Music directors and composers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $39,880 | $19.17 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $73,710 | $35.44 |
| Mean (average) | $90,470 | $43.50 |
| 90th percentile | $165,760 | $79.69 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Music directors and composers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 34 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $42,250 | $27,850 | $62,700 | 70 | 0.42 |
| Alaska | Data unavailable | 60 | 2.23 | ||
| California | $93,090 | $48,600 | $175,670 | 2,510 | 1.71 |
| Colorado | $88,460 | $49,170 | $158,760 | 160 | 0.69 |
| Connecticut | $77,070 | $46,430 | $207,250 | 120 | 0.9 |
| District of Columbia | $84,040 | $39,310 | $159,250 | 140 | 2.5 |
| Florida | $57,830 | $36,350 | $93,510 | 570 | 0.71 |
| Georgia | $67,100 | $19,900 | $123,530 | ||
| Hawaii | $74,570 | $53,790 | $116,390 | 90 | 1.74 |
| Illinois | $49,270 | $31,930 | $104,000 | ||
| Indiana | $77,270 | $47,480 | $175,610 | 200 | 0.78 |
| Iowa | $61,740 | $28,500 | $100,360 | 120 | 0.99 |
| Maryland | $64,300 | $48,450 | $124,790 | 160 | 0.74 |
| Massachusetts | $78,620 | $51,120 | $150,380 | 340 | 1.16 |
| Michigan | $59,400 | $36,700 | $125,090 | 310 | 0.87 |
| Minnesota | Data unavailable | 140 | 0.6 | ||
| Mississippi | $62,240 | $32,700 | $87,460 | 40 | 0.46 |
| Missouri | $61,670 | $44,990 | $113,670 | 60 | 0.23 |
| Montana | $51,530 | $44,230 | $76,680 | 110 | 2.62 |
| New Jersey | $122,750 | $67,690 | $205,740 | 210 | 0.62 |
| New York | $82,930 | $46,640 | $199,430 | 2,370 | 3.03 |
| North Carolina | $63,380 | $38,480 | $190,280 | 200 | 0.51 |
| Ohio | $61,380 | $40,350 | $121,270 | 440 | 0.98 |
| Oklahoma | $54,250 | $29,540 | $167,740 | 60 | 0.46 |
| Oregon | $60,800 | $40,340 | $115,740 | 500 | 3.16 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,160 | $36,540 | $109,380 | 580 | 1.18 |
| Rhode Island | Data unavailable | 150 | 3.59 | ||
| Tennessee | $79,640 | $18,520 | $117,820 | 400 | 1.49 |
| Texas | $65,570 | $27,970 | $130,290 | 480 | 0.43 |
| Utah | $82,570 | $65,110 | $86,410 | 150 | 1.06 |
| Vermont | Data unavailable | 30 | 1.35 | ||
| Virginia | $59,050 | $42,910 | $130,980 | 370 | 1.11 |
| Washington | $75,060 | $51,230 | $161,370 | 260 | 0.91 |
| Wisconsin | $78,690 | $43,630 | $177,040 | 200 | 0.86 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for music directors and composers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 4,200. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 24.7%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for music directors and composers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Religious/Sacred Music CIP 39.0501
- Worship Ministry CIP 39.0502
- Musical Theatre CIP 50.0509
- Music Performance, General CIP 50.0903
- Music Theory and Composition CIP 50.0904
- Musicology and Ethnomusicology CIP 50.0905
- Conducting CIP 50.0906
- Voice and Opera CIP 50.0908
- Music Technology CIP 50.0913
- Sound Arts CIP 50.0917
- Music, Other CIP 50.0999
- Music Management CIP 50.1003
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
- Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
- Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
- Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
- Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.
- Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.
- Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
- Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Anvil Studio
- Apple Final Cut Pro
- Apple MainStage
- Arobas Music Guitar Pro
- Arpege Music Pizzicato
- Audacity
- Audio Chaos Soundscape Generator
- Audiveris
- Avid Pro Tools
- Avid Technology Sibelius
- Azemus FS
Transferable skills for career changers: Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management.
Common job titles: Arranger, Choir Director, Composer, Conductor, Music Composer, Music Director, Music Producer, Orchestra Director, Songwriter.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do music directors and composers make?
The national median annual wage for music directors and composers was $73,710 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $39,880 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $165,760. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do music directors and composers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with less than 5 years of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is music directors and composers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of music directors and composers to change +1.2% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 4,200 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay music directors and composers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Jersey ($122,750), California ($93,090), Colorado ($88,460). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.