Career comparison
Communications Professor vs. Journalist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Communications professors earn more at the median ($78,580 vs. $62,200), while journalists usually get to work faster (4 years of training). Communications professors teach public speaking, media and how people communicate. Journalists find, report and tell the stories that keep the public informed.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Communications Professor | Journalist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $78,580 | $62,200 ($29.91/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $47,590 – $143,720 | $36,240 – $144,140 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +2.1% (slower than average) | -5.9% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 2,400 | 3,400 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | Bachelor's degree |
| Training time | 5–7 years after a bachelor’s | 4 years |
| Key credential | Ph.D. in communication | Journalism degree |
| Work setting | Faculty work in classrooms, media labs and offices.. | Journalists work in newsrooms, remotely and in the field, often on deadline.. |
What each job does
Communications Professor
- Teach communications courses
- Coach public speaking
- Advise student media
- Conduct research
- Mentor students
Journalist
- Find and pitch stories
- Interview sources
- Research records and data
- Verify facts
- Write and produce stories
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people, creative work, and working independently. They sit in different fields, education & childcare and arts, media & design, but share transferable skills such as presence and curiosity.
Which should you choose?
Choose communications professor if…
- I love public speaking
- I follow media closely
- I give good feedback
Choose journalist if…
- I’m curious about everything
- I love writing
- I can handle deadlines
Still torn? Take the Communications Professor fit quiz and the Journalist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, communications professor or journalist?
Communications Professors earn more at the median: $78,580 versus $62,200 for journalists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Journalists typically train faster (4 years) than communications professors (5–7 years after a bachelor’s).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects communications professors to grow +2.1% from 2025–35, compared with -5.9% for journalists.