On-Air Disc Jockey Overview
Working as an On-Air Disc Jockey
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being an on-air disc jockey. For example, did you know that they make an average of $25.81 an hour? That's $53,692 a year!
Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow -5% and produce -2,500 job opportunities across the U.S.
What Does an On-Air Disc Jockey Do
There are certain skills that many on-air disc jockeys have in order to accomplish their responsibilities. By taking a look through resumes, we were able to narrow down the most common skills for a person in this position. We discovered that a lot of resumes listed speaking skills, writing skills and computer skills.
When it comes to the most important skills required to be an on-air disc jockey, we found that a lot of resumes listed 10.4% of on-air disc jockeys included radio station, while 10.2% of resumes included dj, and 9.4% of resumes included television commercials. Hard skills like these are helpful to have when it comes to performing essential job responsibilities.
When it comes to searching for a job, many search for a key term or phrase. Instead, it might be more helpful to search by industry, as you might be missing jobs that you never thought about in industries that you didn't even think offered positions related to the on-air disc jockey job title. But what industry to start with? Most on-air disc jockeys actually find jobs in the media and education industries.
How To Become an On-Air Disc Jockey
If you're interested in becoming an on-air disc jockey, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 69.7% of on-air disc jockeys have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 2.1% of on-air disc jockeys have master's degrees. Even though most on-air disc jockeys have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become an on-air disc jockey. When we researched the most common majors for an on-air disc jockey, we found that they most commonly earn bachelor's degree degrees or associate degree degrees. Other degrees that we often see on on-air disc jockey resumes include high school diploma degrees or master's degree degrees.
You may find that experience in other jobs will help you become an on-air disc jockey. In fact, many on-air disc jockey jobs require experience in a role such as internship. Meanwhile, many on-air disc jockeys also have previous career experience in roles such as disc jockey or sales associate.
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On-Air Disc Jockey Jobs
On-Air Disc Jockey Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, an on-air disc jockey can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as disc jockey, progress to a title such as technician and then eventually end up with the title marketing manager.
What is the right job for my career path?
Tell us your goals and we'll match you with the rights job to get there.
Top Colleges for On-Air Disc Jockeys
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA
8. Boston University
Boston, MA
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL
Entry Level Jobs For Becoming An On-Air Disc Jockey
Top Skills For an On-Air Disc Jockey
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 10.4% of on-air disc jockeys listed radio station on their resume, but soft skills such as speaking skills and writing skills are important as well.
- Radio Commercials, 10.9%
- Radio Station, 10.5%
- Audio Equipment, 9.7%
- FCC, 8.3%
- Air Personality, 6.2%
- Other Skills, 54.4% See All On-Air Disc Jockey Skills