What you’ll learn in this article…
- Texas net prices for communication programs range from $3,637 at Texas A&M International to $41,104 at Baylor University.
- Twenty-nine ranked programs offer specializations spanning digital media, public relations, interpersonal communication, and more.
- Seventy percent of remote-capable employees now prefer flexible work, driving demand for communication graduates.
- Rankings weigh five factors: real cost, completion rates, post-graduation earnings, debt load, and program depth.
Best Bachelor's in Communication Degrees in Texas for 2027
Communication Studies graduates from UT Austin earned a median of $43,848 in their first year after finishing, while graduates of the same major at Texas A&M International University earned $22,430. That gap reflects regional job markets as much as the degree itself.
Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston anchor much of the state's agency, corporate communications, and media hiring, so a program's internship ties to those metros shape early career options. Formats vary just as widely. Texas State and UTSA offer fully online communications degree options, UH-Clear Lake blends online and campus coursework, and tracks range from public relations and journalism to technical communication and speech-language sciences.
For working adults, internship access and net price often predict early earnings better than a school's name recognition does.
Best Bachelor's in Communication Programs in Texas
Texas offers an unusually wide range of communication degrees, from flagship public research universities with national reach to private colleges with small cohorts and fully online programs built for working adults. The ten schools below rose to the top of our ranking on the strength of long-term earnings, on-time completion, and the depth of their program offerings. Each entry highlights what the school does best, how its communication degrees are structured, and where graduates tend to land.
How we ranked these
- On-time completion rates
- Earnings ten years after entry
- Program breadth and concentrations
- Online and transfer flexibility
- Net price, weighted lightly
- Original research on individual programs
- Federal institutional data (NCES-IPEDS) covering graduation rates, retention rates and student-faculty ratios — nces.ed.gov
- State cost-of-living adjustment from BEA Regional Price Parities — bea.gov
- College Scorecard post-completion earnings data — collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Program-level records maintained in house
The University of Texas at Austin
#1Austin, TX · ~$20,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Aspiring public relations and media professionals
UT Austin anchors communication education in Texas with one of the largest and most selective colleges of communication in the country, covering communication studies, public relations, journalism, and speech, language, and hearing sciences. Communication studies majors pick from five tracks, from corporate communication to political and strategic and risk communication, while journalism students choose writing, broadcasting, or digital media. Federal earnings data show communication studies graduates earning a median of about $43,800 one year after completion and $72,200 four years out, with public relations graduates near $80,200 at the four-year mark. Austin's media, technology, and political sectors give students internship and networking access that few other Texas cities can match.
- Five tracks, including corporate, global, political, and strategic and risk communication
- 120 total credit hours, with 36 to 48 hours in communication studies
- At least 15 upper-division hours required in the major
- Communication majors are capped at 60 hours inside the college
- Methods courses plus a dedicated career preparation course
- Language and culture requirement
- Campus-based; no online option for this degree
- Cannot double major in Communication and Leadership
- 120 total credit hours
- Core courses must be completed in residence
- Competitive elective sequences available
- Cannot double major with Advertising
- Median earnings near $48,000 one year out and $80,200 four years out
- Housed in the College of Communication
- ASHA accredited program
- Two concentration options: audiology and deaf education
- 120 total credit hours with internship and clinical requirements
- Deaf education track includes a required internship
- Coursework in anatomy, hearing science, and perspectives on deafness
- Prepares students for professional certification
- Campus-based
- 120 total semester hours, including 42 in journalism
- Tracks in writing, broadcasting, and digital media
- Specialized skills courses plus professional practices courses
- Internship opportunities available
- Language and culture requirement
- Campus-based program
Texas A & M University-College Station
#2College Station, TX · $13,000 – $40,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Digital-first journalism students
