Radio commentator vs on-air disc jockey

The differences between radio commentators and on-air 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 a radio commentator and an on-air disc jockey. Additionally, a radio commentator has an average salary of $56,226, which is higher than the $45,326 average annual salary of an on-air disc jockey.

Radio commentator vs on-air disc jockey overview

	Radio Commentator	On-Air Disc Jockey
Yearly salary	$56,226	$45,326
Hourly rate	$27.03	$21.79
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	2,174	3,451
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 70%	Bachelor's Degree, 70%
Average age	50	50
Years of experience	4	4

Radio commentator vs on-air disc jockey salary

Radio commentators and on-air disc jockeys have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Radio Commentator	On-Air Disc Jockey
Average salary	$56,226	$45,326
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $92,000	Between $23,000 And $86,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between radio commentator and on-air disc jockey education

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

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

Radio commentator vs on-air disc jockey demographics

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

	Radio Commentator	On-Air Disc Jockey
Average age	50	50
Gender ratio	Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0%	Male, 66.2% Female, 33.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 3.0% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 3.3% White, 80.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%	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%
LGBT Percentage	10%	10%

Differences between radio commentator and on-air disc jockey duties and responsibilities

Radio commentator example responsibilities.

Design locations for cell sites to achieve maximum handover efficiency.
Perform network optimization, design of regional network as well as sanity check on antenna configuration.
Interview personalities, run promotional contests, record advertisements and appear at fundraisers.

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.

Radio Commentator vs. similar jobs

Radio Commentator related careers

Radio Commentator related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Arts, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Industry
Radio Commentator
Radio Commentator vs On-Air Disc Jockey

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs