Missouri·Educational Instruction and Library Occupations·SOC 25-1122

Best Communications Teacher, Postsecondary programs in Missouri, ranked by enrollment

Teach courses in communications, such as organizational communications, public relations, radio/television broadcasting, and journalism.

38 schools in Missouri run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,478 people a year. The job pays a median of $71,830 in Missouri across about 480 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).

Also calledProfessorInstructorCommunication ProfessorCommunication InstructorLecturerSpeech TeacherAdjunct LecturerSpeech Professor
Graduates / yr
1,478
in Missouri
Median pay · Missouri
$71,830
BLS OEWS May 2025
Jobs in state
480
people employed
Schools
38
with a feeder program
Avg graduation rate
52%
across those schools
Median net price
$20,482
per year, IPEDS

Fields of study in Missouri that lead to this job

Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.

19 programs in Missouri that lead to this job

Ranked by graduates per year in Missouri (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Missouri page.

Degree programs that lead to this occupation, ranked by graduates per year
#ProgramGraduates / yrShare of pipelineSchoolsGrad earnings (1 yr)Median debt
1
CIP 09.0401In Missouri
482
32.6%
6$34,515$24,250
2
CIP 09.0101In Missouri
467
31.6%
21$34,858$25,000
3
CIP 09.0100In Missouri
174
11.8%
10$34,858$25,000
4
CIP 09.0702In Missouri
91
6.2%
9$29,112$23,836
5
CIP 09.0102In Missouri
71
4.8%
9$34,858$25,000
6
CIP 09.0900In Missouri
64
4.3%
7$39,658$24,500
7
CIP 09.0902In Missouri
36
2.4%
5$39,658$24,500
8
CIP 09.0903In Missouri
24
1.6%
3$39,658$24,500
9
CIP 09.0701In Missouri
19
1.3%
3$29,112$23,836
10
CIP 09.0905In Missouri
19
1.3%
2$39,658$24,500
11
CIP 09.0907In Missouri
8
0.5%
2$39,658$24,500
12
CIP 09.0908In Missouri
6
0.4%
1$39,658$24,500
13
CIP 09.0906In Missouri
5
0.3%
1$39,658$24,500
14
CIP 50.0607In Missouri
3
0.2%
1$25,014$24,650
15
CIP 09.0499In Missouri
2
0.1%
1$34,515$24,250
16
CIP 09.0904In Missouri
2
0.1%
1$39,658$24,500
17
CIP 09.9999In Missouri
2
0.1%
2$36,931$24,500
18
CIP 52.0501In Missouri
2
0.1%
1$41,000$26,000
19
CIP 09.0402In Missouri
1
0.1%
1$34,515$24,250

Top 25 schools in Missouri

Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 12 of the 38 schools in this state.

Schools ranked by graduates per year into this occupation
#SchoolGraduates / yrTop feeder programGrad earnings (1 yr)Grad rateNet priceAcceptance
1University of Missouri - Columbia
Columbia, MO Public · 3 feeder programs
667Journalism$43,95875%78%
2Missouri State University - Springfield
Springfield, MO Public · 10 feeder programs
186Speech Communication and Rhetoric$32,07658%91%
3University of Missouri - St Louis
Saint Louis, MO Public · 5 feeder programs
78Communication, General$32,80957%63%
4Southeast Missouri State University
Cape Girardeau, MO Public · 3 feeder programs
59Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia58%74%
5University of Central Missouri
Warrensburg, MO Public · 3 feeder programs
54Speech Communication and Rhetoric54%64%
6Webster University
Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 7 feeder programs
53Mass Communication/Media Studies64%$25,09086%
7Northwest Missouri State University
Maryville, MO Public · 4 feeder programs
50Communication, General$34,19554%86%
8Lindenwood University
Saint Charles, MO Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
47Mass Communication/Media Studies$41,57949%$17,43657%
9Saint Louis University
Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
46Communication, General$30,04780%$24,88675%
10University of Missouri - Kansas City
Kansas City, MO Public · 1 feeder programs
42Speech Communication and Rhetoric$38,78655%72%
11Maryville University of Saint Louis
Saint Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
27Mass Communication/Media Studies66%$24,92195%
12Drury University
Springfield, MO Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs
18Communication, General62%$20,48258%
13Evangel University
Springfield, MO Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
14Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia$28,65665%$17,88172%
14College of the Ozarks
Point Lookout, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
13Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication64%$8,36012%
15Truman State University
Kirksville, MO Public · 1 feeder programs
12Speech Communication and Rhetoric$31,85369%84%
16William Jewell College
Liberty, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
10Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia68%$14,07238%
17Missouri Western State University
Saint Joseph, MO Public · 2 feeder programs
9Speech Communication and Rhetoric39%
18Central Methodist University - College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
Fayette, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
8Speech Communication and Rhetoric51%$25,58257%
19Park University
Parkville, MO Private not-for-profit · 4 feeder programs
8Communication, General38%$16,013
20Drury University - College of Continuing Professional Studies
Springfield, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
7Communication, General43%$14,825
21Rockhurst University
Kansas City, MO Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs
7Speech Communication and Rhetoric75%$21,89070%
22Columbia College
Columbia, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
6Speech Communication and Rhetoric42%$23,247
23Missouri Southern State University
Joplin, MO Public · 1 feeder programs
6Speech Communication and Rhetoric$30,20142%97%
24Missouri University of Science and Technology
Rolla, MO Public · 1 feeder programs
6Technical and Scientific Communication64%73%
25Washington University in St Louis
St. Louis, MO Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs
6Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication94%$14,12612%

All 38 schools in Missouri

Every school in Missouri with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.