Texas A&M's journalism program trains students in digital reporting, broadcasting, and ethical storytelling, with both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science tracks and a required credit-bearing internship. The university's scale brings a deep alumni network and a recruiting pipeline across Texas media and corporate employers, and 94 percent of first-year students return for a second year. The institution-wide graduation rate is about 84 percent, and median earnings for graduates ten years after entry sit near $72,100. Texas A&M is also designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
- Bachelor of Arts track with nationwide internship opportunities
- Credit-bearing internship required
- Specialized writing classes and advanced reporting
- Journalism ethics training
- Web video production and digital media coursework
- Campus-based
- Bachelor of Science track with the same journalism core
- Emphasis on digital media and production skills
- Immersive learning experiences
- Internships available nationwide
- Ethical decision-making woven through the curriculum
- Campus-based
Southern Methodist University
#3Dallas, TX · ~$41,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Small-cohort learners in the Dallas market
SMU's Meadows School pairs a public relations and strategic communication major with journalism tracks in business and sports reporting, all inside the Dallas media market. Public relations and strategic communication students complete a campaigns practicum through agencies such as Mustang Consulting or Boulevard Consulting, and the major requires a second major or minor. Federal earnings data put those graduates at a median of about $51,800 one year after completion and $89,300 four years out, among the strongest outcomes in the state. Small classes and faculty mentorship are hallmarks, and about 84 percent of students graduate.
- 120 total credit hours with a required capstone
- Practicum through Mustang Consulting or Boulevard Consulting
- 3.0 GPA minimum and prerequisite courses required
- Requires a second major or minor
- Coursework in crisis management, communication theory, and ethics
- Internships across the Dallas media market
- Median earnings near $51,800 one year out and $89,300 four years out
- 37 credit hours in journalism
- Second major or minor required
- Multimedia journalism focus
- Selective honors program
- C- minimum grade required in journalism courses
- Newsroom internships in Dallas
- 24 credit hours of media core coursework
- Focus on business news reporting and analysis
- Multiplatform media training
- Entrepreneurial journalism emphasis
- Digital portfolio requirement
- Second major or minor required
- Sports journalism concentration
- Digital journalism capstone
- Strong writing skills required
- Ethical media focus
- Mandatory second major or minor
- Broad media skills training
Trinity University
#4San Antonio, TX · $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.)
Trinity University's communication major is one of the most popular on campus, blending journalism, advertising, public relations, film, and media studies within a liberal arts framework. Students can start apprenticeships as early as their first semester at KRTU radio, TigerTV, and the Trinitonian, working in HD studios and dedicated computer labs. Median earnings for communication graduates run about $34,600 one year out and $59,500 four years out, and the institution-wide graduation rate is near 84 percent. The campus-based program in San Antonio also offers department scholarships and an honors thesis option for qualified students.
- One of Trinity's most popular majors
- Apprenticeships at KRTU radio, TigerTV, and the Trinitonian start in year one
- HD television and radio stations plus Dell and Apple computer labs
- Coursework in journalism, advertising, public relations, film, and media effects
- Junior-year department scholarships in PR, journalism, and visual communication
- Honors thesis option for qualified students
- Campus-based in San Antonio
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
#5Lubbock, TX
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center offers a clinically focused Bachelor of Science in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, a strong fit for students drawn to the health side of communication. Students train in the on-campus Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic, delivering diagnostic and rehabilitative services to children and adults, and the curriculum blends psychology, education, and medicine. The degree is built primarily as a launchpad to graduate study in speech-language pathology or audiology, and it also includes the coursework needed to become a licensed speech-language pathology assistant. The institution does not report an overall graduation rate in the federal data, and median earnings for graduates ten years after entry are about $92,300, reflecting the health-sciences profile of the campus.
- Blends psychology, education, and medicine
- Clinical training in the on-campus Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic
- Students deliver diagnostic and rehabilitative services to children and adults
- Prepares graduates for graduate study in audiology or speech-language pathology
- Includes coursework to become a licensed speech-language pathology assistant
- Campus-based in Lubbock
Texas Christian University
#6Fort Worth, TX · $35,000 – $40,000/yr (est.)
