Career profile · SOC ESC-81735BFD

communication scientist

Communication scientists research the different aspects of the planning, collecting, creating, organizing, preserving, using, evaluating and exchanging information through verbal or non-verbal communication. They study the interactions between groups, individuals, and individuals with technologies (robots).

communication scientist communication scientists research the different aspects of the planning, collecting, creating, organizing, preserving, using, evaluating and exchanging information through verbal or non-verbal communication. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include communication, media studies, communication studies, scientific literature, types of media.

AI exposure
5.0/10
automation risk

Pay in the UK

UK: median £39,899 a year for Social and humanities scientists (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)

UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2115). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)

Pay in India (occupation group)

Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only communication scientist, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.

Urban India
₹42,717 a month
Rural India
₹30,424 a month
All India
₹38,466 a month

Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report

Top skills

communication media studies communication studies scientific literature types of media scientific research methodology draft scientific or academic papers and technical documentation manage research data use data processing techniques interact professionally in research and professional environments

Knowledge you'll build

  • English Language
  • Education and Training
  • Communications and Media
  • Psychology
  • Computers and Electronics
  • Sociology and Anthropology
  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Philosophy and Theology

What you'd actually do

  • Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
  • Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
  • Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
  • Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
  • Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public speaking, media criticism, and oral traditions.
  • Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.

Tools & technology you'd use

Learning management system LMS Adobe Acrobat hot Adobe Creative Cloud software hot Adobe Illustrator hot Adobe InDesign hot Adobe Photoshop hot Google Docs hot Microsoft Excel hot Microsoft Office software hot Microsoft Outlook hot Microsoft PowerPoint hot Microsoft Word hot

Frequently asked questions

What does communication scientist do?

Communication scientists research the different aspects of the planning, collecting, creating, organizing, preserving, using, evaluating and exchanging information through verbal or non-verbal communication. They study the interactions between groups, individuals, and individuals with technologies (robots).

What skills does communication scientist need?

The most in-demand skills for this role include communication, media studies, communication studies, scientific literature, types of media, scientific research methodology. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.

Will AI replace communication scientist?

Our AI-durability model gives communication scientist a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.

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