Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys: salary, outlook & degrees
Speak or read from scripted materials, such as news reports or commercial messages, on radio, television, or other communications media. May play and queue music, announce artist or title of performance, identify station, or interview guests.
Middle half $35,360–$75,480. 21,240 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
69% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $50,762.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 2,000 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Journalism | 16% | Journalism |
| Communications | 14% | Communications · Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs, Other |
| General Business | 11% | Business |
| Mass Media | 8% | Broadcasting / Digital Media |
| Computer Science | 6% | Computer Science |
| Political Science And Government | 4% | Political Science |
| Psychology | 4% | Psychology |
| Criminal Justice And Fire Protection | 4% | Criminal Justice · Security / Homeland Security |
| Business Management And Administration | 3% | Business Administration |
| Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure | 2% | Kinesiology / Exercise Science · Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| New York | $81,310 |
| Maryland | $74,480 |
| New Jersey | $70,800 |
| Indiana | $61,760 |
| Nevada | $60,460 |
| Massachusetts | $60,200 |
| Florida | $56,360 |
| Rhode Island | $55,110 |
| Pennsylvania | $52,080 |
| Hawaii | $51,030 |
| Colorado | $50,660 |
| Texas | $49,050 |
| Tennessee | $48,290 |
| Arizona | $47,930 |
| North Carolina | $47,910 |
| Idaho | $46,940 |
| Illinois | $46,720 |
| Michigan | $46,640 |
| Oregon | $46,190 |
| Utah | $46,080 |
| New Hampshire | $46,000 |
| Missouri | $45,460 |
| Nebraska | $45,020 |
| Alaska | $44,790 |
| Washington | $44,420 |
| Virginia | $44,400 |
| Maine | $44,000 |
| Minnesota | $43,530 |
| Ohio | $42,440 |
| Georgia | $42,020 |
| South Dakota | $40,630 |
| Wisconsin | $40,630 |
| New Mexico | $38,940 |
| Alabama | $38,530 |
| North Dakota | $38,500 |
| Iowa | $37,090 |
| Wyoming | $36,760 |
| Kentucky | $36,170 |
| Arkansas | $36,160 |
| Oklahoma | $36,110 |
| West Virginia | $35,400 |
| Vermont | $35,220 |
| Kansas | $35,130 |
| Montana | $35,000 |
| Mississippi | $34,040 |
| Louisiana | $33,020 |
| South Carolina | $30,960 |
| PR | $22,970 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$70,110
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$56,360
- Jacksonville$37,410
Virginia metro areas
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$75,710
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$60,430
- Kingsport-Bristol$39,470
- Roanoke$45,260
California metro areas
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$88,030
- Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$50,040
- Fresno$49,010
- Bakersfield-Delano$46,820
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
Knowledge used
- Communications and Media
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Telecommunications
- Law and Government
Work styles
- Social Orientation
- Self-Confidence
- Dependability
- Optimism
- Self-Control
People in this job tend to have Artistic (creative), Enterprising (leading), Social (helping) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys: questions
How much do broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys make?
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earn a U.S. median $47,340 a year; the middle half earn $35,360 to $75,480 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $48,881 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys a growing field?
BLS projects a decline of 7.6% from 2025 to 2035, with about 2,000 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockey?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 40% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is journalism (16%).
How much do broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $56,360 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $47,340 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 27-3011. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/broadcast-announcers-and-radio-disc-jockeys.