Disc Jockeys, Except Radio
SOC 27-2091 · 2024-2034
Play prerecorded music for live audiences at venues or events such as clubs, parties, or wedding receptions. May use techniques such as mixing, cutting, or sampling to manipulate recordings. May also perform as emcee (master of ceremonies).
How the U.S. Department of Labor describes this work. Published in English only.
What California expects of this job
- Typical pay in California
- Not reported
- Projected openings
- 3,840
- Projected change
- +7.9%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Pay by region
| Region | Typical pay in California | Projected openings |
|---|---|---|
| Anaheim-Santa Ana-Irvine MD (Orange County) | Not reported | 700 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MD (Los Angeles County) | Not reported | 3,530 |
| Oakland-Fremont-Berkeley MD (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties) | Not reported | 240 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA (Ventura County) | Not reported | 90 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA (Riverside and San Bernardino Counties) | Not reported | 190 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom MSA (El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo Counties) | Not reported | 130 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | Not reported | 340 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MD (San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) | Not reported | 530 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles MSA (San Luis Obispo County) | Not reported | 50 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville MSA (Santa Cruz County) | Not reported | 20 |
What the pay actually ranges across
A median is one point. These are the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for California, and they say how far apart the people doing this job actually are. Read them as the spread across everyone already in the work — not as a starting wage and not as a promise about where anyone lands.
Similar work
O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupation database, names these as occupations involving work similar to this one — its own reading of the job, not a grouping by code. They keep O*NET's order, and only those California publishes a projection for are shown.
| Occupation | Typical pay in California | Projected openings | Projected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc Jockeys | Not reported | 1,760 | 0% |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | $80,338 | 3,530 | +2.2% |
| Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners | $72,313 | 22,890 | +6.7% |
| Music Directors and Composers | $95,696 | 4,320 | +4.5% |
| Agents and Business Managers of Artists, Performers, and Athletes | Not reported | 8,110 | +13.9% |
| Musicians and Singers | Not reported | 19,460 | +4.3% |