On-air disc jockey vs disc jockey

The differences between on-air disc jockeys and disc jockeys 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 disc jockey. Additionally, a disc jockey has an average salary of $54,894, which is higher than the $45,326 average annual salary of an on-air disc jockey.

The top three skills for an on-air disc jockey include radio commercials, radio station and FCC. The most important skills for a disc jockey are R, audio equipment, and video equipment.

On-air disc jockey vs disc jockey overview

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Disc Jockey
Yearly salary	$45,326	$54,894
Hourly rate	$21.79	$26.39
Growth rate	-4%	-5%
Number of jobs	3,451	1,991
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age	50	41
Years of experience	4	4

On-air disc jockey vs disc jockey salary

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

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Disc Jockey
Average salary	$45,326	$54,894
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $86,000	Between $29,000 And $102,000
Highest paying City	-	Waterbury, CT
Highest paying state	-	Nevada
Best paying company	-	University of Central Florida
Best paying industry	-	Education

Differences between on-air disc jockey and disc jockey education

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

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Disc Jockey
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common major	Communication	Communication
Most common college	Northwestern University	-

On-air disc jockey vs disc jockey demographics

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

	On-Air Disc Jockey	Disc Jockey
Average age	50	41
Gender ratio	Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%	Male, 76.5% Female, 23.5%
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, 7.4% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.7% Asian, 5.0% White, 69.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2%
LGBT Percentage	10%	16%

Differences between on-air disc jockey and disc jockey 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.

Disc jockey example responsibilities.

Manage website, Spreaker, Podbean, iTunes, YouTube and other social media accounts.
Play music over the air (FM).
Used Instagram to market himself.
Still do weekly commentary (comedy).
Create promos and sweepers which air routinely.
Clear wire service reports for FM news director.

On-air disc jockey vs disc jockey skills

Common on-air disc jockey skills

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

Common disc jockey skills

R, 10%
Audio Equipment, 10%
Video Equipment, 6%
Corporate Events, 5%
Private Parties, 5%
Radio Station, 5%

On-Air Disc Jockey vs. similar jobs

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On-Air Disc Jockey
On-Air Disc Jockey vs Disc Jockey

Updated January 8, 2025

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