When you turn on the radio and your favorite song just happens to be on the air, you can thank your local radio traffic director. Radio traffic directors handle scheduling of radio airtime programming. They determine when music is played and when commercials, along with any other programming. The salary of radio traffic directors tends to vary by location and is typically less than that of senior-level directors.
Average Salary
The average salary of a radio traffic director was $46,000 per year, as of July 2011, according to SimplyHired. The Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that producers and directors of radio, film and television earned an average salary of $88,610 per year, as of May 2010. However, this number is likely skewed somewhat by the inclusion of film and television producers and directors. The agency also notes that the average salary for those in radio and television directing and production was $72,030 per year.
Pay Scale
Placing the average salary of radio traffic directors within the larger pay scale for producers and directors nationwide provides some additional context. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for all producers and directors nationwide was $68,440 per year in 2010. The middle 50 percent of those working in this field earned salaries that ranged from $45,470 to $111,720 annually. The highest paid producers and directors made more than $166,400 per year. At the low end of the pay scale were those who made $32,140 or less per year.
Location
The salary of radio traffic directors also tends to vary by location. For example, SimplyHired indicates that the average salary for a radio traffic director in New York was $54,000 per year in 2011, while the salary of those working in California was $52,000 per year. Salaries were significantly less in other states like Texas where radio traffic directors made $43,000 per year. Those working in Florida made an average of $42,000 per year, while those in Ohio and Pennsylvania made average salaries of $44,000 and $45,000 per year, respectively.
Job Outlook
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs for producers and directors was expected to grow by about 10 percent during the decade from 2008 to 2018. The bureau indicated that competition for all jobs in the radio, television and film worlds will be fierce. Even so, there should be some opportunity available given the slow but steady job growth.
Tags: radio traffic, producers directors, salary radio, salary radio traffic, traffic directors
