Oklahoma Communications Degrees

Click to see more online programs that are taking applications for 2024.

Two of the most popular institutions in the state of Oklahoma have received accreditation from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). There are four different programs offered between the two schools, and the Bachelor's degrees consist of Journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Sports Media, and Strategic Communication.

The first option is offered at the University of Oklahoma while the rest can be pursued at Oklahoma State University. At this time, there are no Master's degrees that have been accredited by the ACEJMC in the state of Oklahoma.

Holding accreditation from the nonprofit organization means that the program has gone through a rigorous review of nine different categories. Some of the requirements include having a curriculum that commits half of the credit hours to direct professional skill development and they hold a set of objectives and student outcomes that have been proven successful.

Top Locations for Communications Schools and Job Opportunities in Oklahoma

These two institutions are located in Norman (University of Oklahoma) and Stillwater (Oklahoma State University). While some opportunities exist in these locations, especially when working with the institutions in the area, there are further options for communications careers at the more populated urban areas.

Oklahoma City is the capital city and highest-populated location in the state of Oklahoma. Two popular daily publications in the area are The Oklahoman and The Journal Record, with the former covers news in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and the latter provides the latest local business news. The Oklahoman, which was established 1889, is one of the many publications across the country now currently owned by Gannett.

Tulsa is another location with many opportunities in Oklahoma. With over 403,000 residents, there are numerous arts and entertainment companies to work for.

Potential jobs within communications in this area include advertising shows at venues through social media, websites, and other multimedia platforms, or marketing for an organization's goods and services to either sponsor certain events and develop more reach to consumers. There are also multiple broadcasting companies to work for, including Sinclair Broadcast Group and CBS affiliate KOTV-TV.

Click to for more online communications degrees that are taking applications for 2024.

Campus-based and online Communications programs in Oklahoma

Oklahoma Journalism and Communications Careers, Salaries, and Associations

Oklahoma has over 1,600 positions for public relations specialists, which is around the same amount of employment rate with many other southern-based states, such as Arkansas and Mississippi. Average salary across the state does fall below the national level at $58,100, but that number is on par or greater with many states in the southwestern region.

The biggest metropolitan areas in the state, Oklahoma City and Tulsa, have similar salaries across the board. One career to consider are public relations coordinators, who manages or distributes news releases or announcements for an organization, or organizes these duties with a client that does not have its own PR team.

Over 480 workers are reporters and correspondents in the state with an annual mean wage of $38,300 according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. This figure improves in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas at around $44,000, which is closer to the national average.

Outside of these areas, there is high concentration in the Southeastern portion of the state, which is where Norman is located. In comparison, average salaries for editing careers are estimated at $51,570 across the state. The Oklahoma Press Association recognizes the various daily and weekly newspaper publications throughout the state, and has established goals to protect journalism and continue to advance the industry.

A branch of the organization, the Oklahoma Newspaper Foundation, is a nonprofit that accepts charitable and private donations to invest toward the improvement of the quality of journalism in the area. The ONF provides more internship and scholarship opportunities for students and utilizing newspapers in classrooms to familiarize the source early in a child’s life. The Oklahoma Press Service organizes advertisements and marketing on various publishing platforms.