SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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. Excludes “News Analysts, Reporters, and Journalists” (27-3023).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 27-3011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $28,190 | $2,349 | $542 | $13.55 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $35,360 | $2,947 | $680 | $17.00 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $47,340 | $3,945 | $910 | $22.76 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $75,480 | $6,290 | $1,452 | $36.29 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $138,440 | $11,537 | $2,662 | $66.56 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys is $47,340, which is 7% lower. Among the 41 occupations of the field Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media, it ranks number 33 by median pay. With 21,240 jobs, it makes up about 1.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($78,720) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys pay by state
The highest median pay was in New York ($81,310), Maryland ($74,480) and New Jersey ($70,800). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,970), South Carolina ($30,960) and Louisiana ($33,020). The most jobs were in California (1,620), New York (1,460) and Indiana (1,040). The occupation is most concentrated in South Dakota, where its share of all jobs is 3.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 1,460 | $81,310 | $182,810 | $39.09 |
| Maryland | 290 | $74,480 | $92,840 | $35.81 |
| New Jersey | 190 | $70,800 | $125,080 | $34.04 |
| Indiana | 1,040 | $61,760 | $63,420 | $29.69 |
| Nevada | 160 | $60,460 | $121,090 | $29.07 |
| Massachusetts | 280 | $60,200 | $98,750 | $28.94 |
| Florida | 990 | $56,360 | $95,660 | $27.10 |
| Rhode Island | 90 | $55,110 | $68,800 | $26.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 830 | $52,080 | $67,000 | $25.04 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $51,030 | $77,360 | $24.53 |
| Colorado | 310 | $50,660 | $92,440 | $24.35 |
| Texas | 960 | $49,050 | $83,670 | $23.58 |
| Tennessee | 970 | $48,290 | $63,190 | $23.22 |
| Arizona | 410 | $47,930 | $86,570 | $23.04 |
| North Carolina | 830 | $47,910 | $78,110 | $23.03 |
| Idaho | 50 | $46,940 | $54,020 | $22.57 |
| Illinois | 770 | $46,720 | $54,760 | $22.46 |
| Michigan | 650 | $46,640 | $69,110 | $22.42 |
| Oregon | 240 | $46,190 | $52,270 | $22.21 |
| Utah | 190 | $46,080 | $73,440 | $22.15 |
| New Hampshire | 70 | $46,000 | $56,460 | $22.11 |
| Missouri | 470 | $45,460 | $60,900 | $21.85 |
| Nebraska | 280 | $45,020 | $49,440 | $21.64 |
| Alaska | 80 | $44,790 | $51,500 | $21.53 |
| Washington | 620 | $44,420 | $69,180 | $21.36 |
| Virginia | 460 | $44,400 | $55,790 | $21.35 |
| Maine | 170 | $44,000 | $48,350 | $21.15 |
| Minnesota | 750 | $43,530 | $55,180 | $20.93 |
| Ohio | 910 | $42,440 | $54,160 | $20.41 |
| Georgia | 490 | $42,020 | $56,950 | $20.20 |
| South Dakota | 230 | $40,630 | $41,920 | $19.53 |
| Wisconsin | 580 | $40,630 | $59,370 | $19.54 |
| New Mexico | 190 | $38,940 | $44,170 | $18.72 |
| Alabama | 300 | $38,530 | $46,020 | $18.53 |
| North Dakota | 180 | $38,500 | $42,860 | $18.51 |
| Iowa | 320 | $37,090 | $42,970 | $17.83 |
| Wyoming | 50 | $36,760 | $40,420 | $17.67 |
| Kentucky | 340 | $36,170 | $48,620 | $17.39 |
| Arkansas | 300 | $36,160 | $35,340 | $17.38 |
| Oklahoma | 300 | $36,110 | $45,540 | $17.36 |
| West Virginia | 130 | $35,400 | $36,310 | $17.02 |
| Vermont | 110 | $35,220 | $47,650 | $16.93 |
| Kansas | 440 | $35,130 | $38,410 | $16.89 |
| Montana | 130 | $35,000 | $37,110 | $16.83 |
| Mississippi | 160 | $34,040 | $59,800 | $16.37 |
| Louisiana | 190 | $33,020 | $47,610 | $15.87 |
| South Carolina | 150 | $30,960 | $47,070 | $14.88 |
| Puerto Rico | 150 | $22,970 | $30,090 | $11.04 |
| California | 1,620 | not published | not published | not published |
| Connecticut | 290 | not published | not published | not published |
| District of Columbia | 70 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Fine Artists, Including Painters, Sculptors, and Illustrators$55,490 a year
- Choreographers$55,310 a year
- Dancers$24.80 an hour
- Coaches and Scouts$47,320 a year
- Craft Artists$46,080 a year
- Disc Jockeys, Except Radio$21.61 an hour
Common questions
How much do Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earn in the United States?
The median pay was $47,340 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,190 and the highest-paid 10% more than $138,440.
How many people work as Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys?
About 21,240 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.
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