Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys Salary
In Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA, broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys earn $37,770 at the median, or about $18.16 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $41,189 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 51.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Pay for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in Des Moines-West Des Moines runs about 20% below the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 51.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeyss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $49K | $48K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $48K | $45K |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha | $48K | $50K |
| St. Louis | $52K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $59K spread from bottom to top.
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $81K | +72% | 1,460 |
| Maryland | $74K | +57% | 290 |
| New Jersey | $71K | +50% | 190 |
| Indiana | $62K | +30% | 1,040 |
| Nevada | $60K | +28% | 160 |
| Massachusetts | $60K | +27% | 280 |
| Florida | $56K | +19% | 990 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | +16% | 90 |
| Pennsylvania | $52K | +10% | 830 |
| Hawaii | $51K | +8% | 140 |
| Colorado | $51K | +7% | 310 |
| Texas | $49K | +4% | 960 |
| Tennessee | $48K | +2% | 970 |
| Arizona | $48K | +1% | 410 |
| North Carolina | $48K | +1% | 830 |
| Idaho | $47K | -1% | 50 |
| Illinois | $47K | -1% | 770 |
| Michigan | $47K | -1% | 650 |
| Oregon | $46K | -2% | 240 |
| Utah | $46K | -3% | 190 |
| New Hampshire | $46K | -3% | 70 |
| Missouri | $45K | -4% | 470 |
| Nebraska | $45K | -5% | 280 |
| Alaska | $45K | -5% | 80 |
| Washington | $44K | -6% | 620 |
| Virginia | $44K | -6% | 460 |
| Maine | $44K | -7% | 170 |
| Minnesota | $44K | -8% | 750 |
| Ohio | $42K | -10% | 910 |
| Georgia | $42K | -11% | 490 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -14% | 230 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | -14% | 580 |
| New Mexico | $39K | -18% | 190 |
| Alabama | $39K | -19% | 300 |
| North Dakota | $39K | -19% | 180 |
| Iowa | $37K | -22% | 320 |
| Wyoming | $37K | -22% | 50 |
| Kentucky | $36K | -24% | 340 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -24% | 300 |
| Oklahoma | $36K | -24% | 300 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -25% | 130 |
| Vermont | $35K | -26% | 110 |
| Kansas | $35K | -26% | 440 |
| Montana | $35K | -26% | 130 |
| Mississippi | $34K | -28% | 160 |
| Louisiana | $33K | -30% | 190 |
| South Carolina | $31K | -35% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 47 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 51.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,248/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 106% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Local pay runs 20% below the national median — $38K here vs. $47K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s -20%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $41K — below the national median.
How much do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $37,770 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,800, and experienced broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys can clear $79,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,555/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 51.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary is worth about $41,189 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.