Average Salary for Music Directors and Composers
SOC 27-2041 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Music Directors and Composers in the United States is $63,670 ($30.61/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $34,990 at the 10th percentile to $157,010 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 12,330 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 23.2% since 2019.
Median Annual
$63,670
Mean Annual
$84,230
10th Pct
$34,990
75th Pct
$96,590
Employment
12,330
Salary Distribution
$35k
10th
$47k
25th
$64k
Median
$97k
75th
$157k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $114,290 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $104,000 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $97,980 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $96,430 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $94,020 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $92,930 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $91,440 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $86,740 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $82,490 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $78,300 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $78,070 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $78,010 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $77,440 |
| Madison, WI | $76,810 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $75,230 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Connecticut | $91,810 |
| New York | $80,230 |
| Utah | $78,010 |
| Washington | $77,840 |
| Hawaii | $77,440 |
| California | $74,760 |
| Wisconsin | $73,580 |
| Massachusetts | $72,760 |
| Indiana | $71,640 |
| Colorado | $69,160 |
| Oklahoma | $66,650 |
| Oregon | $62,400 |
| Minnesota | $61,830 |
| North Carolina | $61,780 |
| Georgia | $61,270 |
| Ohio | $60,470 |
| Pennsylvania | $60,410 |
| Mississippi | $60,250 |
| Missouri | $58,640 |
| Maryland | $57,740 |
| Florida | $57,350 |
| Iowa | $56,720 |
| Alaska | $55,810 |
| Texas | $51,380 |
| South Carolina | $49,890 |
| Virginia | $49,670 |
| Montana | $48,530 |
| Illinois | $46,310 |
| Michigan | $42,030 |
| Kentucky | $41,870 |
| South Dakota | $36,990 |
| Alabama | $32,370 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,670 |
| 2023 | $62,590 |
| 2022 | $62,940 |
| 2021 | $49,130 |
| 2020 | $52,250 |
| 2019 | $51,670 |