The Nonprofit Communication Management Minor is available through the Communication Studies Department.
Many of you have engaged in community service as volunteers to satisfy a High School requirement, worked at a fundraising event or donated to a crowdfunding campaign to support a cause. The nonprofit landscape is vast – local or international; mental health, medical research, clean water, food and energy, women’s healthcare; safety, civil rights, political, social, gender, economic, and educational equality, to the arts and so much more….this sector is enormous! What do they all have in common? A need for someone with excellent communication skills. You can work for a cause you are passionate about and earn a good salary. I know, you’ve heard differently, but that’s a myth.
According to the National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations are registered in the U.S. and employ 10.3% of all non-government jobs in the U.S. with 11.4 million people working for nonprofits nationwide. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) Right here in Massachusetts, there are 33,722 registered nonprofits, employing 455,900 individuals (17% of the state’s workforce), generating around $118.8 billion in annual revenue. (Independent Sector 2018)
You may be surprised to learn that a BLS study revealed that “workers at nonprofit businesses earn a pay premium compared with their for-profit counterparts.” (Monthly Labor Review, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, January 2016) On Indeed.com, the average salary for a Program Coordinator and Communications Coordinator is around 45k while a Development Associate is 73k and an Event Assistant is 48k. (April 2018)
Interning at area nonprofits, building a portfolio of your work, and taking courses in Nonprofit Communication Management among other classes right here at Emerson College can help you achieve your goals of working in this sector.
If you have any questions, attend the workshops this week sponsored by Career Services or feel free to contact Prof. Edelstein in Communication Studies. (Cathryn_Edelstein@emerson.edu).
