How much do Music Directors and Composers make?
Music Directors and Composers earn a median annual salary of $73,710 in the United States, which works out to roughly $35.44 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $39,880 at the entry level and $165,760 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $53,110 and $104,090 a year.
That is $12,320 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Music Directors and Composers salary range by percentile
Half of all Music Directors and Composers earn between $53,110 and $104,090 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $39,880 | $19.17 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $53,110 | $25.53 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $73,710 | $35.44 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $104,090 | $50.04 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $165,760 | $79.69 |
Highest-paying states for Music Directors and Composers
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New Jersey leads the country for Music Directors and Composers pay at $122,750 a year, followed by California ($93,090) and Colorado ($88,460). At the other end, Alabama posts the lowest median at $42,250 — a gap of $80,500 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $122,750 | $59.01 | +67% |
| 2 | California | $93,090 | $44.75 | +26% |
| 3 | Colorado | $88,460 | $42.53 | +20% |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $84,040 | $40.40 | +14% |
| 5 | New York | $82,930 | $39.87 | +13% |
Music Directors and Composers salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 30 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 13,000 people work as Music Directors and Composers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $90,470 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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