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Broadcast Announcer / DJ

$47,340
median / year
$28,190 – $138,440
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Present news, music, and shows on radio, television, and streaming, and interview guests.

You may also see this posted as: Anchor, Announcer, DJ (Disc Jockey), On-Air Personality, Host, Morning Show Host.

Where you work

Radio and television studios

The hours

Early mornings, nights, and weekends

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Read news flashes to inform audiences of important events.
  • Announce musical selections, station breaks, commercials, or public service information, and accept requests from listening audience.
  • Operate control consoles.
  • Identify stations, and introduce or close shows, ad-libbing or using memorized or read scripts.
  • Study background information to prepare for programs or interviews.

Good fit if you like…

Artistic

creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

Social OrientationSelf-ConfidenceDependabilityOptimism

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Adobe AuditionMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft AccessMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPoint

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$47,340
per year
Hourly median
$22.76
per hour
What most earn
$28,190–$138,440
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~2,300
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-5.5%
Declining
Working in the U.S.
21,240
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree + demo.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Speaking voiceImprovisationAudio editingInterviewing

The honest take

Hosts radio and broadcast programs, a shrinking field where breaking in takes persistence.

Standard Occupational Classification 27-3011. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.