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On-air host education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become an on-air host. On-air hosts usually study communication, journalism, or audiovisual communications technologies. 76% of on-air hosts hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,143 real on-air host resumes to see exactly what on-air host education sections show.
The most common colleges for on-air hosts are the Howard University and the Howard University.
There are also many online on-air host courses to help get the education required to be an on-air host.
What education do you need to become an on-air host?
What degree do you need to be an on-air host?
- Bachelor's, 76%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 6%
- High School Diploma, 3%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become an on-air host?
- Communication, 27%
- Journalism, 21%
- Business, 4%
- Other Majors, 42%
Most common colleges for on-air hosts
| On-air host common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Howard University | 8.26% |
| Hofstra University | 6.61% |
| New York University | 5.79% |
| Temple University | 5.79% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 5.79% |
Best majors for on-air hosts
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Communication | 27.2% |
| 2 | Journalism | 21.2% |
| 3 | Audiovisual Communications Technologies | 5.5% |
| 4 | Business | 4.4% |
| 5 | Photography | 4.3% |
Best colleges for on-air hosts
The best colleges for on-air hosts are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Boston University.
An on-air host with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for on-air hosts. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become on-air hosts.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,832
Enrollment
4,550
3. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
4. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$10,610
Enrollment
40,329
5. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,522
Enrollment
13,760
7. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
10. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Enrollment
58,392
20 best online courses for on-air hosts
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Top 10 most affordable universities for on-air hosts
The most affordable schools for on-air hosts are University of Florida, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for on-air hosts are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for on-air hosts.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
5. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
6. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
7. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
8. University of Central Florida
Orlando, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,368
Cost of attendance
21,034
9. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
10. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,140
Cost of attendance
14,430
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for on-air hosts
The hardest universities for on-air hosts to get into are Northwestern University, Northeastern University, and Boston University.
Some great schools for on-air hosts are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for on-air hosts based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
3. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
7%
SAT average
1,545
6. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
7. Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA • Private
Admissions rate
36%
SAT average
1,330
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
10. University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX • Private
Admissions rate
39%
SAT average
1,367
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for on-air hosts
The easiest schools for on-air hosts to get into are Barry University, oklahoma wesleyan university, and university of the incarnate word.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an on-air host without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for on-air hosts.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
3. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
4. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
5. Rochester University
Rochester Hills, MI • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,002
6. Our Lady of the Lake University
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,002
7. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
8. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
9. The University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,035
10. College of New Rochelle, The
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
982
Average on-air host salary by education level
| On-air host education level | On-air host salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,530 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $50,173 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $40,128 |
On-air host education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025