All schools in Missouri that feed this occupation
SchoolCityControlGraduates / yrFeeder programs
University of Missouri - ColumbiaColumbiaPublic6673
Missouri State University - SpringfieldSpringfieldPublic18610
University of Missouri - St LouisSaint LouisPublic785
Southeast Missouri State UniversityCape GirardeauPublic593
University of Central MissouriWarrensburgPublic543
Webster UniversitySaint LouisPrivate not-for-profit537
Northwest Missouri State UniversityMaryvillePublic504
Lindenwood UniversitySaint CharlesPrivate not-for-profit474
Saint Louis UniversitySaint LouisPrivate not-for-profit461
University of Missouri - Kansas CityKansas CityPublic421
Maryville University of Saint LouisSaint LouisPrivate not-for-profit273
Drury UniversitySpringfieldPrivate not-for-profit183
Evangel UniversitySpringfieldPrivate not-for-profit144
College of the OzarksPoint LookoutPrivate not-for-profit132
Truman State UniversityKirksvillePublic121

What communications teachers, postsecondary earn in Missouri

What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.

Median annual in Missouri
$71,830
Mean annual
$77,590
Jobs in state
480
What the range looks like
10th pct$48,150Median$71,83090th pct$107,640
Versus the national median
-8.6%

U.S. median $78,580. Missouri pays below the national figure.

Job concentration
0.86×

1.00× means the state has its expected share of these jobs.

Metro areas in Missouri

Columbia, MO
$78,270median
120 jobs
St. Louis, MO-IL
$77,150median
140 jobs
Springfield, MO
$64,960median
70 jobs
Kansas City, MO-KS
$63,890median
110 jobs

Job outlook

Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.

Projected growth 2024–34
+2.1%
About as fast as average
Openings per year
2,700
new jobs plus replacements
Employment change
800
35,800 → 36,600
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree

Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.

How to get in

The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Communications Teachers, Postsecondary page.

How to become a Communications Teacher, Postsecondary

Job zone 5 of 5 · SVP 8.0 and above
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree

Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.

Top skills

Active ListeningReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive LearningLearning StrategiesWriting

The same job in other states

Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.

Related careers in Missouri

Every major mapped to this job

The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.

All 23 majors mapped to Communications Teachers, Postsecondary22 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
  • 09.0100Communication, General
  • 09.0101Speech Communication and Rhetoric
  • 09.0102Mass Communication/Media Studies
  • 09.0401Journalism
  • 09.0402Broadcast Journalism
  • 09.0405Business and Economic Journalism(no graduates reported)
  • 09.0406Cultural Journalism
  • 09.0407Science/Health/Environmental Journalism
  • 09.0499Journalism, Other
  • 09.0701Radio and Television
  • 09.0702Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia
  • 09.0900Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
  • 09.0902Public Relations/Image Management
  • 09.0903Advertising
  • 09.0904Political Communication
  • 09.0905Health Communication
  • 09.0906Sports Communication
  • 09.0907International and Intercultural Communication
  • 09.0908Technical and Scientific Communication
  • 09.9999Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other
  • 50.0607Documentary Production
  • 52.0501Business/Corporate Communications, General
  • 52.0599Business/Corporate Communications, Other

Common questions

Answers for people weighing communications teachers, postsecondary programs in Missouri.

What degree do you need to become a Communications Teacher, Postsecondary?+

Doctoral or professional degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Journalism, which awarded 482 degrees in Missouri in 2024-25, 32.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.

Which college majors lead to becoming a Communications Teacher, Postsecondary?+

The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 19 programs to this occupation. The largest are Communication and Media Studies, Journalism, Public Relations, Radio, plus 3 more. Together they graduate about 1,478 people a year in Missouri.

How much do communications teachers, postsecondary earn in Missouri?+

The median is $71,830 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 8.6% below the U.S. median of $78,580. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.

Is demand for communications teachers, postsecondary growing?+

BLS projects a +2.1% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 2,700 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.

How many schools offer programs for this career in Missouri?+

38 institutions in Missouri reported graduates from at least one of the 19 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.

What other job titles do communications teachers, postsecondary work under?+

Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Professor, Instructor, Communication Professor, Communication Instructor among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 25-1122.

Communications Teachers, Postsecondary in other statesCaliforniaTexasNew YorkFloridaPennsylvaniaIllinoisArizonaOhio

About the data on this page

Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).

  • BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics

    May 2025

    Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.

  • BLS Employment Projections

    2024–34

    Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.

  • IPEDS Completions

    2024-25 (provisional)

    Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.

  • College Scorecard, Field of Study

    2020-21 cohorts

    Median graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.

  • Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes

    latest available

    Graduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.

  • NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk

    CIP 2020 / SOC 2018

    Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.

  • O*NET Database 30.3

    30.3

    Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.

    Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA

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