Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys Salary
In Lexington-Fayette, KY, broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys earn $48,820 at the median, or about $23.47 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $142K for experienced workers.
So what does $49K get you in Lexington-Fayette?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lexington-Fayette’s Regional Price Parity (92.9). 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 Lexington-Fayette
Broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys pay in Lexington-Fayette tracks closely to the national median, $49K locally vs. $47K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 38.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in metros near Lexington-Fayette, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $47K | , |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $48K | , |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $49K | , |
| Bloomington | $67K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lexington-Fayette, KY
Entry-level broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $142K or more, a $119K 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 |
| Wisconsin | $41K | -14% | 580 |
| South Dakota | $41K | -14% | 230 |
| 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lexington-Fayette?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 38.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/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 Lexington-Fayette?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,391/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Lexington-Fayette?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $49K locally vs. $47K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Lexington-Fayette compare to the national average for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
Lexington-Fayette pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make in Lexington-Fayette, KY?
The median is $48,820 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,190, and experienced broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys can clear $142,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Lexington-Fayette?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,276/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 38.8% 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 Lexington-Fayette?
Lexington-Fayette has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary is worth about $52,551 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.