Podcast Producer Salary in 2024
Is it worthwhile to work as a part-time or full-time podcast producer? The good news is that the demand for top-notch podcasts is skyrocketing, as 47% of Americans bought smart speakers to listen to podcasts. More and more people listen to audio recordings, proving that the outlook for podcast producers looks bright.
In this article, Cleanvoice explores a podcast producer salary, and factors that can determine your pay, and gives you tips on how to negotiate your compensation. Let’s get started!
What’s the Verdict on a Podcast Producer's Salary?
How much do podcast producers get paid? That’s a great question. If you’re a freelance podcast producer, expect to earn an hourly wage between $23 and $45. Factors such as the size of your show, the production value, and extra podcast responsibilities may influence your pay.
In contrast, a full-time podcast producer's salary for an entry-level position is around $57,777 per year in the United States. Several aspects affect your pay, including experience, job tasks, seniority, industry, and so on. For example, a senior podcast producer with over 15 years of experience can expect to get an average salary of$101,306 per year in the U.S.
Small differences in compensation exists between industries like legal, entertainment, agriculture, etc. However, a podcast producer also receives a commission, a cash bonus, profit sharing, and tips.
In addition,podcast producer jobs and titles differ from company to company, as shown above. Departmental responsibilities may define your specific title and duties. For instance, in a school environment, you might be called a podcast teacher, while a media house may refer to you as a podcast editor. However, a podcast producer focuses more on the production process.
What Does a Podcast Producer Do?
Want to become a podcast producer, but not sure what the job involves? A podcast producer is a person who’s responsible for the entirepodcast production process. They’re in the thick of things as a sound engineer and are in charge of script writing, booking guests, monitoring podcast metrics, scheduling, and delivering podcasts.
They also ensure other team members and the podcast host get the necessary help they need to run top-class recordings. Here are some additional podcast job tasks:
- Produce and supervise the podcast
- Provide support for the host and team of the podcast
- Managing the production schedule and development of podcasts
- Produce all podcast episodes
- Promoting the show
- Contact and schedule guests for the podcast by phone, email, and social media
- Prepare the host and guest for a podcast recording
- Identify questions to ask before an interview
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Factors that influence a Podcast Producer's Salary
Several elements determine the salary of a podcast producer. Some occupations emphasize educational credentials as one of the factors that influence compensation. In contrast, a college degree doesn’t play a significant role if you’re an independent podcast producer. Big organizations, like media houses, may require an undergraduate degree for entry-level positions.
So the following aspects have an effect on your compensation:
- Years of relevant experience
- Seniority
- Region
- Negotiation skills
- Job tasks
- Prevailing rates of wages
Podcast producer’s average salary levels by seniority and years of experience
Seniority and experience play a considerable role in influencing your podcast producer salary. According to Glassdoor, you can expect to earn a base pay of $53, 061 per annum, and additional pay of $3, 253 yearly, giving you a total salary of $56,314 if you have less than one year of experience.
On the other hand, a senior podcast producer salary has an average salary of $74,555 per year, which is the sum of the base pay of $69,482 and additional pay of $5,073. You must have between seven and nine years of experience to earn this income, generally speaking.
An individual with over 15 years of experience earns a podcast executive producer salary of $101,306. So experience trumps other factors, as shown by the table below;
| Experience | Base Pay (yearly) | Addtl. Pay (yearly) | Total Pay (yearly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-1 Years | $53,061 | $3,253 | $56,314 |
| 1-3 Years | $56,743 | $3,699 | $60,442 |
| 4-6 Years | $62,236 | $4,364 | $66,600 |
| 7-9 Years | $69,482 | $5,073 | $74,555 |
| 10-14 Years | $80,310 | $6,293 | $86,603 |
| 15+ Years | $93,044 | $8,263 | $101,306 |
How do podcast producers’ salaries vary across industries?
Salaries between industries have small differences. For example, an entry-level broadcast producer salary earns on average $57,707 per year in several sectors, such as aerospace and defense, arts, entertainment, and recreation, and management and consulting.
