Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys earn $75,710 at the median, or about $36.4 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $210K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $69,535 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 45.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $76K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys, local pay runs about 60% higher than the U.S. median of $47K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 46.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $60K | $62K |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $71K | $68K |
| Roanoke | $45K | $48K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $210K or more, a $173K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a broadcast announcers and radio disc jockey afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 46.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,241/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 100% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 60% above the national median — $76K here vs. $47K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $47K — that’s +60%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $75,710 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,350, and experienced broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys can clear $210,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,838/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 46.4% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys salary is worth about $69,535 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.