Pennsylvania Communications Degrees

School Level Program Admissions

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

There are three total universities in the state of Pennsylvania, including a few popular institutions, that have communication programs recognized by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). Penn State has the most opportunities with five different disciplines that are Bachelor of Arts degrees. There are also online options for Strategic Communications within the BA of Advertising and Public Relations degree.

The other two institutions, Shippensburg University and the University of Temple in Philadelphia, have Bachelor's degrees in Journalism. At this time, there are no Master's degrees that have been accredited by the ACEJMC in the state of Pennsylvania.

Top Locations for Communications Schools and Job Opportunities in Pennsylvania

With Philadelphia being the fourth-biggest television market in the country according to Nielsen, there are plenty of opportunities in broadcasting and digital media content creation in the metropolitan area. All major affiliate broadcast networks (NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox) are owned by the initial companies in the metro area.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, which has high distribution with daily publication and is connected to the top digital news media platform in the city, Philly.com, is one of the top journalism opportunities to consider. Other alternative publications that over general news in the area is Philadelphia Weekly and Philadelphia Metro.

Public Relations in Pennsylvania

Also in Philadelphia, there are many public relations areas to consider. An example of one of the top organizations that has been around for 30 years is Breslow Partners. They have represented various sectors, such as hospitality and real estate, and create engaging and impactful stories that are picked up by multiple media platforms.

Decisions for clients are based on case studies that the PR firm has implemented. These target potential customers and clients through viral marketing, social media influencing, and throwing special events that gain traction to specific products and services.

School Level Program Admissions
University of West Alabama Bachelor Bachelor of Arts/Science Integrated Marketing Communications
Gain hands-on multimedia experience in several areas as you study web design, social media, news writing, photography, graphic and interior design, video, and event planning.
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University of West Alabama Master Master of Arts in Integrated Marketing Communications
Graduates of this program are prepared for management-level work with clients in advertising and communications settings.
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University of Texas Permian Basin Bachelor Online BA in Communication
Multiple tracks: Communication Studies, Strategic Messaging, Professional Communication, Sports Media.
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Drake University Bachelor BA in Journalism & Mass Communication
2 specializations in Digital Communication or Public Relations.
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American University Master Master of Arts in Strategic Communication
Program teaches you to connect creatively and strategically with audiences through targeted campaigns.
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Click to for more online communications degrees that are taking applications for 2024.

Campus-based and online Communications programs in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania State University

  • Online B.A. Advertising/Public Relations-Strategic Communications
  • B.A. Journalism; B.A. Film-Video; B.A. Advertising/Public Relations; B.A. Telecommunications; B.A. Media Studies

Shippensburg University

  • B.A. Communication/Journalism

Temple University

  • B.A. Journalism

Pennsylvania Journalism and Communications Careers, Salaries, and Associations

Like many states in the Northeastern portion of the state, Pennsylvania has strong employment in public relations. At least 7,400 workers are represented, which is similar to the nearby states of Ohio and Virginia. In comparison to the national median in annual salary, this is slightly lower with estimates at approximately $61,260.

This can still jump up to over $97,300 within the 90th percentile. Examples of some notable public relations firms within the state are Matthew Blahos PR and Paige Wolf Media and PR in Philadelphia, and Buchanan Public Relations in Bryn Mawr.

Looking at advertising management specifically, the Philadelphia metropolitan area has the ninth-highest employment across the United States according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics with around 470 employees. That is higher than the densely-populated metro area of Washington DC. When viewing the entire state, the annual mean salary for the executive-level position is around $121,200, which is right on par with the neighboring states of Virginia and Ohio.

Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters

The Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters has a mission to promote and protect both radio and television broadcasting services throughout the state. They provide job listings for their organization members to promote to prospective and established professionals in the industry and they offer Third Thursday Webinars to help boost career development and other related topics.

Some development services are offered for free or at a discount from other organizations. Companies can apply for three-year waivers from FCC inspections by utilizing association reviews. Professionals are routinely recognized for their excellence in reporting with Gold Medal distribution and Broadcast Hall of Fame entry.