Describes live games on television, radio, and streaming broadcasts, calling the action as it happens and telling the story of the game. BLS does not publish separate figures for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys; it counts them within broadcast announcer and radio disc jockey (SOC 27-3011), whose median pay is $47,340 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 27-3011
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Play-by-Play Announcer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $47,340a year, or $22.76/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $28KTop 10% $138K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- -7.6%DecliningBLS EP, 2025–2035This career−7.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career −7.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,00021,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202521.8K
- Projected 203520.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 21.8K Projected 2035 20.2K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school26.8%
- Some college30.3%
- Associate's2.5%
- Bachelor's35.2%
- Master's5.2%
Highest education held by broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys Segment Value High school 26.8% Some college 30.3% Associate's 2.5% Bachelor's 35.2% Master's 5.2%
Also advertised as: Sportscaster, Sports Broadcaster, Play-by-Play Broadcaster, Color Commentator, Radio Voice of the Team.
Pay
How much do Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys make?
Every play-by-play announcer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$47,340
Middle half earn $35,360 to $75,480
- 10th
- $28,190
- 25th
- $35,360
- 75th
- $75,480
- 90th
- $138,440
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $28,190 |
| 25th | $35,360 |
| Median | $47,340 |
| 75th | $75,480 |
| 90th | $138,440 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $47,340
- Median hourly wage
- $22.76/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $78,720
- People employed
- 21,240
Versus all US occupations
At $47,340, Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys earn 7% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $3,640 a year.
Versus arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations
Inside the Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media group, where the middle occupation pays $68,060, this is 30% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $138,440 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,190, a gap of 4.9×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 16% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New York pays the most at $81,310, and still leads at $75,342 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New York | $81,310 | $75,342 | 1,460 |
| 2Maryland | $74,480 | $70,961 | 290 |
| 3New Jersey | $70,800 | $65,071 | 190 |
| 4Indiana | $61,760 | $66,175 | 1,040 |
| 5Nevada | $60,460 | $60,473 | 160 |
| 6Massachusetts | $60,200 | $56,923 | 280 |
| 7Florida | $56,360 | $54,499 | 990 |
| 8Rhode Island | $55,110 | $53,882 | 90 |
| 9Pennsylvania | $52,080 | $53,376 | 830 |
| 10Hawaii | $51,030 | $46,412 | 140 |
Job outlook
Is Play-by-Play Announcer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Declining. -7.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | −7.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Declining
BLS projects employment of Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys to change -7.6% over 2025–2035, while total US employment is projected to rise 3.5%. That is 1,700 fewer jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,000 openings are projected each year, 9.2% of the 21,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Play-by-Play Announcer
Many announcers have a bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism, communications, or a related field, and programs such as Syracuse University's Newhouse School and campus radio and television stations give students live reps. There is no license; what matters is a demo reel of real game calls.
People usually break in by calling high school, college, and minor league games for local radio and streaming outlets, often while also handling media relations or sales for the team. The National Sports Media Association recognizes broadcasters in every state, and minor league baseball broadcast jobs are a well-known stepping stone to larger markets.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys.
- Bachelor's Degree35.2%
- Some College Courses30.3%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)26.8%
- Master's Degree5.2%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree2.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 35.2% |
| Some College Courses | 30.3% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 26.8% |
| Master's Degree | 5.2% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 2.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Play-by-Play Announcer do?
Play-by-play announcers call the action live: who has the ball, what just happened, and what it means. They work alongside a color commentator who adds analysis, and they read sponsor messages, set up replays, and keep viewers or listeners oriented through the broadcast.
Most of the work happens before the game. Announcers study rosters, statistics, injury reports, and storylines, interview coaches and players, and build spotting boards so they can identify players instantly. Many start with high school and college games, minor league teams, and streaming services, calling several sports to build experience.
Day-to-day tasks
- Call live game action for television, radio, or streaming audiences
- Research rosters, statistics, and storylines before each game
- Prepare spotting boards and broadcast notes
- Interview coaches and players for pregame and postgame segments
- Read sponsor messages and coordinate breaks with producers
- Work with color commentators to balance description and analysis
- Build and update a demo reel and on-air portfolio
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Announcers work from press boxes, broadcast booths, and studios, and travel with teams for road games. Schedules follow the sports calendar, with nights, weekends, and holidays. Preparation takes far more hours than the broadcasts themselves, and early jobs are often part time or seasonal.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.8
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Monitoring3.0
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.8 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.8
- Time Management3.3
- Coordination3.0
- Service Orientation3.0
- Complex Problem Solving3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0
- Persuasion2.9
- Negotiation2.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
| Negotiation | 2.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Enterprise application integration software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Internet browser software
- Music or sound editing software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Play-by-Play Announcer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code AES) built on O*NET's Broadcast Announcer and Radio Disc Jockey profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Play-by-Play Announcer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 6 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Artistic5.8
- Enterprising4.7
- Social3.9
- Conventional3.1
- Investigative2.0
- Realistic1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Play-by-Play Announcer
O*NET related occupations
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
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- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Disc Jockey, Except Radio · N/A median
More arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media careers
Median annual pay, with broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys highlighted
- Art Director$114,850
- Technical Writer$90,390
- Editor$77,920
- Writer and Author$76,910
- Public Relations Specialist$74,750
- Interior Designer$67,190
- Graphic Designer$62,960
- Play-by-Play Announcer$47,340
- Photographer$44,660
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Art Director | $114,850 |
| Technical Writer | $90,390 |
| Editor | $77,920 |
| Writer and Author | $76,910 |
| Public Relations Specialist | $74,750 |
| Interior Designer | $67,190 |
| Graphic Designer | $62,960 |
| Play-by-Play Announcer | $47,340 |
| Photographer | $44,660 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Play-by-Play Announcer appears on
Questions
Play-by-Play Announcer: frequently asked questions
How much do Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for broadcast announcers and radio disc jockeys. It counts them within broadcast announcer and radio disc jockey, whose median pay is $47,340 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $35,360 and $75,480, and the top 10% earn $138,440 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Play-by-Play Announcer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 35.2% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Play-by-Play Announcer a growing career?
No. BLS projects employment to fall 7.6% over 2025–2035, a loss of 1,700 jobs (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Play-by-Play Announcer do?
Play-by-play announcers call the action live: who has the ball, what just happened, and what it means. A typical task: call live game action for television, radio, or streaming audiences. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Office suite software.
Which states pay Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys the most?
The highest state medians for Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys are New York ($81,310), Maryland ($74,480), New Jersey ($70,800) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Play-by-Play Announcer?
O*NET scores Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys highest on the Artistic, Enterprising and Social interest areas, so the work mixes creating, designing and working without a fixed set of rules with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.