Occupations · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
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.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 27-3011.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 106% between 2004 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $102,300 | 1,670 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $78,350 | 860 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $46,970 | 610 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $47,310 | 440 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $48,330 | 400 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $45,000 | 390 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $126,550 | 380 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $54,280 | 370 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $47,710 | 360 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $62,630 | 330 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN | $63,520 | 320 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $54,830 | 270 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Bachelor's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- 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.
- Prepare and deliver news, sports, or weather reports, gathering and rewriting material so that it will convey required information and fit specific time slots.
- Record commercials for later broadcast.
- Keep daily program logs to provide information on all elements aired during broadcast, such as musical selections and station promotions.
- Develop story lines for broadcasts.
- Select program content, in conjunction with producers and assistants, based on factors such as program specialties, audience tastes, or requests from the public.
- Write and edit video and scripts for broadcasts.
- Interview show guests about their lives, their work, or topics of current interest.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2025-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2025-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
Tasks O*NET flags as emerging
- Develop story lines for broadcasts.
- Maintain organization of the music library.
- Write and edit video and scripts for broadcasts.
O*NET 20.3 emerging tasks
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning.
Now listed 7
No longer listed 1
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| presenter | 2656.3 | exact |
| entertainment journalist | 2642.1.9 | close |
| news anchor | 2656.2 | broader |
| disc jockey | 2659.2.2 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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