Based on the figures below, agriculture tops the list with a slightly higher total salary of $58,467 per year. And the worst-paying sector is the legal profession, with $54,659 on average per year. The stats show that you don’t gain much in terms of a podcast producer salary if you switch industries.
| Industry | Base Pay (yearly) | Addtl. Pay (yearly) | Total Pay (yearly) |
| Legal | $51,771 | $2,888 | $54,659 |
| Aerospace & Defense | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Agriculture | $53,909 | $4,558 | $58,467 |
| Arts, Entertainment & Recreation | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Management & Consulting | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Construction, Repair & Maintenance Services | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Personal Consumer Services | $51,889 | $4,396 | $56,285 |
| Education | $54,486 | $3,601 | $58,087 |
| Financial Services | $53,578 | $4,748 | $58,326 |
| Government & Public Administration | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Healthcare | $52,092 | $4,309 | $56,401 |
| Information Technology | $54,090 | $4,648 | $58,738 |
| Insurance | $60,619 | $5,293 | $65,912 |
| Manufacturing | $52,642 | $3,993 | $56,636 |
| Media & Communication | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Nonprofit & NGO | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Energy, Mining & Utilities | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Real Estate | $56,533 | $5,190 | $61,723 |
| Restaurants & Food Service | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Retail & Wholesale | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Telecommunications | $55,699 | $4,311 | $60,010 |
| Transportation & Logistics | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Hotel & Travel Accommodation | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
| Human Resources & Staffing | $53,265 | $4,442 | $57,707 |
How about Your Negotiation Skills?
The ability to negotiate a salary you want also determines what your employer or job can pay you. Try the following tips to discuss your remuneration with your prospective boss:
1. Know Your Value
First things first, you've got to know what you're worth before you walk into an interview room or hop on a conference call. What are the prevailing rates of wages in your industry and location? The information can prepare you to face your hiring manager (who’ll be glad to offer a lower salary than you want).
So use the podcast producer salary statistics we have compiled for you in this guide or visit Payscale and Glassdoor to arm yourself with more information. Better be armed to the teeth!
2. Pick the Top of the Range
After doing your research, you’ll have an idea of the range that represents your industry. Don’t settle for the middle of the range when you negotiate with the recruitment manager. You may end up with a lower salary.
Instead, present the top of the podcast producer salary range. Even if your potential employers negotiate down, you can still receive satisfactory compensation.
3. Know the (Exact) Number
Based on the Columbia Business School research, you must have a clear salary number, for instance, $65,770 instead of $66,000. Here’s why.
You’re more likely to get what you desire if you use a precise figure in your first negotiation. That’s because your employer would assume you did some research regarding your compensation before the interview.
Do Podcast Producers Feel Fairly Compensated?
According to a Gartner survey, only 32% of the workforce is satisfied with their compensation. It means the bulk of employees aren't happy with their salaries. Earlier, we mentioned that it’s crucial to learn some negotiation skills to get the salary you desire.
As a podcast producer, you must know the prevailing wage rates in your demographic area, the cost of living, the inflation rate, etc. to help you in your negotiation. Also remember that the more experience you have, the better your salary.
Total compensation
For entry-level jobs, the total estimated total compensation for the podcast producer is $57,707 per annum in the U.S. You can expect to earn an average salary of $53,265 plus an extra pay of $4,442 per year, including profit sharing, tips, cash bonus, and commission.
Create Flawless Podcasts with Noise Cancellation Software
In a nutshell, a podcast producer is an integral part of the production process. Nothing can happen without them. When it comes to a podcast producer salary, the rate is around $23, but it can rise to $43 per hour for an individual with a wealth of knowledge and tons of experience. While education might be essential in some organizations, experience is the primary factor in determining your salary.
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Want to produce a clean and crisp podcast? Let Cleanvoice remove stuttering and dead air from recordings. It’s also a multilingual AI that detects and removes filler sounds in multiple languages, including German and French. Clean 30 minutes of audio for free today!
