900 | -0.6% | 98% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Best Schools for Corporate Communications
14 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.
| # | School | DW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY |
61 51–62 |
$47,880/yr | 21.7x |
| 2 | University of Houston Houston, TX |
57 46–58 |
$45,997/yr | 15.5x |
| 3 | University of Wisconsin-River Falls River Falls, WI |
54 43–55 |
$43,149/yr | 15.9x |
| 4 | National University San Diego, CA |
53 43–54 |
$38,696/yr | 13.1x |
| 5 | Bentley University Waltham, MA |
51 41–52 |
$57,141/yr | 2.7x |
| 6 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus Fargo, ND |
45 35–45 |
$36,513/yr | 11.7x |
| 7 | Walsh University North Canton, OH |
43 33–44 |
$46,213/yr | 3.5x |
| 8 | Roosevelt University Chicago, IL |
42 32–43 |
$40,005/yr | 6.2x |
| 9 | Aquinas College Grand Rapids, MI |
40 30–41 |
$49,378/yr | 2.6x |
| 10 | Chapman University Orange, CA |
40 29–40 |
$39,901/yr | 2.1x |
| 11 | Point Loma Nazarene University San Diego, CA |
37 26–38 |
$41,988/yr | 2.4x |
| 12 | Stevenson University Owings Mills, MD |
34 23–34 |
$41,000/yr | 2.3x |
| 13 | Marquette University Milwaukee, WI |
34 23–34 |
$39,816/yr | 1.0x |
| 14 | Duquesne University Pittsburgh, PA |
32 22–33 |
$38,207/yr | 1.0x |
Highest Earning Corporate Communications Programs
Schools where Corporate Communications graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|
| Bentley University | $57,141/yr | 51 |
| Aquinas College | $49,378/yr | 40 |
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | $47,880/yr | 61 |
| Walsh University | $46,213/yr | 43 |
| University of Houston | $45,997/yr | 57 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls | $43,149/yr | 54 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | $41,988/yr | 37 |
| Stevenson University | $41,000/yr | 34 |
| Roosevelt University | $40,005/yr | 42 |
| Chapman University | $39,901/yr | 40 |
Best ROI for Corporate Communications
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Corporate Communications.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| CUNY Bernard M Baruch College | 21.7x | $47,880/yr | 61 |
| University of Wisconsin-River Falls | 15.9x | $43,149/yr | 54 |
| University of Houston | 15.5x | $45,997/yr | 57 |
| National University | 13.1x | $38,696/yr | 53 |
| North Dakota State University-Main Campus | 11.7x | $36,513/yr | 45 |
| Roosevelt University | 6.2x | $40,005/yr | 42 |
| Walsh University | 3.5x | $46,213/yr | 43 |
| Bentley University | 2.7x | $57,141/yr | 51 |
| Aquinas College | 2.6x | $49,378/yr | 40 |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | 2.4x | $41,988/yr | 37 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.