Music Directors and Composerssalary
Official wage statistics for music directors and composers in United States, published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)), reference period May 2025. Approximately 12.54K people work in this occupation.
Wage distribution
| Percentile | Annual |
|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / lowest decile | $39,880 |
| 25th percentilelower quartile | $53,110 |
| Median (50th)typical worker | $73,710 |
| 75th percentileupper quartile | $104,090 |
| 90th percentiletop decile | $165,760 |
| Meanaverage, skews high | $90,470 |
Salary by state
Music Directors and Composers wages vary widely by state. Official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, May 2025, sorted by median. Suppressed areas omitted.
| State | Median (annual) | P10–P90 / low–high | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| NJNew Jersey | $122,750 | $67,690 – $205,740 | 210 |
| CACalifornia | $93,090 | $48,600 – $175,670 | 2,510 |
| COColorado | $88,460 | $49,170 – $158,760 | 160 |
| DCDistrict of Columbia | $84,040 | $39,310 – $159,250 | 140 |
| NYNew York | $82,930 | $46,640 – $199,430 | 2,370 |
| UTUtah | $82,570 | $65,110 – $86,410 | 150 |
| TNTennessee | $79,640 | $18,520 – $117,820 | 400 |
| WIWisconsin | $78,690 | $43,630 – $177,040 | 200 |
| MAMassachusetts | $78,620 | $51,120 – $150,380 | 340 |
| INIndiana | $77,270 | $47,480 – $175,610 | 200 |
| CTConnecticut | $77,070 | $46,430 – $207,250 | 120 |
| WAWashington | $75,060 | $51,230 – $161,370 | 260 |
| HIHawaii | $74,570 | $53,790 – $116,390 | 90 |
| GAGeorgia | $67,100 | $19,900 – $123,530 | — |
| TXTexas | $65,570 | $27,970 – $130,290 | 480 |
| MDMaryland | $64,300 | $48,450 – $124,790 | 160 |
| NCNorth Carolina | $63,380 | $38,480 – $190,280 | 200 |
| MSMississippi | $62,240 | $32,700 – $87,460 | 40 |
| IAIowa | $61,740 | $28,500 – $100,360 | 120 |
| MOMissouri | $61,670 | $44,990 – $113,670 | 60 |
| OHOhio | $61,380 | $40,350 – $121,270 | 440 |
| PAPennsylvania | $61,160 | $36,540 – $109,380 | 580 |
| OROregon | $60,800 | $40,340 – $115,740 | 500 |
| MIMichigan | $59,400 | $36,700 – $125,090 | 310 |
| VAVirginia | $59,050 | $42,910 – $130,980 | 370 |
| FLFlorida | $57,830 | $36,350 – $93,510 | 570 |
| OKOklahoma | $54,250 | $29,540 – $167,740 | 60 |
| MTMontana | $51,530 | $44,230 – $76,680 | 110 |
| ILIllinois | $49,270 | $31,930 – $104,000 | — |
| ALAlabama | $42,250 | $27,850 – $62,700 | 70 |
Frequently asked
The median music directors and composers in United States earns $73,710 per year (reference period May 2025). Earnings typically range from $39,880 (10th percentile or low) to $165,760 (90th percentile or high). These are official statistics published by U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (SOC 2018 code 27-2041). FedSalary republishes official statistics only; no self-reported or crowdsourced figures. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates 12,540 people employed in this occupation in United States (May 2025).
Approximately EUR 67,009 · GBP 58,039 per year (mid-market snapshot 2026-05-02). The authoritative native figure is $73,710. FX conversion is informational only.