Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,190 | $13.55 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $47,340 | $22.76 |
| Mean (average) | $78,720 | $37.85 |
| 90th percentile | $138,440 | $66.56 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $38,530 | $21,170 | $76,230 | 300 | 1.05 |
| Alaska | $44,790 | $34,040 | $78,080 | 80 | 1.7 |
| Arizona | $47,930 | $32,630 | $202,370 | 410 | 0.94 |
| Arkansas | $36,160 | $24,680 | $45,540 | 300 | 1.71 |
| California | Data unavailable | 1,620 | 0.65 | ||
| Colorado | $50,660 | $32,410 | $180,930 | 310 | 0.79 |
| Connecticut | Data unavailable | 290 | 1.24 | ||
| District of Columbia | Data unavailable | 70 | 0.75 | ||
| Florida | $56,360 | $28,370 | $161,210 | 990 | 0.73 |
| Georgia | $42,020 | $24,700 | $102,380 | 490 | 0.74 |
| Hawaii | $51,030 | $35,390 | $166,400 | 140 | 1.69 |
| Idaho | $46,940 | $31,150 | $99,510 | 50 | 0.43 |
| Illinois | $46,720 | $31,200 | $82,720 | 770 | 0.92 |
| Indiana | $61,760 | $28,360 | $107,210 | 1,040 | 2.38 |
| Iowa | $37,090 | $20,800 | $59,970 | 320 | 1.51 |
| Kansas | $35,130 | $16,650 | $57,900 | 440 | 2.26 |
| Kentucky | $36,170 | $22,160 | $102,420 | 340 | 1.24 |
| Louisiana | $33,020 | $18,920 | $73,400 | 190 | 0.72 |
| Maine | $44,000 | $30,470 | $62,090 | 170 | 1.93 |
| Maryland | $74,480 | $37,350 | $159,470 | 290 | 0.77 |
| Massachusetts | $60,200 | $36,260 | $213,970 | 280 | 0.55 |
| Michigan | $46,640 | $25,960 | $130,350 | 650 | 1.09 |
| Minnesota | $43,530 | $28,360 | $75,730 | 750 | 1.85 |
| Mississippi | $34,040 | $17,820 | $163,530 | 160 | 1.04 |
| Missouri | $45,460 | $29,120 | $102,480 | 470 | 1.17 |
| Montana | $35,000 | $29,370 | $55,290 | 130 | 1.89 |
| Nebraska | $45,020 | $28,440 | $73,990 | 280 | 2.02 |
| Nevada | $60,460 | $33,280 | $313,640 | 160 | 0.74 |
| New Hampshire | $46,000 | $34,560 | $75,880 | 70 | 0.72 |
| New Jersey | $70,800 | $40,390 | $270,090 | 190 | 0.33 |
| New Mexico | $38,940 | $25,820 | $68,250 | 190 | 1.6 |
| New York | $81,310 | $35,300 | $621,330 | 1,460 | 1.1 |
| North Carolina | $47,910 | $22,540 | $176,730 | 830 | 1.23 |
| North Dakota | $38,500 | $28,350 | $65,300 | 180 | 3.1 |
| Ohio | $42,440 | $24,040 | $87,830 | 910 | 1.2 |
| Oklahoma | $36,110 | $22,960 | $80,180 | 300 | 1.3 |
| Oregon | $46,190 | $33,240 | $72,810 | 240 | 0.87 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,080 | $26,370 | $109,110 | 830 | 1 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,970 | $22,160 | $37,050 | 150 | 1.16 |
| Rhode Island | $55,110 | $31,200 | $131,790 | 90 | 1.3 |
| South Carolina | $30,960 | $18,960 | $93,420 | 150 | 0.49 |
| South Dakota | $40,630 | $28,580 | $53,940 | 230 | 3.62 |
| Tennessee | $48,290 | $30,160 | $103,960 | 970 | 2.18 |
| Texas | $49,050 | $22,990 | $157,830 | 960 | 0.5 |
| Utah | $46,080 | $32,810 | $147,430 | 190 | 0.79 |
| Vermont | $35,220 | $30,820 | $58,620 | 110 | 2.76 |
| Virginia | $44,400 | $27,000 | $94,130 | 460 | 0.81 |
| Washington | $44,420 | $38,750 | $102,910 | 620 | 1.27 |
| West Virginia | $35,400 | $21,750 | $46,520 | 130 | 1.31 |
| Wisconsin | $40,630 | $28,090 | $104,600 | 580 | 1.44 |
| Wyoming | $36,760 | $29,190 | $56,130 | 50 | 1.4 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,000. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 2.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Communication, General CIP 09.0100
- Speech Communication and Rhetoric CIP 09.0101
- Broadcast Journalism CIP 09.0402
- Radio and Television CIP 09.0701
- Sports Communication CIP 09.0906
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
- Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
- Operate control consoles.
- Identify stations, and introduce or close shows, ad-libbing or using memorized or read scripts.
- Study background information to prepare for programs or interviews.
- Prepare and deliver news, sports, or weather reports, gathering and rewriting material so that it will convey required information and fit specific time slots.
- Record commercials for later broadcast.
- Keep daily program logs to provide information on all elements aired during broadcast, such as musical selections and station promotions.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Adobe Audition (in demand)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Zoom (hot technology)
- Audion Laboratories VoxPro
- Avid Technology Pro Tools
- Burli Software Burli Newsroom System
- Dalet Digital Media Systems Dalet Media Life
- Database software
- Enterprise application integration EAI software
- Program logging software
- Statistical processing software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Coordination, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Anchor, Announcer, DJ (Disc Jockey), Host, Morning Show Host, On-Air Host, On-Air Personality, Radio Announcer, Sports Anchor, Television News Anchor (TV News Anchor).
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make?
The national median annual wage for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys was $47,340 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $28,190 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $138,440. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys a growing career?
BLS projects employment of broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys to change -7.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,000 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($81,310), Maryland ($74,480), New Jersey ($70,800). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.