Seattle's DJs earn salaries much above the national average for the position.
Although the legendary "golden voice" helps a radio disc jockey get a foothold in the industry, DJs must also be able to multitask, keep up on station-related paperwork and documentation behind the scenes. Because radio DJs in large markets typically have larger audiences than those in small towns, they often receive larger salaries than the national average. Radio DJs who work in Seattle, Washington, are no exception, and tend to earn wages much higher than their counterparts at many stations around the country.
Average Seattle DJ Salary
The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that about 280 people worked as radio DJs and television voice-over announcers -- as opposed to on-air television personalities -- in Seattle as of May 2010. These workers earned an average hourly salary of $33.59, the equivalent of $69,860 per hour if these DJs worked full time, although the bureau doesn't keep statistics regarding the amount of work the average DJ or television announcer performs each week. The range of wages for announcers is very large, however, with the half of all DJs and television announcers in Seattle receiving hourly wages between $13.68 and $42.64. Other sources list slightly different salaries for Seattle radio DJs, with Salary Expert listing the average salary at $84,488 annually and SimplyHired listing their average salaries as $74,000.
Comparison to National Average
Seattle's DJs earn wages that far outstrip the national average for the position. The average hourly wage for DJs and television announcers nationwide was $19.19 as of May 2010, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Working full time, those DJs earn an annual salary of $39,910, about 57 percent of their Seattle counterparts. Nationwide, only 10 percent of DJs earn more than $72,500, placing the Seattle average near the top earnings for all such jobs in the country.
Work Conditions
Many of the city's DJs must work overnight shifts, and some of the most traditionally popular shifts, morning drive-time shows require DJs to be at work much earlier than the traditional start of the workday. Because drive-time audiences are typically the largest of any time of day, morning and evening rush-hour DJs traditionally garner more listeners and, therefore, the highest on-air salaries. DJs often make promotional appearances when they're not on the air, requiring them to put additional time into their job and potentially disrupt their personal lives with split-shift conditions.
Education and Training
Many television and radio announcers attend a trade school or enroll in a communications or broadcasting degree in a traditional college to prepare themselves for a career in the industry, according to the Occupational Outlook Handbook. After formal education, DJs typically require on-the-job training, whether at a college radio station or as an intern at a commercial station. While Washington University in Seattle operates KEXP as a public-radio format with professional DJs, other colleges -- KUGS at Western Washington University in Bellingham, KMWS and Washington State's KNWP in Mount Vernon and Port Angeles -- may provide students with on-air experience. The National Broadcasting School the Entertainment Career Center in Seattle offers focused training in the field.
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