The U.S. had about 16,900 jobs for disc jockeys except radio in 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The same occupation had a median hourly wage of $21.61 in May 2025, while the highest-paid 10% earned more than $60.17 per hour. These figures describe paid employment tracked by BLS and do not represent every freelance performance, self-booked event, or informal music activity.
Contents
- U.S. DJ employment outlook
- Hourly earnings by DJ role
- The 2023 non-radio DJ wage distribution
- Industries employing non-radio DJs
- State employment and concentration
- Metropolitan DJ employment markets
U.S. DJ employment outlook
The BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook counted about 16,900 U.S. jobs for disc jockeys except radio in 2025. It projects 17,600 jobs in 2035, an increase of 600 jobs from 2025 to 2035. That is a projected growth rate of 4% over the decade. The 2035 figure is a forecast, not observed employment.
This outlook is different from the outlook for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys. BLS counted about 21,800 jobs in that group in 2025 and projects 20,200 jobs in 2035. The broadcast and radio category is projected to lose 1,700 jobs, or 8%, from 2025 to 2035.
| BLS occupation | 2025 jobs | 2035 jobs or forecast | Change, 2025–2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disc jockeys except radio | 16,900 | 17,600 | +600; +4% projected |
| Broadcast announcers and radio DJs | 21,800 | 20,200 | −1,700; −8% projected |
Source: BLS, Announcers and DJs: Occupational Outlook Handbook. BLS separates non-radio DJs under SOC 27-2091 from broadcast announcers and radio DJs under SOC 27-3011.
For electronic music readers, the non-radio category is the closer match for club, event, and performance DJ work. The separate radio category is useful for comparison, but combining the two would blur materially different labor-market measures and outlooks.
Hourly earnings by DJ role
In May 2025, the median hourly wage for disc jockeys except radio was $21.61. The lower end of the distribution was below $13.50 per hour for the lowest-paid 10%, while the upper end was above $60.17 per hour for the highest-paid 10%.
Broadcast announcers and radio DJs had a May 2025 median hourly wage of $22.76. Their lowest-paid 10% earned less than $13.55 per hour, and their highest-paid 10% earned more than $66.56 per hour. These are hourly wage statistics for the occupation groups as defined by BLS; they are not guaranteed rates for a particular booking or event.
| Role | Median hourly wage | Lowest-paid 10% | Highest-paid 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disc jockeys except radio | $21.61 | Less than $13.50 | More than $60.17 |
| Broadcast announcers and radio DJs | $22.76 | Less than $13.55 | More than $66.56 |
Source: BLS, Announcers and DJs: Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2025.
Industry also mattered in the May 2025 BLS figures. Non-radio DJs in performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries had a median hourly wage of $24.98. The median was $20.00 in food services and drinking places and $16.86 in amusement, gambling, and recreation industries.
For broadcast announcers and radio DJs, the median hourly wage was $44.51 in performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries. It was $37.49 in television broadcasting stations. The industry figures describe employee wage estimates and should not be read as a complete measure of artist income, which can vary with bookings, schedules, and contract arrangements.
The 2023 non-radio DJ wage distribution
The BLS Occupational Employment and Wages estimate for May 2023 counted 7,190 non-radio DJ jobs nationally. It reported a mean hourly wage of $31.39 and a median hourly wage of $20.00. The percentile figures show a wide spread between lower-paid and higher-paid workers:
- The 10th-percentile hourly wage was $11.08.
- The 25th-percentile hourly wage was $15.50.
- The median, or 50th-percentile wage, was $20.00.
- The 75th-percentile hourly wage was $33.04.
- The 90th-percentile hourly wage was $57.66.
| Position in wage distribution | Hourly wage, May 2023 |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $11.08 |
| 25th percentile | $15.50 |
| Median | $20.00 |
| 75th percentile | $33.04 |
| 90th percentile | $57.66 |
| Mean | $31.39 |
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 27-2091 Disc Jockeys, Except Radio. The table reports hourly earnings for this occupation; annual-wage cells were not released for it.
