Music Directors and Composers Salary
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations · 13K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$73,710
Median hourly
$35
Average annual
$90,470
Typical range
$39,880–$165,760
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Music Directors and Composers is $73,710 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $35 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music..
Most earn between $39,880 and $165,760 a year. There are roughly 13K people employed as music directors and composers in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Music Directors and Composers.
- Hourly
- $35.44
- Daily
- $284
- Weekly
- $1,418
- Bi-weekly
- $2,835
- Monthly
- $6,143
- Annual
- $73,710
$73,710 a year is around the 50th percentile for Music Directors and Composerss. The median is $73,710.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1New Jersey$122,750
- 2California$93,090
- 3Colorado$88,460
- 4District of Columbia$84,040
- 5New York$82,930
- 6Utah$82,570
- 7Tennessee$79,640
- 8Wisconsin$78,690
- 9Massachusetts$78,620
- 10Indiana$77,270
- 11Connecticut$77,070
- 12Washington$75,060
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Syracuse, NY$140,230
- 2Trenton-Princeton, NJ$115,400
- 3San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$112,950
- 4Colorado Springs, CO$104,690
- 5New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$97,970
- 6Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$94,700
- 7Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$93,090
- 8Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$84,660
- 9Rochester, NY$84,130
- 10Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$82,920
- 11Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$82,570
- 12Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$81,770
Related job titles
Employers advertise Music Directors and Composers roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Music Directors and Composers does
- Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.
- Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities.
- Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks.
- Rewrite original musical scores in different musical styles by changing rhythms, harmonies, or tempos.
- Study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.
- Create original musical forms, or write within circumscribed musical forms such as sonatas, symphonies, or operas.
- Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
- Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Music Directors and Composers make?
- The median annual wage for Music Directors and Composers is $73,710 ($35 per hour). Pay ranges from about $39,880 at the 10th percentile to $165,760 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Music Directors and Composers?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $90,470, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Music Directors and Composerss the most?
- New Jersey has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $122,750.
- Is Music Directors and Composers a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 13K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Music Directors and Composers do?
- Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.; Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities.; Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks..