Radio hosts play an important part in the lives of those who listen to the radio. These are the voices that accompany you on your commute to and from work, offering commentary and a sense of perspective on a wide range of topics. Radio hosts can sometimes play an important role within a community, providing the latest developments people need to know about within their residential community. If you’re interested in this line of work, you may wonder, what is the typical salary of a radio host?
Radio Host Salary
The amount of money that a radio host can earn depends greatly upon a number of different factors. As with any job or occupation, experience plays one of the greatest roles in determining the radio host salary for each person.
Because of the job’s nature of being involved with the public, experience and reputation go hand in hand. A radio host that is well-known and carries a great reputation will increase the salary, as the host will become a valuable asset to the radio station by giving people a reason to listen to their station.
The location of the job also plays an important role in radio host salary, as well as the location of the radio host’s previous experience. Because cities are compressed with an excessively large population, city radio stations have a greater reach. This means that cities will likely only employ those that have a great on-air personality, and any exceedingly positive experience within a city could be an open door for national/worldwide influence.
Again, with any other job, having a developed skillset that can accommodate certain tasks in the field can increase radio host salary as well. Strengths in the social media, public relations, and broadcasting fields can help the aspiring radio host.
Radio Host Salary In The U.S.A
The yearly salary for a radio host in the United States depends on the aforementioned criteria, with location playing a big role, as each state has its own yearly average. For the most part, the yearly salary averages between a range of $38,000 to $45,0000.
U.S. states with the smallest averages include Florida (~$26,000), North Carolina (~$26,300), and Alabama (~$27,000). States with the largest averages include Massachusetts (~$36,000), Hawaii (~$35,500), and Connecticut (~$35,500).
Radio Host Salary In The UK
Radio hosts in the UK earn a yearly salary that is relatively comparable to the salary possibilities available in the United States. The average yearly radio host salary in the UK is roughly £25,300.
You may think this is actually smaller in the amount due to its numerical size, but the current conversion rate of the Great British Pound into the U.S. Dollar is currently at a ratio of £1 per $1.37 USD. Doing the math on this equates the salary to about $34,636.
What Does a Radio Host Do?
The radio host is essentially the voice of a brand, with the brand being an individual radio station or network of corporate radio stations. Radio hosts are generally in charge of providing traffic reports, latest news and developments, as well as queuing songs in the playlist and selecting advertisements.
Radio hosts are generally looked upon by the community to provide them with information and help the listener get through the day. These hosts play an important role in building (and retaining) a listener base, as a host with a lackluster personality will likely not bode well for station performance.
Due to its inherent exposure to the public, many radio hosts are also extremely active on social media websites. This helps to consistently maintain a relationship with their listeners, which not only helps the radio station overall but bolsters the radio host’s career as well.
Quite often, many radio hosts will travel to events to provide coverage and a form of advertisement. These events include concerts, business promotions, promotional parties, music festivals, as well as regional events such as a county fair.
Which Radio Hosts Gets Paid The Most? 5 Top Paid Radio Hosts
Of course, there are some radio hosts that do earn more than the reported averages. Those that do earn greater than the average are typically hosts that have an extremely established on-air personality, with a long track record and a dedicated following. Here is a list of some of the most famous current radio hosts and their yearly salaries.
Howard Stern
Howard Stern is a prime example of a radio host that started out working on a college radio station, developed his own radio show, and rose to worldwide prominence. Stern currently earns an average of $90 million per year and has an estimated net worth of $550 million.
Howard Stern is known for having a show that continually pushed the boundaries of talk radio, occasionally offending audiences as well as the FCC. His show became nationally syndicated in 1986. He currently has his own dedicated radio station on SiriusXM, from which he has exclusively broadcasted since 2005.
Ryan Secrest
Ryan Secrest is not only a well-known radio host but is extremely established as a television host as well. He currently earns about $74 million per year. Secrest’s first opportunity as a radio host was at the age of 16 when he was awarded the chance to work an internship for Atlanta-based station WSTR, where he would work until he was 19.
After moving to Hollywood, he quickly earned to position as a television host for Radical Outdoor Challenge on ESPN. As his popularity grew, he eventually became one of the hosts for American Idol, as well as taking over the host role for the American Top-40 show. He eventually established his own radio show, On The Air With Ryan Secrest, in 2004.
Sean Hannity
Sean Hannity, a politically conservative talk host, is another personality that is well-known for being on the radio as well as television. He currently holds his own radio show on Fox News, as well as a dedicated television broadcast on the Fox News Channel. Currently, Sean Hannity makes roughly $36 million per year.
Hannity is an example of somebody that chose to follow their passion instead of finishing college. He has been broadcasting since 1989 (at the age of 28) and has made a name for himself for his near-ultra conservative political views and statements.
Glenn Beck
Glenn Beck is another famous politically conservative radio host and television personality that has found extensive success in his career. Beck currently earns about $8.5 million per year and has a net worth of about $250 million.
Beck held positions with popular newsgroups Fox News and CNN before he eventually started his own media corporation, which is entitled TheBlaze. He has his own radio show that is publicly broadcasted on his own network.
Chris Evans
Chris Evans (not associated with the actor of the same name) is a massively famous radio host who has enjoyed prime airtime on BBC’s radio networks. He currently makes an average of £2.2 million (or about $3 million USD).
Evans got his start as a teenager working for Manchester’s Picadilly Radio before he was eventually offered a position on BBC. Chris Evans also made his way into a television career, holding a position as a host on The Breakfast, which would ultimately help to propel his career.
How Much Do Radio Hosts Make? Final Thoughts
Though traditional commercial radio has declined in recent years due to technological advancements and internet-based services, radio hosts have been able to remain relevant in the job market. Though it might not be the most fortuitous career, it can be a great role for somebody that has a knack for public relations. Of course, with the right personality and an iconic voice, there is seemingly almost no limit to what a radio host can make in a year.