Best degree programs for Disc Jockeys, ranked by enrollment
3 college programs and 285 schools train Disc Jockeys. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $21.61/hr median wage, 7,920 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
3 college programs at 285 schools train disc jockeys, graduating 5,905 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Recording Arts Technology/Technician. The job pays a median of $21.61/hr (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About disc jockeys
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).
A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs, club DJs, mobile DJs, and turntablists. Originally, the "disc" in "disc jockey" referred to shellac and later vinyl records, but nowadays DJ is used as an all-encompassing term to also describe persons who mix music from other recording media such as cassettes, CDs or digital audio files on a CDJ, controller, or even a laptop. DJs may adopt the title "DJ" in front of their real names, adopted pseudonyms, or stage names.
Read more on Wikipedia →Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
3 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 10.0203 | 3,670 | 62.2% | 173 | $21,634 | $20,000 |
| 2 | CIP 50.0913 | 2,092 | 35.4% | 122 | $25,929 | $25,980 |
| 3 | CIP 15.0307 | 143 | 2.4% | 12 | $59,859 | $15,372 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SAE Institute of Technology - Nashville Nashville, TN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 611 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 42% | $21,395 | — |
| 2 | Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences Tempe, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 427 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 39% | $22,590 | — |
| 3 | Full Sail University Winter Park, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 359 | Music Technology | 44% | $32,163 | — |
| 4 | Los Angeles Film School Hollywood, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 311 | Music Technology | 41% | $32,792 | — |
| 5 | Valencia College Orlando, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 230 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 48% | — | — |
| 6 | Florida Institute of Recording Sound and Technology Orlando, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 147 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | — | — | — |
| 7 | Belmont University Nashville, TN Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 125 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 71% | $29,246 | 95% |
| 8 | Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN Public · 2 feeder programs | 121 | Music Technology | 54% | — | 69% |
| 9 | Shoreline College Shoreline, WA Public · 1 feeder programs | 99 | Music Technology | 29% | — | — |
| 10 | MediaTech Institute - Dallas Dallas, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 97 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 70% | $19,634 | — |
| 11 | Southern Utah University Cedar City, UT Public · 1 feeder programs | 91 | Music Technology | 61% | — | 82% |
| 12 | Atlanta Institute of Music and Media Duluth, GA Private for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 86 | Music Technology | 33% | $33,678 | — |
| 13 | Colegio de Cinematografía Artes y Television Bayamon, PR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 47% | $4,177 | — |
| 14 | California College of Music Pasadena, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Music Technology | 70% | $18,922 | 100% |
| 15 | St Petersburg College St. Petersburg, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 59 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 38% | — | — |
| 16 | Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI Public · 1 feeder programs | 58 | Audio Engineering Technology/Technician | 25% | — | — |
| 17 | Tulsa Technology Center Tulsa, OK Public · 1 feeder programs | 58 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 81% | — | — |
| 18 | California State University - Dominguez Hills Carson, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 53 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 43% | — | 93% |
| 19 | Saddleback College Mission Viejo, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 48% | — | — |
| 20 | Daytona State College Daytona Beach, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 49 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 43% | — | — |
| 21 | Remington College - Dallas Campus Dallas, TX Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 48 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | — | $29,146 | — |
| 22 | Utah Valley University Orem, UT Public · 2 feeder programs | 48 | Audio Engineering Technology/Technician | 45% | — | — |
| 23 | Miami Dade College Miami, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 47 | Music Technology | 46% | — | — |
| 24 | Citrus College Glendora, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 41 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 41% | — | — |
| 25 | Broward College Fort Lauderdale, FL Public · 2 feeder programs | 40 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 39% | — | — |
| 26 | Front Range Community College Westminster, CO Public · 1 feeder programs | 40 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 35% | — | — |
| 27 | Portland Community College Portland, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 40 | Music Technology | 18% | — | — |
| 28 | Houston City College Houston, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 39 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 17% | — | — |
| 29 | The Omega Studios' School of Applied Arts & Sciences Rockville, MD Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 39 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | — | — | — |
| 30 | Wayne Community College Goldsboro, NC Public · 1 feeder programs | 38 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 49% | — | — |
| 31 | Mesa Community College Mesa, AZ Public · 2 feeder programs | 37 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 16% | — | — |
| 32 | American River College Sacramento, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 36 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 37% | — | — |
