Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys Salary: $161,914 Median Pay (2026 stats)
TL;DR
About 23,880 broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys nationally earn a mean of $161,914. Employment in the series shown fell about 23% from the first to the last year; projections imply about 2.7% annual decline.
Key Statistics
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys: what the data shows
Common questions about broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys careers, answered from BLS OEWS and O*NET in this repository.
What is a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys is tracked by the Bureau of Labor Statistics under SOC 27-3011.
U.S. employment in our OEWS extract is about 23,880 workers.
What does a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys do?
O*NET work activities rated highest for this occupation include Working with Computers, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Getting Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Processing Information, Documenting/Recording Information, and related tasks. See Work Activities for the full list.
How much does a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make?
BLS national median annual wage: $45,680 (May 2024 in our extract).
Mean annual wage in our occupational extract: $161,914 — higher than the median, which often reflects top earners in the distribution.
Wage percentiles below are from the California OEWS extract (not national unless noted).
| Wage percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $37,697 |
| 25th percentile | $48,360 |
| Median (50th) | $75,939 |
| 75th percentile | $136,327 |
| 90th percentile | $228,989 |
What education do you need?
For Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys, O*NET incumbent surveys in our extract most often report: Some college (29%), High School or Equivalent (27%), Bachelors Degree (22%).
These are education levels of current workers, not minimum legal requirements.
What skills do you need?
O*NET ratings for this occupation emphasize skills such as Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, and knowledge areas including Communications and Media, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service. See Education & Skills for detail.
Is broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in demand?
Historical employment trend in our series implies about 2.7% annual decline (compound rate in the extract).
Five-year projected employment change: -12.8%.
Ten-year projected employment change: -24.0%.
Current U.S. headcount: 23,880.
We report federal series only—compare wages, growth, and openings against your target market.
Where do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeyss work?
Top industries by employment share in our OEWS industry extract:
| Industry | Employment | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cross-industry | 23,880 | 18.4% |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | 22,840 | 17.6% |
| Information | 20,720 | 15.9% |
| Broadcasting and Content Providers | 20,350 | 15.6% |
| Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations | 14,360 | 11.0% |
| Radio Broadcasting Stations | 13,710 | 10.5% |
See Industry for charts.
What degrees lead to this career?
Common majors for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys in O*NET:
See Related degrees.
What careers are related?
Other occupations linked through shared degree pathways in our mapping:
| Occupation | U.S. employment | Median wage |
|---|---|---|
| Radio, Cellular, and Tower Equipment Installers and Repairers | 11,400 | $64,190 |
| Camera Operators, Television, Video, and Film | 24,460 | $68,810 |
| Computer Hardware Engineers | 75,710 | $155,020 |
| Railroad Brake, Signal, and Switch Operators and Locomotive Firers | 12,460 | $65,480 |
| Home Health Aides | — | — |
| News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists | 41,550 | $60,280 |
| Editors | 95,480 | $75,260 |
Employment
Employment and salary information for the Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys workforce.
Employment Over Time
23,880 Workforce in 2023
The Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys workforce has been growing over time.
Historical employment trends for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Yearly Wage Ranking
$161,914 Average Wage
In 2023, Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earned an average of $161,914.
Wage ranking compared to other occupations.
Wage Distribution
This chart shows the distribution of average salaries by income buckets for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Salary distribution for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Employment Growth Projections
-2.7% Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR)
6,537 Projected Employment (5 years)
Projected growth: -12.8%
5,698 Projected Employment (10 years)
Projected growth: -24.0%
This occupation is experiencing a decline. Consider related fields with better growth prospects.
Historical employment trends and future projections for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Industry
Information on the industries that employ Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys and on wages for those in the field.
Occupations by Industries
This graphic shows the share of Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys employed by various industries.
Industry distribution for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Wage Trends by Industry
-68.8% Average Annual Wage Growth Rate
Historical wage growth trends by industry for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Geographic Distribution
Employment and wage information by geographic location for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
State employment and wages are from the U.S. BLS OEWS May 2024 state extract. Metropolitan areas use the national MSA file when available.
Top States by Employment
Top States by Employment:
- NY: 2,050 employees, $174,340 avg wage
- CA: 2,000 employees, $157,630 avg wage
- TX: 1,300 employees, $71,920 avg wage
- IN: 1,040 employees, $60,480 avg wage
- FL: 970 employees, $85,300 avg wage
- WA: 950 employees, $55,970 avg wage
- IL: 920 employees, $51,660 avg wage
- MI: 880 employees, $64,570 avg wage
- PA: 860 employees, $59,610 avg wage
- GA: 830 employees, $54,480 avg wage
Top 10 states by employment for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Top Metropolitan Areas
Top Metropolitan Areas:
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ: 1,670 employees, $211,430 avg wage
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 860 employees, $213,140 avg wage
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 610 employees, $57,070 avg wage
- Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA: 440 employees, $66,150 avg wage
- Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX: 400 employees, $77,820 avg wage
- Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN: 390 employees, $56,020 avg wage
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA: 380 employees, $132,720 avg wage
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL: 370 employees, $113,320 avg wage
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI: 360 employees, $72,920 avg wage
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD: 330 employees, $79,220 avg wage
Top 10 metropolitan statistical areas by employment for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Diversity
Demographic information on Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys in the US.
Gender and Age
The workforce of Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys in 2023 was 23,880 people, with 62.0% women and 38.0% men.
Gender and age distribution for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Races
Racial and ethnic shares when present in the career dataset. If the chart area shows a notice instead, occupational race/ethnicity fields are not yet populated for this extract.
Race and ethnicity distribution for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Education & Skills
Data on higher education choices and required skills for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Majors
The most common majors achieved by Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys in 2023 were Business Administration, Communications, Journalism.
Common majors for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Education Levels
The main educational levels achieved by Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys workers.
Education level distribution for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Skills
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness.
Required skills for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Knowledge & Abilities
Knowledge areas and abilities required for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Knowledge Areas
The most important knowledge areas for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys include Communications and Media, English Language, Computers and Electronics, Customer and Personal Service, Telecommunications.
Knowledge areas required for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Abilities
Key abilities needed for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys include Oral Expression, Speech Clarity, Written Comprehension, Oral Comprehension, Speech Recognition.
Required abilities for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Work Activities
Common work activities performed by Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
Daily Activities
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys spend their time on activities such as Working with Computers, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Getting Information, Performing for or Working Directly with the Public, Processing Information.
Most important work activities for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys.
About
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
The average yearly wage for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys was $161,914 in 2023.
SOC Code
27-3011 - Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
Insights and Analysis
High earnings profile: Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys reports an average salary of $161,914, placing it among stronger-paying occupations.
Labor market presence: The current workforce is approximately 23,880 workers, indicating sustained demand.
Forward outlook: Projected annual decline is -2.7%, which should inform long-term career planning.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS), and O*NET Online.
All wage figures represent annual averages and may vary by location, industry, and experience level.