Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media · SOC 27-3011 · O*NET 27-3011.00
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.
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys fall under the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media category in the U.S. occupational classification. Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earn a median salary of $47,340 per year, ranking in the top 74% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects -7.6% job growth through 2035, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys earn?
The median annual wage for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys is $47,340. That puts broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys at #614 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is around or below the U.S. median for individual workers, so career growth often depends on advancement into supervisory roles, specialization, or additional credentials. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $28,190 |
| 25th percentile | $35,360 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $47,340 |
| 75th percentile | $75,480 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $138,440 |
| Median hourly wage | $22.76/hr |
Is broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys is -7.6%, projected to lose jobs through 2035. Employment is projected to move from approximately 21K positions in 2024 to 20K in 2034, a net change of <1K. A declining outlook does not mean the field is disappearing; it means automation, demographics, or substitution effects are shrinking the pool of openings. Students entering a declining field should plan for adjacent skills that transfer to growing roles.
What do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
- 2.Make promotional appearances at public or private events to represent their employers.
- 3.Provide commentary and conduct interviews during sporting events, parades, conventions, or other events.
- 4.Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
- 5.Keep daily program logs to provide information on all elements aired during broadcast, such as musical selections and station promotions.
- 6.Develop story lines for broadcasts.
- 7.Write and edit video and scripts for broadcasts.
- 8.Coordinate games, contests, or other on-air competitions, performing such duties as asking questions and awarding prizes.
Top skills for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey?
The standard path into broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents: what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
What is the median salary for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
The median annual salary for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys is $47,340 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys a growing career?
BLS projects -7.6% growth for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys from 2025 through 2035, which is declining growth projected to lose jobs through 2035.
What education does my child need to become broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
Related occupations within the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 release.