TCU's communication programs span speech-language pathology, journalism, broadcast journalism, and strategic communication, giving students several entry points into the field. Strategic communication majors run Roxo, a student agency that serves real clients, and journalism students choose between Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science tracks with a broadcast certificate option. Speech-language pathology students train at the on-campus Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic under small-class mentorship. Institution-wide, about 86 percent of students graduate and median earnings ten years after entry are roughly $68,400.
- ASHA accredited
- Clinical training at the on-campus Miller Speech and Hearing Clinic
- Small class sizes with faculty mentorship
- Coursework in language development, articulation, and swallowing disorders
- Emphasis on cultural competence and evidence-based practice
- Prepares students for master's-level licensure
- Campus-based journalism program
- Comprehensive communication training
- Professional skill development
- Multimedia storytelling focus
- Strong media ethics foundation
- Bachelor of Science degree in journalism
- Professional media training
- Comprehensive communication curriculum
- Certificate option within the journalism major
- Broadcast journalism specialization
- Multimedia storytelling skills
- Professional media preparation
- 120 total credit hours with a required capstone
- Roxo student-run agency serves real clients
- Gateway courses in advertising and public relations
- Skills courses taken sequentially
- 9 hours of strategic communication electives
- Requires a minor or second major
- Internships strongly encouraged
Texas Tech University
#7Lubbock, TX · $15,000 – $20,000/yr (est.)
Texas Tech offers one of the broadest communication portfolios in the state, spanning communication studies, public relations and strategic communication management, journalism, technical communication, and communication disorders. The public relations and strategic communication management degree is taught by the same faculty on campus and fully online, which makes it practical for working Texans. The online writing, design, and technical communication degree leans into UX and interaction design with three specialized tracks and no prerequisites. The institution-wide graduation rate is about 69 percent, communication studies graduates earn a median near $58,200 four years out, and Texas Tech is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution.
- 120 total credit hours, including 33 hours of communication courses
- Four core courses, including public speaking and communication research
- Choose between Rhetoric in Western Thought and Communication Theory
- 12-hour residency requirement
- Communication Literacy requirement integrated across the degree
- Flexible, individualized plan of study
- Median earnings near $34,000 one year out and $58,200 four years out
- Campus-based in Lubbock
- Offered on campus and as a 100 percent online degree
- Same faculty teach the on-campus and online versions
- 21-hour minor and 12-hour certificate available
- Prepares graduates for social media manager and marketing director roles
- Median earnings near $41,000 one year out and $62,200 four years out
- 100 percent online, asynchronous format
- 120 total credit hours with no prerequisites
- Three specialized tracks, including UX and interaction design
- Three start dates per year
- Free industry career certificates included
- Prepares students for content strategist and UX designer roles
- 3.0 GPA minimum and prerequisite coursework
- 66 prerequisite credit hours required
- Limited class enrollment
- Trains students to diagnose and treat communication disorders
- Interdisciplinary team collaboration
- Pathway to master's-level licensure
- One fall start per year
- Multi-platform journalism training
- 120 total credit hours
- Internship opportunities available
- Media law and ethics coursework
- Interdisciplinary cognate required
- Southwest industry connections
Baylor University
#8Waco, TX · ~$41,000/yr (est.)
Baylor pairs a professional writing and rhetoric degree with a flexible communication major offering rhetoric and public discourse, corporate communication, generalist, and honors tracks. The communication program emphasizes speaking, writing, argumentation, and organizational communication, with internship and study abroad options, while professional writing students complete a required writing internship. Class sizes are small and the institution-wide graduation rate is about 80 percent. Median earnings for communication graduates run roughly $43,700 one year out and $58,900 four years out.
