On-air personality demographics and statistics in the US
On-air personality demographics research summary. Zippia estimates on-air personality demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our on-air personality 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 personalities after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 6,200 on-air personalities currently employed in the United States.
- 35.6% of all on-air personalities are women, while 64.4% are men.
- The average on-air personality age is 49 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of on-air personalities is White (75.3%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (11.5%), Black or African American (5.4%) and Asian (4.2%).
- In 2022, women earned 105% of what men earned.
- 10% of all on-air personalities are LGBT.
- On-air personalities are 72% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
On-air personality demographics by:
On-air personality gender statistics
35.6% of on-air personalities are women and 64.4% of on-air personalities are men.
- Male, 64.4%
- Female, 35.6%
On-air personality gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 64.4% |
| Female | 35.6% |
On-air personality gender pay gap
Women earn $1.05 for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$40,045
Female income
$42,088
On-air personality gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in on-air personality positions over time. Currently, 35.6% of on-air personalities are female.
On-air personality gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.06% | 28.94% |
| 2011 | 73.15% | 26.85% |
| 2012 | 72.04% | 27.96% |
| 2013 | 63.61% | 36.39% |
| 2014 | 74.18% | 25.82% |
| 2015 | 66.85% | 33.15% |
| 2016 | 67.51% | 32.49% |
| 2017 | 65.28% | 34.72% |
| 2018 | 62.07% | 37.93% |
| 2019 | 65.42% | 34.58% |
| 2020 | 58.34% | 41.66% |
| 2021 | 64.44% | 35.56% |
On-air personality related jobs gender ratio
We compared on-air personalities 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 Personality | 64% | 36% |
| 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 personality demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among on-air personalities is White, which makes up 75.3% of all on-air personalities. Comparatively, 11.5% of on-air personalities are Hispanic or Latino and 5.4% of on-air personalities are Black or African American.
- White, 75.3%
- Hispanic or Latino, 11.5%
- Black or African American, 5.4%
- Asian, 4.2%
- Unknown, 3.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
On-air personality race
| On-air personality race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 75.3% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 11.5% |
| Black or African American | 5.4% |
| Asian | 4.2% |
| Unknown | 3.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.4% |
On-air personality race and ethnicity over time
See how on-air personality racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
On-air personality race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 67.70% | 9.34% | 4.26% | 15.05% |
| 2011 | 65.34% | 9.80% | 4.48% | 17.99% |
| 2012 | 68.95% | 9.83% | 3.76% | 12.45% |
| 2013 | 66.90% | 8.36% | 4.46% | 16.76% |
| 2014 | 66.27% | 11.50% | 3.04% | 15.68% |
| 2015 | 70.35% | 9.28% | 4.73% | 13.44% |
| 2016 | 70.26% | 8.49% | 3.43% | 15.00% |
| 2017 | 63.98% | 12.42% | 5.14% | 14.29% |
| 2018 | 71.49% | 8.23% | 1.95% | 15.13% |
| 2019 | 70.65% | 8.25% | 3.36% | 14.18% |
| 2020 | 70.30% | 8.03% | 4.89% | 11.16% |
| 2021 | 75.30% | 5.36% | 4.23% | 11.49% |
On-air personality wage gap by race
According to our data, asian on-air personalities have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino on-air personalities have the lowest average salary at $36,895.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $41,103 |
| White | $39,665 |
| Black or African American | $40,371 |
| Asian | $42,404 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $36,895 |
On-air personality age breakdown
The average age of on-air personalities is 40+ years years old, representing 75% of the on-air personality population.
On-air personality age breakdown
| On-Air Personality Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 75% |
| 30-40 years | 16% |
| 20-30 years | 9% |
On-air personality educational attainment
The most common degree for on-air personalities is bachelor's degree, with 67% of on-air personalities earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 16% and associate degree degree at 7%.
- Bachelor's, 67%
- Associate, 16%
- High School Diploma, 7%
- Master's, 4%
- Other Degrees, 6%
On-air personalities by degree level
| On-air personality degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 67% |
| Associate | 16% |
| High School Diploma | 7% |
| Master's | 4% |
| Other Degrees | 6% |
On-air personality jobs you might like
On-air personality wage gap by degree level
According to the data, on-air personalities with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $46,190 annually. With a Associate degree, on-air personalities earn a median annual income of $37,267 compared to $34,051 for on-air personalities with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $34,051 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $46,190 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,267 |
On-air personality employment statistics
Most on-air personalities work for a private in the media industry.
Company size where on-air personalities work
Below, you can see the size of companies where on-air personalities work.
On-air personality jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 26% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 4% |
On-air personality jobs by company type
Employees with the on-air personality job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most on-air personalities prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
On-air personality jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 9% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 72% |
| Government | 1% |
On-air personality jobs by industry
The most common industries for on-air personalities are media, education and finance.
On-air personality industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 52% |
| Education | 9% |
| Finance | 5% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Hospitality | 4% |
| Technology | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Health Care | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Internet | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Telecommunication | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Government | 1% |
| Utilities | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Construction | 1% |
On-air personality turnover and employment statistics
On-air personality unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for on-air personalities between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
On-air personality unemployment rate by year
| Year | On-air personality 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 personality tenure
The average on-air personality stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 3,245 on-air personalities resumes in Zippia's database.
On-air personality tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 16% |
| 1-2 years | 35% |
| 3-4 years | 17% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
On-air personality LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of on-air personalities 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Correspondent | 10.10% | 3,144 |
| On-Air Personality | 10.34% | - |
| Public Relations Specialist | 12.01% | 29,698 |
| Medical Editor | 12.38% | 55,508 |
| Spanish Interpreter | 14.90% | 4,043 |
| Television Script Writer | 16.36% | 10,237 |
| Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 1,991 |
Similar on-air personality jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Correspondent | 10.10% | 3,144 |
| Public Relations Specialist | 12.01% | 29,698 |
| Medical Editor | 12.38% | 55,508 |
| Spanish Interpreter | 14.90% | 4,043 |
| Television Script Writer | 16.36% | 10,237 |
| Disc Jockey | 16.36% | 1,991 |
Foreign languages spoken by on-air personalities
The most common foreign language among on-air personalities is Spanish at 71.9%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.3% and Italian is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 71.9%
- French, 8.3%
- Italian, 5.2%
- Portuguese, 3.1%
- German, 3.1%
- Other, 8.4%
On-air personality languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 71.9% |
| French | 8.3% |
| Italian | 5.2% |
| Portuguese | 3.1% |
| German | 3.1% |
| Other | 8.4% |
