How To Become A Talk Show Host: What It Is and Career Path

What is a talk show host and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

At some point in your life, you've probably imagined what it would be like to have your own talk show. But why settle for an imaginary show when you can turn your dream into a reality? Whether it's on TV, the radio, the Internet, or a podcast, becoming a talk show host may be more attainable than you think.

In a day, a talk show host spends most of their time, well, talking. When they are not recording, a talk show host collaborates with writers, editors, and other staff members to ensure that everything is up to par. They may even be involved in preparing scripts and interview questions, which is especially common in small-scale operations.

In general, there are no educational requirements to be a talk show host. Instead, a candidate must have the right personality to attract viewers to the show. Impeccable skills in articulation are also a must-have. And since talk shows often go off-script, a talk show host must have the creativity and improv skills to navigate certain situations in the best way possible.

Just like many jobs in the entertainment industry, the salary of a talk show host varies. Depending on the show or employer, a talk show host can earn around $21,000 to $61,000 a year. Generally, the more popular the show is, the higher the salary of the host.

ScoreTalk Show HostUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,582

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

7.4

Growth Rate -4%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 4.01%

Black or African American 5.72%

Hispanic or Latino 9.91%

Unknown 3.92%

White 76.04%

Gender

female 31.74%

male 68.26%

Age - 49

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 49

Stress Level

7.4

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

9.2

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

4.1

Work Life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a talk show host

Explore talk show host education requirements

Most common talk show host degrees

Bachelor's

75.4 %

Associate

10.0 %

Master's

5.8 %

Start to develop specific talk show host skills

Skills	Percentages
Radio Station	11.00%
Hot Topics	10.70%
FCC	8.99%
FM	6.50%
Adobe Audition	5.56%

Complete relevant talk show host training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New talk show hosts learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a talk show host based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real talk show host resumes.

Research talk show host duties and responsibilities

Feature as DJ of the month every year for KSDB.
Host a weekly radio show and curate weekly song playlists.
Help in maintaining social media outlets for the station like Facebook.
Produce and appear in daily videos on line and on facebook.

Prepare your talk show host resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your talk show host resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a talk show host resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Talk Show Host Resume templates

Build a professional Talk Show Host resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Talk Show Host resume.

Apply for talk show host jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a talk show host job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do talk show hosts rate their job?