| 33 | Musicians Institute Hollywood, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 53% | $37,963 | 78% |
| 34 | Northeast State Community College Blountville, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 34 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 33% | — | — |
| 35 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 34 | Music Technology | 75% | — | 80% |
| 36 | Rowan University Glassboro, NJ Public · 1 feeder programs | 33 | Music Technology | 67% | — | 78% |
| 37 | South Plains College Levelland, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 32 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 29% | — | — |
| 38 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK Public · 2 feeder programs | 31 | Music Technology | 37% | — | 78% |
| 39 | Collin County Community College District McKinney, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Audio Engineering Technology/Technician | 20% | — | — |
| 40 | Johns Hopkins University Baltimore, MD Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 30 | Music Technology | 94% | $11,888 | 6% |
| 41 | The Recording Conservatory of Austin Austin, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 72% | $29,093 | — |
| 42 | Ohio Media School - Valley View Valley View, OH Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 29 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 66% | $26,225 | — |
| 43 | Indiana University - Bloomington Bloomington, IN Public · 2 feeder programs | 28 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 80% | — | 78% |
| 44 | Pellissippi State Community College Knoxville, TN Public · 1 feeder programs | 28 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 31% | — | — |
| 45 | Spokane Falls Community College Spokane, WA Public · 1 feeder programs | 27 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 32% | — | — |
| 46 | Portland State University Portland, OR Public · 1 feeder programs | 26 | Music Technology | 53% | — | 91% |
| 47 | Dallas College Dallas, TX Public · 1 feeder programs | 25 | Music Technology | 32% | — | — |
| 48 | Husson University Bangor, ME Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 25 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 59% | $18,839 | 81% |
| 49 | Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell, PA Public · 1 feeder programs | 25 | Recording Arts Technology/Technician | 28% | — | — |
| 50 | Indiana University - Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN Public · 1 feeder programs | 24 | Music Technology | 54% | — | 76% |
What disc jockeys earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
BLS publishes an hourly wage only for this occupation. The work is intermittent, so no annual figure is estimated.
States with the most of these jobs
BLS publishes no annual wage for this occupation, so these are ranked by employment.
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | — | 2,190 | 2.36× | 65 | 1,067 |
| Florida | — | — | — | 15 | 979 |
| Tennessee | — | — | — | 10 | 935 |
| Arizona | — | 80 | 0.49× | 7 | 508 |
| Texas | — | 820 | 1.14× | 14 | 341 |
| Washington | — | — | — | 8 | 187 |
| Pennsylvania | — | 100 | 0.33× | 14 | 181 |
| New York | — | 450 | 0.91× | 17 | 162 |
| Georgia | — | 140 | 0.57× | 5 | 111 |
| Ohio | — | 190 | 0.67× | 11 | 105 |
| Oregon | — | 40 | 0.38× | 6 | 87 |
| North Carolina | — | 100 | 0.41× | 5 | 86 |
| New Jersey | — | 220 | 1.02× | 7 | 85 |
| Colorado | — | 60 | 0.39× | 6 | 80 |
| Michigan | — | 360 | 1.62× | 12 | 72 |
| Illinois | — | — | — | 13 | 71 |
| Wisconsinmoderate | — | 360 | 2.42× | 3 | 68 |
| Missourimoderate | — | 360 | 2.39× | 3 | 17 |
| Iowamoderate | — | 130 | 1.59× | 4 | 15 |
| Massachusettslimited | — | 150 | 0.79× | 2 | 10 |
| Nebraskalimited | — | 80 | 1.54× | 1 | 5 |
| Nevadalimited | — | — | — | 1 | 3 |
| Idaholimited | — | 100 | 2.37× | 1 | 2 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to day
- Accept music requests from event guests.
- Adhere to schedules to keep events running on time.
- Advertise services using media such as internet advertising and brochures.
- Assemble audio and video equipment.
- Collect payments from customers.
- Communicate with clients or venue owners to determine event information, such as music preferences, scheduling, and anticipated attendance.
- Conduct sound checks to ensure equipment is working and appropriate for the venue.
- Create itemized invoices to record amounts due for services rendered.
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Disc Jockey
Job zone 2 of 5 · SVP Below 6.0- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Ranges from a few days to one year of on-the-job training.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 3 majors mapped to Disc Jockeys3 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 10.0203Recording Arts Technology/Technician
- 15.0307Audio Engineering Technology/Technician
- 50.0913Music Technology
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Disc Jockey?+
High school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Recording Arts Technology/Technician, which awarded 3,670 degrees in 2024-25, 62.2% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Disc Jockey?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 3 programs to this occupation. The largest are Audiovisual Communications Technologies/Technicians, Music, Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technologies/Technicians. Together they graduate about 5,905 people a year.
How much do disc jockeys earn?+
The median is $21.61 an hour (BLS OEWS May 2025). This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for disc jockeys growing?+
BLS projects a +3.8% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 1,500 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
285 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 3 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
Do you need training or experience beyond a degree?+
BLS lists 'None' for related work experience and 'Short-term on-the-job training' for on-the-job training typically needed to reach competency.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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