Utah Communications Degrees

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

Brigham Young University, Utah's most popular institution and nationally recognized, is the only university in the state that has received accreditation from the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). Prospective students have the ability to get an undergraduate degree in the disciplines of Advertising, Journalism, or Public Relations at the Provo campus. A new category, Communications Studies, was added after its most recent accreditation in 2015.

Holding an accreditation from the ACEJMC designates that the school has gone through a self-evaluation process for their communications and digital media programs. They have met rigorous standards set by the nonprofit organization and are one of the leaders in preparing students for a career in communications.

Top Locations for Communications Schools and Job Opportunities in Utah

Salt Lake City holds the largest population in the state of Utah, as well as the most potential for graduates to get a job in the communications and digital media field. Provo, the home for BYU, has the third-highest population in the state, with West Valley City being the second-highest location.

Broadcast networks within the Salt Lake City metropolitan area are owned by numerous media groups, such as the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Nexstar Media Group, and Tribune Broadcasting. Several newspaper publications are prevalent in Salt Lake City, such as the daily releases of the Deseret Morning News and The Salt Lake Tribune.

Provo distributes the Daily Herald, also on a daily basis. Some college-based publications that can provide educational experience and internship opportunities for students include BYUNewsNet, the Daily Utah Chronicle at the University of Utah, and Hard News Cafe at Utah State University.

Public Relations in Utah

Intreped is a public relations agency in Salt Lake City that aids clients in moments of crisis. They have worked with over 200 cases that have required immediate response, proactive planning, and reputation control.

The agency often reviews case study with over 25 years of experience to determine the best course of action in various moments when dealing with future clients. They also provide content development, social media improvement, and various forms of messaging as additional services that helps their clients communicate with and identify their audience.

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

Campus-based and online Communications programs in Utah

Utah Journalism and Communications Careers, Salaries, and Associations

With Salt Lake City having a strong television market, there are broadcasting opportunities in this location and throughout the state of Utah. Over 140 broadcast news analysts are employed, which makes the state the highest-concentrated in the country according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Salary estimates within Salt Lake City are at just over $90,000, which is near the national average. In comparison, this is less than the metropolitan areas of Denver and Phoenix in neighboring states that drive up their overall salary estimates statewide.

The largest city in the state of Utah provides high-paying opportunities in journalism. Annual salaries for reporters and correspondents are at $53,220 in the metropolitan area while editors receive approximately $66,800 – both of these figures are slightly higher than the national average.

There are over 900 positions accounted for within editing, making the state hold high concentration in the field. The majority of these workers are also in the Provo-Orem metropolitan area in addition to Salt Lake City.

Utah Press Association

The Utah Press Association (UPA) was established in 1893 to combine the efforts of all the newspapers to gain traction in communities and recognizing the excellent efforts given by professionals in the industry on a local basis. They provide two conventions a year for awards and giving professionals the ability to develop their skills.

The UPA provides a simplified way for advertisers to send their content and various marketing needs to multiple publications throughout the state. The organization works with marketers and public relations to identify specific audiences to determine what publications the ad should be in. This customization method requires a simple order and payment instead of contacting every publication separately.

Utah Media Group

In addition, the Utah Media Group back in 1952 was established to control the production, marketing, and circulation of Salt Lake City’s two prominent newspapers. They have added clients from magazines and other niche publications, and also offer a variety of marketing strategies.

Some of these services include mobile application development, printing services, real estate, and event management. The media group also manages or has had significant influence on events such as the Utah STEM Fest, The Governor’s Utah Economic Summit, and the Salt Lake FanX comic convention.