- 36 total credit hours
- Writing internship required
- Professional workplace writing course
- Legal writing seminar offered
- Creative nonfiction and new media writing workshops
- Prepares students for technical writing and content strategy roles
- 36-hour major with four tracks of study
- Tracks include rhetoric and public discourse, corporate communication, generalist, and honors
- Foundational courses in public communication and communication theory
- Coursework in argumentation, debate, and organizational communication
- Internship and study abroad opportunities
- Lambda Pi Eta honor society and debate program on campus
- Median earnings near $43,700 one year out and $58,900 four years out
University of Houston
#9Houston, TX · $10,000 – $23,000/yr (est.)
The University of Houston's Jack J. Valenti School of Communication houses communication studies, strategic communication, public relations, journalism, and communication sciences and disorders under one roof. Strategic communication students choose among advertising, public relations, integrated communication, and organizational and corporate communication concentrations, while communication studies majors focus on film and media studies or interpersonal communication. Houston's size and media market create internship access across newsrooms, agencies, and corporate communication teams. The institution-wide graduation rate is near 65 percent, the university is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and communication studies graduates earn a median near $49,500 four years out.
- Concentrations in film and media studies or interpersonal communication
- 120 total credit hours, with 27 hours in communication studies
- 42 hours of UH core curriculum
- Coursework in media effects, cinema history, and relationship dynamics
- Professional internship and independent study available
- Covers communication law and ethics
- Median earnings near $38,000 one year out and $49,500 four years out
- 2.0 GPA minimum
- Coursework in campaign design, research, writing, and editing
- Electives in social media and crisis communication
- Internship and independent study available
- Housed in the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication
- Median earnings near $42,500 one year out and $60,200 four years out
- Prepares students for speech-language pathology and audiology careers
- Includes a speech-language pathology assistant pathway
- Curriculum covers speech, language, and hearing
- Includes the coursework ASHA requires
- Pre-professional foundation for graduate study
- Campus-based in Houston
- Four concentrations: advertising, public relations, integrated communication, organizational and corporate communication
- Trains students to coordinate marketing, PR, and advertising
- Coursework in leadership communication and intercultural communication
- Prepares students for corporate, nonprofit, and government roles
- Campus-based at the Valenti School
- Multimedia journalism training with traditional and digital skills
- Student-led media organizations
- Real-world newsroom experience
- Latino Journalism minor option
- Global journalism courses
- Internships in the Houston media market
The University of Texas at San Antonio
#10San Antonio, TX · $9,000 – $22,000/yr (est.)
UTSA's communication department is among the most flexible in Texas: the Bachelor of Arts in Communication is offered on campus and fully online, with concentrations in public relations, digital communication, and health communication. A capstone and an internship course keep the degree applied, and students complete a second-language experience. Journalism students train in multimedia production with an Adobe Creative Campus designation and partnerships with real media outlets. The institution-wide graduation rate is about 53 percent, UTSA is designated a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and communication graduates earn a median near $53,300 four years out.
- Available on campus or 100 percent online
- 120 credit hours with a required capstone
- Concentrations in public relations, digital communication, and health communication
- Second language experience required
- Honors in Communication available
- Internship in Communication course offered
- Median earnings near $34,300 one year out and $53,300 four years out
- Four concentration options within the English major
- 120 total credit hours with an internship
- Core technical writing course
- Advanced professional writing course
- Minor in professional writing offered
- Campus-based
- Tracks in community journalism and multimedia news production
- Adobe Creative Campus designation with Creative Cloud access
- Real-world media partnerships
- Digital content production and portfolio development
- No additional admission requirements
- Ethical communication training
- Campus-based
How We Ranked Texas Communication Programs
What actually goes into deciding which Texas communication bachelor's program lands at the top of this list? We built the ranking around five measurable factors that working professionals care about most: real cost, completion likelihood, post-graduation earnings, debt load, and the return you get for what you spend.
The Five Factors We Weigh
- Net price after aid: The average annual cost a student actually pays after grants and scholarships are applied, not the published sticker price.
- Graduation rate: The share of full-time students who finish their bachelor's degree within six years.
