Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys
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.
What it pays
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earn a median of $22.76/hr — about $47,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.55/hr; the top 10% earn $66.56/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earn a median of $22.76/hr — about $47,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $13.55/hr; the top 10% earn $66.56/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Operate control consoles.
- Record commercials for later broadcast.
- Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
- Study background information to prepare for programs or interviews.
- Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
- Identify stations, and introduce or close shows, ad-libbing or using memorized or read scripts.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
You're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are creative, take-charge and people-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey make?
- The median pay is $22.76 per hour — roughly $47,500 a year, with the real range running from about $13.55/hr (10th percentile) to $66.56/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey actually do all day?
- Operate control consoles. Record commercials for later broadcast. Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.