The mean was higher than the median in this 2023 estimate, while the 90th-percentile wage was substantially higher than the 10th-percentile wage. That pattern indicates that earnings were unevenly distributed across the measured workforce. It does not establish why individual wages differed, and it does not convert an hourly estimate into an annual income.
Industries employing non-radio DJs
The May 2023 OEWS figures identify several industries connected with performance and nightlife work. Independent artists, writers, and performers employed 2,570 non-radio DJs. Non-radio DJs represented 3.99% of employment in that industry, and their mean hourly wage was $45.33.
Drinking places serving alcoholic beverages employed 2,040 non-radio DJs. DJs represented 0.49% of employment there, and the mean hourly wage was $17.41. Other amusement and recreation industries employed 830 non-radio DJs; the occupation represented 0.06% of employment in that industry, with a mean hourly wage of $15.41.
Restaurants and other eating places employed 310 non-radio DJs, with a mean hourly wage of $24.15. The employment counts and percentages use the industry categories in the BLS table, so they should not be treated as a complete census of every venue that books DJs.
| Industry | Non-radio DJ jobs | Share of industry employment | Mean hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independent artists, writers, and performers | 2,570 | 3.99% | $45.33 |
| Drinking places serving alcoholic beverages | 2,040 | 0.49% | $17.41 |
| Other amusement and recreation industries | 830 | 0.06% | $15.41 |
| Restaurants and other eating places | 310 | Not supplied | $24.15 |
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 27-2091 Disc Jockeys, Except Radio.
The industry comparison pairs two different ideas: the number of jobs and the typical wage estimate. Independent artists, writers, and performers had the largest listed mean hourly wage at $45.33 and 2,570 jobs. Drinking places had 2,040 jobs but a lower mean of $17.41. Other amusement and recreation industries had 830 jobs and a $15.41 mean. The figures therefore show that a larger employment base does not automatically correspond to a higher mean hourly wage.
State employment and concentration
California had 2,010 non-radio DJ jobs in May 2023, the largest state count listed here. New York had 710, Texas had 580, Arizona had 430, and Washington had 300. These counts describe jobs, not the number of unique people who may work across multiple venues or contracts.
The BLS location quotient compares an area’s occupational concentration with the national average. California’s non-radio DJ location quotient was 2.37, and New York’s was 1.59. Texas had a location quotient of 0.90. A location quotient above 1 indicates a higher concentration than the national reference level; below 1 indicates a lower concentration.
For additional state detail, Arizona had 0.14 non-radio DJ jobs per 1,000 jobs in May 2023, while Washington had 0.09 per 1,000 jobs.
| State | Non-radio DJ jobs | Location quotient or jobs per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| California | 2,010 | Location quotient 2.37 |
| New York | 710 | Location quotient 1.59 |
| Texas | 580 | Location quotient 0.90 |
| Arizona | 430 | 0.14 jobs per 1,000 jobs |
| Washington | 300 | 0.09 jobs per 1,000 jobs |
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 27-2091 Disc Jockeys, Except Radio.
Metropolitan DJ employment markets
The May 2023 BLS metro estimates show that large DJ employment markets were concentrated in several major U.S. areas. Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim had 920 non-radio DJ jobs. Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale had 350, San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward had 310, and Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue had 250.
Location quotients were especially high in the listed Western metros. Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale had a location quotient of 3.19, Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim had 3.15, and San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward had 2.69. Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue had 0.12 non-radio DJ jobs per 1,000 jobs.
| Metropolitan area | Non-radio DJ jobs | Concentration measure supplied by BLS |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim | 920 | Location quotient 3.15 |
| Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale | 350 | Location quotient 3.19 |
| San Francisco–Oakland–Hayward | 310 | Location quotient 2.69 |
| Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue | 250 | 0.12 jobs per 1,000 jobs |
Source: BLS, Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023: 27-2091 Disc Jockeys, Except Radio.
These metro figures add geographic context to the state totals. Los Angeles–Long Beach–Anaheim had the largest listed metro workforce at 920 jobs, while Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale had the highest listed location quotient at 3.19. The distinction matters: employment counts describe market size, whereas a location quotient describes concentration relative to the national average. Neither measure captures every independent booking or unpaid performance.