DJ Career: Salary, Jobs & Scope in India

Famous Indian DJs like Arjun Vagale, Nawed Khan, Udyan Sagar, Rishab Joshi, Anish Sood and many others have made lucrative DJ careers in India through networking and hard work.

When starting out, most of the aspiring DJs in India are confused about making a career as a DJ. To eliminate this confusion, here’s all the information you need to become a successful DJ in India.

DJ Career, Salary, Jobs & Scope in India

Well-known Indian DJs work independently and make 20 – 80k INR per gig. However, the most popular ones can earn up to 5 lakhs for a one-time performance. In India, only Radio DJs and Resident DJs earn a monthly salary, which ranges approximately between 30 – 80k INR per month.

DJ Jobs & Gigs (one-time performances) in India

Weddings and Corporate Gigs

The quickest way to make a profitable career as a DJ is by doing weddings and corporate gigs. Even beginner DJs with a basic DJ setup can make a lot of money at Indian weddings.

Radio Stations

Radio DJs in India work like salaried professionals and get paid from radio stations. Since there are limited radio stations in India, interested DJs need good contacts and exceptional mixing talent to be employed as a radio DJ.

Residencies at Bars and Clubs

Resident DJs in India play regularly at the same bar/club and earn a monthly salary. They play on expensive DJ equipment and also enjoy complimentary food and drinks from their venues.

Gigs at Bars, Clubs, Events and Festivals

Independent underground DJs in India do gigs at various bars, clubs, events and festivals throughout India. Their earning per performance depends upon their experience, skills and popularity.

DJ Career in India

Making a sustainable career as a DJ in India can be hard. This is why many Indian DJs get a day job to supplement their income.

Here are some DJ-friendly careers to look into:

Club Promoter

You can become a club promoter for nightlife events. This will bring additional income and expand your social circle.

Music Producer

You can become a music producer and release your own tracks. Music producers earn music royalties and make many fans.

Become a DJ Tutor

You can become a DJ tutor and teach young and aspiring DJs. Experienced DJs can make significant amount of money by giving private lessons on their home DJ setup.

Music Journalist

You can become a music journalist who writes about music. Other than getting a job as a music journalist, you can also earn money by making blogs and websites about music.

Scope of DJing in India

Indians are very fond of dance music. Most celebrations in India have a DJ and a dance floor. However, DJing in India nowadays is not just limited to weddings and clubs.

Every year, international DJs come to India to play at festivals like Sunburn, Vh1 Supersonic, Magnetic Fields, NH7 Weekender and many others.

So, as you can see, there is a great scope for DJing in India; especially for aspiring DJs who are not afraid to take the road less traveled and are brave enough to follow their passion.