To date, we’ve asked 431 current and past communication students about their happiness with their degree. Turns out, they rate it average.

There are thousands of majors available, and it can be overwhelming trying to choose one.

To help you reach the decision that is right for you, we asked students who have pursued a communication degree to respond to questions concerning five dimensions of the educational track they chose:

  • Course material: Were they interested in the material they learned?
  • Intellectual fulfillment: Did they find the coursework intellectually stimulating?
  • Job prospects: Did they leave the program with job opportunities?
  • Personality: Was the degree a good fit for their personality?
  • Overall fit: Were they happy with the program overall?

We examined their responses and combined the rankings to give us an average satisfaction score across all students. This doesn't necessarily reflect how satisfied you would be with a communication degree, but it’s a starting point to help you evaluate your options.

How satisfied are communication students compared to other degrees?

Overall, communication students rate their satisfaction with their degree a 3.2 out of 5. This is standard compared to other degrees which average a rating of 3.28 across all degrees. For context, communication students rate their happiness similarly to students in Business Management and Administration, Information Science and Environmental Studies.

Here are other degrees that have a similar satisfaction rating to communication

DegreeAvg Grad SalarySatisfaction
Foreign Languages and Literatures$57,859
Liberal Arts and Humanities$56,023
Information Science$82,934
Business Management and Administration$70,020
Communication$69,377
Environmental Studies$56,356
Computer Engineering and Related Studies$96,583
Public Relations, Advertising, and Communication$64,801
Mass Communication and Media Studies$71,680
Criminal Justice and Related Studies$56,897

Let's break that down further.

Are communication students satisfied with what they’re learning?

We asked students about their satisfaction with their course material and overall intellectual fulfillment. Here’s what they said:

We asked graduates how interesting they found the course material to be. Their response was:
3.8 out of 5 stars
502 ratings
5 stars
29%
4 stars
34%
3 stars
22%
2 stars
10%
1 stars
4%
We asked graduates how intellectually fulfilling they found the degree. Their response was:
3.5 out of 5 stars
496 ratings
5 stars
24%
4 stars
29%
3 stars
23%
2 stars
15%
1 stars
8%

These ratings are meant to give you an indication about what other people enrolled in communication experienced. While their input is useful, keep in mind that different people have had vastly different experiences, all of which were impacted by their personal motivations, professors, and specific curriculum. Always keep your own goals at the center of your decision-making process when it comes to something as significant as your education.

Did communication graduates leave school with good job prospects?

Of course, working towards a degree is also about pursuing your desired career. Here’s what communication grads had to say about their job prospects:

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their job prospects. Their response was:
3.0 out of 5 stars
484 ratings
5 stars
12%
4 stars
22%
3 stars
30%
2 stars
23%
1 stars
13%

These responses represent a wide range of opinions. Things like extracurricular activities, internships and work placements can set you up for success after graduation.

Were communication students happy with their degree overall?

This rating takes into account all factors: how demanding the program is, whether graduates felt it was worthwhile, and how fulfilling they found their educational experience.

We asked graduates how satisfied they were with their degree as a whole. Their response was:
3.2 out of 5 stars
431 ratings
5 stars
19%
4 stars
22%
3 stars
26%
2 stars
18%
1 stars
12%

As you consider this information and input from others, remember above all that your choice should be based on your interests, goals, passions, and abilities. Consider the future and give yourself time. If you’re feeling unsure, click here to take our career assessment and see what path could be right for you.

Salary

Find out what graduates typically earn.

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