Career
Disc jockeys, except radio
Play music for crowds at events and venues.
—
Median pay
+3.8%
Job growth, 2025–35
1,700
Openings a year
High school diploma or equivalent
Typical education
None required
Typical time after high school
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job do
- Operate disc jockey controller and other equipment, such as microphones.
- Communicate with clients or venue owners to determine event information, such as music preferences, scheduling, and anticipated attendance.
- Adhere to schedules to keep events running on time.
- Collect payments from customers.
- Develop written contracts for bookings.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on creation & expression, then persuasion & leadership?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Operate disc jockey controller and other equipment, such as microphones.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Social Perceptiveness, Speaking, Active Listening, Time Management.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
No degree beyond high school, though short-term on-the-job training is typical, for a median of — a year and 1,700 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- MusicSee the degree →
- Recording Arts Technology/TechnicianCIP 10.0203
- Audio Engineering Technology/TechnicianCIP 15.0307
- Music TechnologyCIP 50.0913
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys$47,340 · -7.6%
- Sound Engineering Technicians$73,130 · -3.1%
- Music Directors and Composers$73,710 · +1.2%
- Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes$82,890 · +9.7%
- Audio and Video Technicians$58,100 · +3.9%
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.