- Median earnings of communication graduates: What alumni of the communication program specifically earn at one, two, and four years after leaving school. For a broader look at how these numbers compare nationally, see our analysis of communication degree salary data across U.S. institutions.
- Median student debt: The typical loan balance communication graduates carry when they walk across the stage.
- Return on investment ratio: Post-graduation earnings measured against total cost, so a modestly priced program with strong salaries can outrank a pricier one with similar outcomes.
Important Caveats About the Numbers
Net price is an institution-wide average. Your actual cost depends on family income, dependency status, and the aid package you receive, so treat it as a benchmark rather than a quote. Graduation rates are also reported at the institution level (across all majors), not specifically for communication students, because federal reporting does not break completion down by program. Earnings and debt figures, however, are program-specific and reflect communication graduates only.
What We Deliberately Left Out
We did not factor in subjective reputation scores, faculty headcounts, peer-assessment surveys, or magazine-style prestige rankings. Those metrics tell you how administrators rate each other. They do not tell you what you will pay, whether you will finish, or what you will earn. If you are considering graduate school after your bachelor's, our guide to the master's in communication in Texas applies the same data-driven philosophy at the next level.
Questions to Ask Yourself
Do you want to specialize in PR, digital media, or organizational communication, or keep your options open with a general communication studies degree?
Specialized tracks can make you more competitive for specific roles, but a general degree offers flexibility if your career goals are still taking shape. Your answer narrows the list of programs worth comparing.
Is online flexibility essential because you are working or raising a family, or do you prefer in-person networking and campus life?
Several Texas programs offer fully online options with comparable rigor, but on-campus formats give you direct access to faculty connections, internship pipelines, and student organizations that can accelerate your job search.
Have you looked at net price rather than published tuition to understand what you would actually pay?
Sticker tuition at a private university can look steep, but after grants and scholarships many students pay less than they would at a public school. Comparing net price gives you a realistic picture of your real cost.
Online vs. On-Campus Communication Degrees in Texas
Texas offers communication degrees in every delivery format, from fully online programs to traditional on-campus experiences and hybrid combinations. Understanding what each format brings to the table will help you choose the path that fits your career, budget, and lifestyle. Our program data tracks whether each school delivers its communication degree online, on campus, or in a blended format, so you can filter options that match your needs.
- Online programs offer schedule flexibility that lets working professionals study evenings and weekends without relocating, ideal for adult learners balancing jobs and families.
- Online tuition and net prices tend to run lower because you avoid campus fees, housing costs, and commuting expenses, as seen at schools like UTSA and Texas State.
- Fully online degrees are accessible statewide, so students in rural areas or smaller cities can earn a respected credential without moving to a metro hub.
- On-campus students gain direct access to media labs, campus newspapers, TV and radio stations, and production studios, resources highlighted at schools like Trinity and Midwestern State.
- Campus-based programs in metro areas such as Houston, Dallas, and Austin tap into strong local internship pipelines with PR firms, media companies, and corporate communication teams.
- Face-to-face collaboration builds organic professional networks through group projects, student organizations, and daily peer interaction that are harder to replicate online.
- Several Texas programs, including University of Houston-Clear Lake, offer hybrid formats that blend online coursework with on-campus lab and studio time, giving you the best of both worlds.
- Online students typically miss hands-on media production experiences, including studio recording, live broadcasting, and equipment training that campus facilities provide.
- Building a professional network remotely requires more intentional effort; online learners lack the casual hallway conversations and campus events that spark lasting connections.
- On-campus programs carry a higher total cost of attendance once you factor in housing, meal plans, transportation, and mandatory campus fees.
- Attending classes in person ties you to a specific city or region, limiting options if you live far from a university or need to relocate for work during your degree.
