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Small Market Salaries

H

hungryhawk

I heard that the following figures are pretty much standard for small market salaries (~200-275 i.e. Ithaca NY, Asheville NC, Decatuer IL).

Mornings: 35k
Middays:25k
PM Drive: 30k
Nights: 20k w/prod(25k)

Does anyone know if these are accurate?
 
It all depends on what you consider a small market and who the owner is. I was offered about $29K to be production director in Mobile a few years ago at a certain corporate owned group of stations. I found out that another corporate group of stations in the same market paid their production director around $65K.

I turned down the offer. :)
 
I worked in production in market 5 making around $34K, but with the ability to have a flexible schedule for freelance. My freelance business really took off, and I moved to a ski town 200+ market where I do afternoons around my freelance. I'm making over 40K a year to do special projects and afternoons and still have all my freelance. Small market doesn't always mean small money.
 
try to get a major market morning producing gig, then use that experience to work into a large or major market air gig. You will move quicker. I was making close to 70K to produce a morning show in a top 6 market.
 
I would say the original salaries posted are probably a bit on the high side. Radio station powers-that-be, especially in the smaller markets, are very, very cheap. Similar to newspaper reporters outside the big-time daily cities. Don't know how anyone lives on those salaries to be honest.


"Freebird Fantasia's sources come a variety of sources including the World Free Press, reader tips and a vast network of sources inside the Atlanta radio community."
 
I am an Operations Manager in market 230 something making 40K. Plus all the 'Freelance' I can handle. Small market does not always = small money. Small mind does though. If your employer or potential employer doesn't think regional or 'large' you are possibly in for many nights of Top Ramen .
 
There are so many variances from market to market AND station to station. You can't really count on a low or a high until you get the offer. HINT: Do NOT make salary a priority. Don't ever bring it up in the employment process. When it is mentioned focus on getting the gig. Once you have sold yourself to a potential employer your chances of career advancement and the (bigger?) bucks will come along.
 
Man the above poster makes so much sense. In this business..in these economic times, get the job in an area you like, and maximize your life. Turn your new job into a pleasure, and the money will follow.
 
I worked in a small market (150's) just about every day part and never made more than $25K a year in salary and that includes doing mornings. Small market money is terrible.
 
I generally agree with the original post...but only because "benefits" like insurance are included. In fact, I'd say in my market (#173) they are right on...unless one works for a certain large group, then it's less. In fact, it's less in a couple of groups 20 or so miles away in "the big city" of 44,000, now that I think about it. Overall, I'd say it's a bit lower, however, in "paycheck" without benefits because I have six years here, have ratings and came out of newspaper management where I made about $4k more a year ... back then, with no bennies. A killer in markets this size (we are in the most over-radioed market in the country ...35 metro stations in a market of 222,000) is voice tracking. It's like working at Wal Mart. I know several who subsidize their "day job" paychecks with $10-an-hour voice track gigs...making about $150 - $300 a month (with production) for a six day airshift / four hours a day. Can't make a living in any market doing that ... even part-time. But, again, fulltime is about what the first post reported, with benefits. (No limo drives to the station, either... :D)
 
Salary depends on the company. Working as a part-time traffic reporter in Atlanta for CC, you're looking at a measley 10 bucks and hour. A couple of notches up the market ladder, and Metro will pay you $15.
 
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