Job Outlook 'Good' for BSC Comm Grads

  (January 2009)

The job market for communication graduates--including those from Buffalo State--is positive and remains largely unchanged from previous years, according to a national Survey of Journalism and Mass Communication graduates. Buffalo State is one of 83 partner schools in the survey, conducted annually by researchers at the University of Georgia.

"Given the turmoil in the traditional media industries and the large number of layoffs, particularly in the daily newspaper segment, the consistency in the experiences of the 2007 graduates probably can be treated as good news," said the report.

The survey found that nearly all communication graduates who looked for jobs had at least one interview within a half-year after graduation. Nearly two-thirds had a full-time job in which they expressed greater satisfaction than did respondents in previous studies.

Ron Smith, Communication Department chair at Buffalo State, said he is pleased with the comparison of BSC graduates with the national base.

"Our graduates are pretty successful getting jobs in their fields," he said. "Our full-time emplyment rate is a bit lower than for graduates from other schools because so many Buffalo State grads remain in Western New York. They're willing to trade perhaps a higher quality of living here for a slower start to their career.

"But a half year after graduation, two-thirds are either working in their field or attending graduate school. We’re especially pleased that Buff State grads are more satisfied with the career choice they’ve made."

The following data, based on data collected from 2007 spring graduates, compares responses of Buffalo State graduates with the national pool of respondents.

 

Undergraduate Media Involvement:

  •  15% BSC (30% national) worked on a college newspaper.
  •  15% BSC (12% national) worked on a college radio station.
  •  65% BSC (80% national) had a media-related internship.
  •  20% BSC (27% national) were active in student professional organizations (mainly PRSSA, which accounted for three-fourths of BSC grads and nearly half of national grads).

  Job Search:

  • 94% BSC (96% national) had at least one in-person job interview within six months of graduation; 47% of Buffalo State grads had more than one such interview.
  • 87% BSC (78% national) were offered a job based on those interviews.

  Current Job Status:

  • 48% BSC (63% national) were working full-time five months after graduation.
  • 18% BSC (11% national) worked part-time.
  • 40% BSC (59% national) had jobs related to their college major.
  • Additionally 25% of Buffalo State graduates were back in college, most of them full-time in master’s programs; comparable national figures are not available.
  • Thus 65% of Buffalo State Communication grads are either working in their field or continuing their education.

  Job Satisfaction:

  • 50% BSC were satisfied or very satisfied with their job; comparable national figures are not available.
  • 73% BSC (77% national) felt committed to their company.
  • 45% BSC (68% national) wish they had prepared in a career field other than communication. Thus Buffalo State graduates are significantly more satisfied with their decision to prepare for a communication career than are national graduates.

  Job Salary:

  • Median salary five months after graduation was $26,000 BSC ($30,000 national).
  • Nationally, jobs in advertising, public relations, consumer magazines, cable television and the Internet report salaries above the median point. Salaries for jobs on daily or weekly newspapers, radio and broadcast television are below the median. Comparable Buffalo State figures are not available.

  Continuing Media Involvement:

  • 65% BSC (55% national) had read a newspaper the day prior to answering the survey.
  • 65% BSC (59% national) had read a magazine.
  • 70% BSC (75% national) had watched television news.
  • 45% BSC (48% national) had read a book.
  • 45% BSC (43% national) had listened to radio news.
  • 55% BSC (75% national) had read or viewed an online news report.

The study included May 2007 Buffalo State Communication graduates – 42% Public Communication, 32% Journalism, 16% Media production, 11% Communication Studies. The national base included 2,271 Spring 2007 graduates. The study was conducted in fall 2007.

The full study is available as a downloadable document in the graduate study archives at the Cox Center Annual Surveys of Journalism and Mass Communication.

Buffalo State graduates also participated in the subsequent 2008 survey. Data will be available next fall. Buffalo State is one of only five partner schools from New York state.

The annual study is sponsored by professional organizations including the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the National Association of Broadcasters and the Society of Professional Journalists; by media chains including Gannett Newspapers and Hearst Corporation; and by academic organizations such as the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication.