On-air disc jockey demographics and statistics in the US
On-air disc jockey demographics research summary. Zippia estimates on-air disc jockey demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our on-air disc jockey estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about on-air disc jockeys after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,240 on-air disc jockeys currently employed in the United States.
- 33.8% of all on-air disc jockeys are women, while 66.2% are men.
- The average on-air disc jockey age is 49 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of on-air disc jockeys is White (75.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.1%), Asian (4.7%) and Black or African American (4.6%).
- In 2022, women earned 106% of what men earned.
- 10% of all on-air disc jockeys are LGBT.
- On-air disc jockeys are 54% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
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On-air disc jockey demographics by:
On-air disc jockey gender statistics
33.8% of on-air disc jockeys are women and 66.2% of on-air disc jockeys are men.
- Male, 66.2%
- Female, 33.8%
On-air disc jockey gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 66.2% |
| Female | 33.8% |
On-air disc jockey gender pay gap
Women earn $1.06 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$42,594
Female income
$44,983
On-air disc jockey gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in on-air disc jockey positions over time. Currently, 33.8% of on-air disc jockeys are female.
On-air disc jockey gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 72.59% | 27.41% |
| 2011 | 74.62% | 25.38% |
| 2012 | 73.55% | 26.45% |
| 2013 | 65.35% | 34.65% |
| 2014 | 75.61% | 24.39% |
| 2015 | 68.51% | 31.49% |
| 2016 | 69.16% | 30.84% |
| 2017 | 66.98% | 33.02% |
| 2018 | 63.84% | 36.16% |
| 2019 | 67.12% | 32.88% |
| 2020 | 60.17% | 39.83% |
| 2021 | 66.16% | 33.84% |
On-air disc jockey related jobs gender ratio
We compared on-air disc jockeys with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public address announcer and track announcer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Paraprofessional Interpreter | 12% | 88% |
| Deaf Interpreter | 15% | 85% |
| Fashion Journalist | 15% | 85% |
| On-Air Disc Jockey | 66% | 34% |
| Sports Announcer | 91% | 9% |
| Track Announcer | 92% | 8% |
| Public Address Announcer | 93% | 7% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
On-air disc jockey demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among on-air disc jockeys is White, which makes up 75.1% of all on-air disc jockeys. Comparatively, 12.1% of on-air disc jockeys are Hispanic or Latino and 4.7% of on-air disc jockeys are Asian.
- White, 75.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.1%
- Asian, 4.7%
- Black or African American, 4.6%
- Unknown, 3.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
On-air disc jockey race
| On-air disc jockey race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.1% |
| Asian | 4.7% |
| Black or African American | 4.6% |
| Unknown | 3.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
On-air disc jockey race and ethnicity over time
See how on-air disc jockey racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
On-air disc jockey race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.46% | 8.54% | 4.76% | 15.70% |
| 2011 | 65.11% | 9.00% | 4.97% | 18.64% |
| 2012 | 68.72% | 9.03% | 4.26% | 13.10% |
| 2013 | 66.67% | 7.56% | 4.96% | 17.41% |
| 2014 | 66.04% | 10.70% | 3.54% | 16.33% |
| 2015 | 70.12% | 8.48% | 5.23% | 14.09% |
| 2016 | 70.03% | 7.69% | 3.93% | 15.65% |
| 2017 | 63.75% | 11.62% | 5.64% | 14.94% |
| 2018 | 71.26% | 7.43% | 2.45% | 15.78% |
| 2019 | 70.42% | 7.45% | 3.86% | 14.83% |
| 2020 | 70.07% | 7.23% | 5.39% | 11.81% |
| 2021 | 75.07% | 4.56% | 4.72% | 12.14% |
On-air disc jockey wage gap by race
According to our data, asian on-air disc jockeys have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino on-air disc jockeys have the lowest average salary at $38,935.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $43,830 |
| White | $42,152 |
| Black or African American | $42,975 |
| Asian | $45,354 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $38,935 |
On-air disc jockey age breakdown
The average age of on-air disc jockeys is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the on-air disc jockey population.
On-air disc jockey age breakdown
| On-Air Disc Jockey Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
On-air disc jockey educational attainment
The most common degree for on-air disc jockeys is bachelor's degree, with 70% of on-air disc jockeys earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 15% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 70%
- Associate, 15%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 5%
On-air disc jockeys by degree level
| On-air disc jockey degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 70% |
| Associate | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
On-air disc jockey jobs you might like
On-air disc jockey wage gap by degree level
According to the data, on-air disc jockeys with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $49,813 annually. With a Associate degree, on-air disc jockeys earn a median annual income of $39,365 compared to $35,656 for on-air disc jockeys with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $35,656 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,813 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $39,365 |
On-air disc jockey employment statistics
Most on-air disc jockeys work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where on-air disc jockeys work
Below, you can see the size of companies where on-air disc jockeys work.
On-air disc jockey jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 9% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 22% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 30% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 22% |
| > 10,000 employees | 7% |
On-air disc jockey jobs by company type
Employees with the on-air disc jockey job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most on-air disc jockeys prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
On-air disc jockey jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 28% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 54% |
On-air disc jockey jobs by industry
The most common industries for on-air disc jockeys are media, education and retail.
On-air disc jockey industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 33% |
| Education | 24% |
| Retail | 6% |
| Fortune 500 | 5% |
| Hospitality | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Non Profits | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Finance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Professional | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
On-air disc jockey turnover and employment statistics
On-air disc jockey unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for on-air disc jockeys between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On-air disc jockey unemployment rate by year
| Year | On-air disc jockey unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 11.99% |
| 2011 | 9.82% |
| 2012 | 7.98% |
| 2013 | 10.12% |
| 2014 | 7.82% |
| 2015 | 5.66% |
| 2016 | 5.43% |
| 2017 | 5.15% |
| 2018 | 2.41% |
| 2019 | 4.05% |
| 2020 | 6.64% |
| 2021 | 3.86% |
Average on-air disc jockey tenure
The average on-air disc jockey stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 812 on-air disc jockeys resumes in Zippia's database.
On-air disc jockey tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 38% |
| 3-4 years | 16% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 5% |
| 11+ years | 6% |
On-air disc jockey LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of on-air disc jockeys that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Columnist | 10.10% | 1,783 |
| On-Air Disc Jockey | 10.34% | - |
| Public Affairs Internship | 12.01% | 57,898 |
| Production Editor | 12.38% | 62,877 |
| Historical Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,552 |
| Radio Script Writer | 16.36% | 12,370 |
| Train Announcer | 16.36% | 1,244 |
Similar on-air disc jockey jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Columnist | 10.10% | 1,783 |
| Public Affairs Internship | 12.01% | 57,898 |
| Production Editor | 12.38% | 62,877 |
| Historical Interpreter | 14.90% | 3,552 |
| Radio Script Writer | 16.36% | 12,370 |
| Train Announcer | 16.36% | 1,244 |
Foreign languages spoken by on-air disc jockeys
The most common foreign language among on-air disc jockeys is Spanish at 50.0%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 11.1% and Portuguese is the third-most popular at 8.3%.
- Spanish, 50.0%
- French, 11.1%
- Portuguese, 8.3%
- Chinese, 5.6%
- Polish, 5.6%
- Other, 19.4%
On-air disc jockey languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 50.0% |
| French | 11.1% |
| Portuguese | 8.3% |
| Chinese | 5.6% |
| Polish | 5.6% |
| Other | 19.4% |