Related Articles
Tuition and Net Price Comparison for Texas Communication Programs
Net prices across our ranked Texas communication programs range from just $3,637 at Texas A&M International University to $41,104 at Baylor University, reflecting the substantial gap between public and private institutions. Keep in mind that net price represents the institution-wide average cost after grants and scholarships have been applied; your actual cost will depend on your financial aid package, residency status, and enrollment intensity. Public universities in Texas generally cluster between $3,600 and $21,300 in net price, while private institutions range from roughly $21,100 to over $41,000.
| School | Type | In-State Tuition | Out-of-State Tuition | Net Price After Aid | Median Debt at Completion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M International University | Public | $7,894 | $19,454 | $3,637 | $15,000 |
| UT Rio Grande Valley | Public | $9,799 | $19,645 | $4,831 | $12,950 |
| Lamar University | Public | $8,905 | $18,745 | $9,366 | $21,250 |
| UT El Paso | Public | $9,544 | $25,502 | $9,403 | $18,000 |
| University of Houston-Downtown | Public | $7,582 | $17,434 | $10,542 | $18,750 |
| UT San Antonio | Public | $9,326 | $22,249 | $10,836 | $20,500 |
| Midwestern State University | Public | $9,950 | $11,770 | $11,656 | $21,030 |
| UT Tyler | Public | $9,512 | $24,512 | $13,323 | $17,137 |
| UT Arlington | Public | $11,950 | $29,582 | $13,951 | $17,527 |
| Stephen F. Austin State University | Public | $11,128 | $20,968 | $14,260 | $23,409 |
| University of Houston | Public | $9,717 | $22,547 | $14,276 | $18,194 |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake | Public | $8,346 | $22,290 | $15,563 | $17,831 |
| University of North Texas | Public | $11,309 | $21,149 | $15,649 | $19,250 |
| Sam Houston State University | Public | $9,228 | $19,068 | $16,404 | $21,983 |
| Texas State University | Public | $11,450 | $22,930 | $16,805 | $21,000 |
| Texas Tech University | Public | $11,852 | $24,451 | $19,070 | $21,500 |
| West Texas A&M University | Public | $9,101 | $10,996 | $19,487 | $19,500 |
| UT Austin | Public | $11,688 | $44,908 | $19,857 | $20,500 |
| Tarleton State University | Public | $8,302 | $18,142 | $20,783 | $19,606 |
| Texas A&M University-College Station | Public | $13,154 | $40,124 | $21,315 | $17,804 |
| Austin College | Private | $48,680 | $48,680 | $21,107 | $24,500 |
| St. Mary's University | Private | $37,434 | $37,434 | $21,145 | $25,563 |
| Trinity University | Private | $53,676 | $53,676 | $23,464 | $22,954 |
| Texas Lutheran University | Private | $36,230 | $36,230 | $24,654 | $25,000 |
| Abilene Christian University | Private | $44,200 | $44,200 | $26,182 | $24,250 |
| LeTourneau University | Private | $37,160 | $37,160 | $28,185 | $26,000 |
| Texas Christian University | Private | $61,740 | $61,740 | $36,660 | $21,500 |
| Southern Methodist University | Private | $67,040 | $67,040 | $40,892 | $19,500 |
| Baylor University | Private | $58,100 | $58,100 | $41,104 | $23,000 |
What Texas Communication Graduates Actually Earn
How much can you expect to earn after completing a communication degree in Texas? While program-level earnings at one and four years post-completion are not yet published for these schools, institutional median earnings ten years after enrollment offer a reliable long-term benchmark. Across all eight top-ranked programs, graduates earn between roughly $62,000 and $78,000, a range that reflects differences in program focus, institution type, and regional job markets. These figures come from federal completer-earnings data, not occupational wage estimates.
Career Outcomes and Salary for Texas Communication Graduates
A communication degree is only as valuable as the doors it opens. In Texas, those doors lead to a remarkably broad job market, and the data gives good reason for optimism, though as with any career decision, the full picture matters.
