Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys Salary - BLS OEWS Wage Benchmarks
SOC 27-3011 · National · May 2024 OEWS Data
Median Annual Salary
$45,677
$21.96/hr
Verified BLS OEWS data · Updated Apr 3, 2025
Source: BLS OEWS · Published Apr 2, 2025
Next refresh: May 15, 2026
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The national median salary for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys is $45,677 per year ($21.96/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024. The middle 50% of earners make between $33,280 and $72,072 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $131,789 per year. There are approximately 23,880 broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
-5.5%
Much slower than average
Annual openings
2K
per year, on avg
Workforce today
24K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
0% from new growth100% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations
NAICS 516100
14K
$40,310
Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers
NAICS 516200
6K
N/A
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
1K
$62,450
Spectator Sports
NAICS 711200
960
$51,450
Motion Picture and Video Industries
NAICS 512100
230
N/A
Wage range across top 5 industries: $40,310 to $62,450 (55% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$12.50
$26,000
P25
$16.00
$33,280
P50MEDIAN
$21.96
$45,677
P75
$34.65
$72,072
P90
$63.36
$131,789
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · professional sector
Cooling
Openings Rate
4.2%
Quits Rate
2.0%
Professional & Business Services openings tumbled 318K in March -- the largest single-sector drop in this release. Openings rate fell from 5.5% to 4.2%. Layoffs jumped to 527K (+99K). White-collar demand has cooled abruptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary?
The national median salary for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys is $45,677 per year ($21.96/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2024 data. The middle 50% earn between $33,280 and $72,072 annually.
How much do top-earning broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make?
The 90th percentile salary for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys is $131,789 per year ($63.36/hr). The 75th percentile is $72,072 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
Entry-level Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys (10th percentile) earn approximately $26,000 per year ($12.50/hr). The 25th percentile is $33,280 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
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