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Employment
With all of the bad news we’ve been hearing about the economy lately, you might be wondering if this is the best time to be earning a graduate degree in communication.
The answer is YES — and here are a few reasons why:
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook for 2008-2009, despite the current downturn in the economy, jobs for public relations managers are projected to increase as much as 17% by 2016. Managerial positions in related fields such as advertising, marketing and promotions are projected to increase at a slightly lower rate of about 12%. Projected job growth for public relations specialists will also increase faster than the national average – at a rate of about 18% by 2016.
- BLS data for 2007 (the latest year for which statistics are available) indicate that the District of Columbia has not only the highest concentration of public relations professionals in the country, but also the highest paid public relations professionals. In 2007, the mean salary for a public relations manager in the District was more than $131,000 a year.
- In addition, the Council of Public Relations Firms and Kelton Research’s 2008 end-of-the-year survey indicated that although firms predict some downturn in the industry, more than two thirds of those surveyed predict that their firms will either match or grow revenue in 2009. Program areas projected to grow the most in 2009 include social media (79% growth) and digital content creation (55%).
For more information about employment figures and trends see:
- www.bls.gov/oco Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2008-09 Edition.
Some Good Websites for Finding Work
PRSA Job Center
Job Fox
Idea List
Career Advocate