On-air disc jockey vs board operator

The differences between on-air disc jockeys and board operators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both an on-air disc jockey and a board operator. Additionally, an on-air disc jockey has an average salary of $45,326, which is higher than the $42,557 average annual salary of a board operator.

The top three skills for an on-air disc jockey include radio commercials, radio station and FCC. The most important skills for a board operator are adobe audition, phone calls, and control room.

On-air disc jockey vs board operator overview

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Board Operator
Yearly salary	$45,326	$42,557
Hourly rate	$21.79	$20.46
Growth rate	-4%	10%
Number of jobs	3,451	31,348
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	50	42
Years of experience	4	4

On-air disc jockey vs board operator salary

On-air disc jockeys and board operators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Board Operator
Average salary	$45,326	$42,557
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $86,000	Between $24,000 And $73,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between on-air disc jockey and board operator education

There are a few differences between an on-air disc jockey and a board operator in terms of educational background:

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Board Operator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Communication	Communication
Most common college	Northwestern University	New York University

On-air disc jockey vs board operator demographics

Here are the differences between on-air disc jockeys' and board operators' demographics:

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Board Operator
Average age	50	42
Gender ratio	Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%	Male, 64.4% Female, 35.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.6% Unknown, 3.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 4.7% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 5.1% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	10%	8%

Differences between on-air disc jockey and board operator duties and responsibilities

On-air disc jockey example responsibilities.

Manage commercial production, station remotes and appearances, blogging while being on the air mid-days.
Compile weekly reports of station playlists to submit to music journals.
Play music as dictated by upper management or create playlists around specialty formats.
Check and log power output readings for station transmitter to ensure compliance with FCC rules and regulations.
Promote concerts for local venues featuring prominent musical acts via on-air ticket giveaways and on-air interviews with the headlining acts.
Monitor and document transmitter power levels to ensure station is operating within FCC approve guidelines.

Board operator example responsibilities.

Manage website, Spreaker, Podbean, iTunes, YouTube and other social media accounts.
Manage and update show's Facebook page and website with strategically tailor content aim at growing audience base.
Work behind the scenes screening calls, adjusting microphone volumes, monitoring commercials, and managing clips for intro/outro bump music.
Ensure all commercials, broadcast components, EAS tests and logs are correct and FCC compliant.
Work as a radio DJ for WJVL / WCLO.
Host live air shift from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. daily for FM country station.

On-air disc jockey vs board operator skills

Common on-air disc jockey skills

Radio Commercials, 10%
Radio Station, 9%
FCC, 8%
R, 8%
Audio Equipment, 7%
Air Personality, 6%

Common board operator skills

Adobe Audition, 11%
Phone Calls, 11%
Control Room, 10%
Wide Orbit, 8%
Control Board, 5%
FCC, 4%

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On-Air Disc Jockey
On-Air Disc Jockey vs Board Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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