What Program Graduates Tend to Earn
Program-level earnings data for most Texas communication programs are not yet published at the granularity needed for direct comparisons across all schools. What we do have are institution-level earnings signals. Across the ranked programs on this list, the schools associated with the strongest earnings outcomes include Southern Methodist University (where graduates earn roughly $78,000 at a key early-career milestone), UT Austin (around $75,000), and Texas A&M University (around $72,000). Schools with more open admissions and lower net prices, such as the University of Houston and UT Arlington, show graduates earning in the low-to-mid $60,000 range. Keep in mind that these figures reflect all graduates from an institution, not communication majors alone, so they offer a useful directional signal rather than a precise prediction. For a deeper look at how communication degree salary varies by institution nationally, it helps to compare Texas outcomes against the broader landscape.
When you stack those earnings against median graduate debt at these programs, which runs roughly $17,500 to $24,500 depending on the school, the return picture looks solid. Public universities in particular, where in-state tuition often falls under $14,000 per year, produce favorable ROI ratios even at the lower end of the earnings range.
What Communication Jobs Actually Pay in Texas
Occupation-level data from the Texas Workforce Commission and the Bureau of Labor Statistics gives a clearer window into where communication careers lead. Public relations specialists in Texas earn a mean annual wage of approximately $67,120, close to the national median of $69,780.12 That figure understates the ceiling: PR managers, communications directors, and senior strategists in Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Houston can earn considerably more.
The Texas job market for PR specialists is also growing faster than the national average. The state projects roughly 16 percent growth in PR specialist employment between 2022 and 2032, compared to about 5 percent nationally, with nearly 2,791 annual job openings expected throughout that period.1 That is a meaningful signal for anyone weighing whether to enter the field.
Beyond PR, communication graduates in Texas are finding strong footing in:
- Digital content strategy: Demand for professionals who can blend editorial judgment with social media analytics and SEO is rising sharply across Texas tech and energy sectors.
- Marketing and brand communications: Marketing specialists represent one of the larger occupation categories for communication alumni, with wages generally competitive with PR roles.
- Corporate and organizational communications: Large employers in Houston's energy corridor and the DFW financial and logistics sectors actively recruit communicators who can navigate internal and external audiences.
Emerging Skills That Shift the Salary Curve
One important nuance: occupation-level wages measure all workers in a role, not just those with recent degrees. Communication graduates who enter the market with skills in AI-assisted content tools, data-driven storytelling, and social media analytics tend to command a premium over peers with more traditional skill sets. Professionals interested in deepening their expertise in this area might explore masters in organizational communication or similar graduate credentials. Texas employers, particularly in Austin's tech ecosystem and Dallas's corporate hub, have been explicit about valuing these capabilities in entry-level and mid-career hires.
Is a Bachelor's in Communication Worth It in Texas?
For most students, especially those attending public universities at in-state tuition rates, the answer leans clearly toward yes. The combination of a growing job market, reasonable debt levels at many Texas schools, and early-career earnings that comfortably exceed poverty thresholds makes communication a pragmatic choice alongside its well-documented personal and professional development value. Private university students should pay close attention to net price after financial aid, since sticker tuition at several Texas private schools runs high, but actual costs after grants can be surprisingly manageable.
Communication Degree Specializations Available in Texas
The University of Texas at Austin lets Communication Studies majors choose from five concentration options, one of the widest menus in the state. Most Texas programs are narrower, but across the schools here the specializations sort into a few clear clusters.
Communication Studies vs. Mass Communication
The two labels sound interchangeable, but they are not. Communication studies centers on interpersonal, organizational, and rhetorical theory: persuasion, argumentation, conflict management, and public speaking. Texas State, Sam Houston State, UNT, and Texas Tech all frame their degrees this way. Mass communication leans toward media production and journalism, with reporting, multimedia storytelling, and platform strategy. Texas A&M's journalism degree, UT Tyler's Mass Communication program, and Stephen F. Austin's Mass Communication program with a social media focus follow that model.
Where the Clusters Fall
- Interpersonal and organizational communication: The most common cluster. UNT highlights careers in consulting, corporate communication, and HR, while St. Mary's offers four concentrations.
- PR and strategic communication: best bachelor's in public relations programs are well represented at SMU, UT Arlington, and Dallas Baptist, with Trinity and UHCL also pointing to PR and advertising paths.
- Digital media and multimedia: UT Tyler's multimedia journalism, LeTourneau's integrated media management, UH's film and media studies, and digital filmmaking at Texas A&M International.
- Corporate and technical communication: Rarer. University of Houston-Downtown's Technical Communication degree and the professional writing programs at Baylor and Lubbock Christian stand out here.
- Health-related communication: Mostly clinical. Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, UTRGV, Tarleton, and Abilene Christian offer speech and hearing tracks that prepare students for speech pathology assistant roles or graduate study, not marketing-style health messaging.
Specializations that appear at only one or two schools can be a real advantage if they match your goals.
Match the Concentration to the Job
Pick a track by working backward from the role you want. Aspiring PR professionals should look for strategic communication with campaigns or crisis management coursework. Future digital marketers benefit most from media production and social media training. If you are headed toward HR, training, or management, organizational communication builds the conflict resolution and leadership skills those roles reward.
Transfer Pathways and Flexible Options for Adult Learners in Texas
If you already hold community college credits or you're returning to school after time in the workforce, Texas offers some of the most structured transfer pathways in the country. The Texas Core Curriculum guarantees that 42 credits transfer seamlessly between public institutions, and the Texas Common Course Numbering System assigns consistent codes to foundational communication courses such as SPCH 1315, SPCH 1318, and SPCH 1321, so you can be confident your coursework will count.1
The Alamo Colleges District to UTSA pipeline is especially well designed for communication majors. Through a 2+2 pathway, students complete an AA in Communications at an Alamo Colleges campus and then move into a BA in Communications at UTSA.2 Alamo's Transfer Advising Guides are organized by school, catalog year, and major, promising zero credit loss when students follow the recommended course sequence.3 While admission to UTSA is not guaranteed, several structured programs smooth the transition.1 The Alamo Runners and On-TRAC programs allow eligible students to move forward without reapplying, and the Promise-to-Promise partnership covers tuition for up to two years at UTSA for qualifying Alamo Promise scholars.45
For working professionals, these pathways mean you can start affordably at a community college, lock in your credits, and finish your bachelor's degree at a four-year university on a predictable timeline. Whether you are comparing options here in Texas or exploring a communication degree in New Mexico, having a clear transfer roadmap removes much of the guesswork and helps you stay on track toward your career goals.
Frequently Asked Questions About Communication Degrees in Texas
Texas is home to dozens of communication programs, and choosing the right one means weighing cost, format, specialization, and career outcomes. Below are answers to the questions prospective students ask most often.
More Texas Communication Programs to Consider
The Texas communication programs below sit just outside the top ten, and they are grouped by region so you can see what is available near you. Each entry links to the department page for that program, where you can review admission requirements, course sequences, and start dates in full.
DFW Metroplex
University of North Texas
The University of Texas at Arlington
Austin College
East Texas
The University of Texas at Tyler
Sam Houston State University
Stephen F. Austin State University
LeTourneau University
Greater Houston
University of Houston-Clear Lake
University of Houston-Downtown
Austin Area
Texas State University
Rio Grande Valley
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
South Texas
Texas A & M International University
Texas Panhandle
West Texas A & M University
West Texas
The University of Texas at El Paso
Abilene Christian University
Bachelors by State
Southwest3
Northeast11
Southeast12
Midwest12
DC & Territories1
Explore More Bachelors Topics
- Best Bachelor's in Business Communications Degrees
- Best Bachelor's in Journalism Degrees
- Best Bachelor's in Professional Writing Degrees
- Best Bachelor's in Public Relations Degrees
- Best Bachelor's in Social Media Degrees
- Best Bachelor's in Speech Pathology
- Best Bachelor's in Strategic Communications Degrees
- Best Bachelor's in Technical Communication Degrees
- Online Bachelor's in Communication
