SOC 27-2041 · Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Music Directors and Composers

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025United States, all industries

U.S. median annual wage$73,710

U.S. median hourly wage$35.44

U.S. employment12,540

Nationally, music directors and composers earned a median of $73,710 per year as of the May 2025 OEWS estimates, across 12,540 jobs. Pay varies substantially by area — look up a specific state or metro below.

National pay distribution

Pay by state

Every state and territory with a published May 2025 estimate. “Not published” means BLS suppressed the value — it never means zero. Higher medians often track higher living costs; this is not a ranking of where the job is “best”.

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Music Directors and Composers: pay and employment by state
State
New Jersey	$122,750	$59.02	210	0.1
California	$93,090	$44.76	2,510	0.1
Colorado	$88,460	$42.53	160	0.1
District of Columbia	$84,040	$40.41	140	0.2
New York	$82,930	$39.87	2,370	0.2
Utah	$82,570	$39.70	150	0.1
Tennessee	$79,640	$38.29	400	0.1
Wisconsin	$78,690	$37.83	200	0.1
Massachusetts	$78,620	$37.80	340	0.1
Indiana	$77,270	$37.15	200	0.1
Connecticut	$77,070	$37.06	120	0.1
Washington	$75,060	$36.09	260	0.1
Hawaii	$74,570	$35.85	90	0.1
Georgia	$67,100	$32.26	Not published	Not published
Texas	$65,570	$31.53	480	0.0
Maryland	$64,300	$30.91	160	0.1
North Carolina	$63,380	$30.47	200	0.0
Mississippi	$62,240	$29.92	40	0.0
Iowa	$61,740	$29.68	120	0.1
Missouri	$61,670	$29.65	60	0.0
Ohio	$61,380	$29.51	440	0.1
Pennsylvania	$61,160	$29.41	580	0.1
Oregon	$60,800	$29.23	500	0.3
Michigan	$59,400	$28.56	310	0.1
Virginia	$59,050	$28.39	370	0.1
Florida	$57,830	$27.81	570	0.1
Oklahoma	$54,250	$26.08	60	0.0
Montana	$51,530	$24.77	110	0.2
Illinois	$49,270	$23.69	Not published	Not published
Alabama	$42,250	$20.31	70	0.0
Alaska	Not published	Not published	60	0.2
Minnesota	Not published	Not published	140	0.0
Rhode Island	Not published	Not published	150	0.3
Vermont	Not published	Not published	30	0.1

Pay by metro area

All 65 metro areas where BLS publishes this occupation. Sort by median wage, employment, or local concentration — or see the highest-paying metros ranked.

Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.

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Music Directors and Composers: pay and employment by metro area
Metro area
Syracuse, NY	$140,230	$67.42	120	0.4
Trenton-Princeton, NJ	$115,400	$55.48	30	0.1
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$112,950	$54.31	320	0.1
Colorado Springs, CO	$104,690	$50.33	40	0.1
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	$97,970	$47.10	1,520	0.2
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$94,700	$45.53	110	0.1
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$93,090	$44.76	1,280	0.2
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	$84,660	$40.70	310	0.3
Rochester, NY	$84,130	$40.45	180	0.4
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	$82,920	$39.86	Not published	Not published
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT	$82,570	$39.70	100	0.1
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN	$81,770	$39.31	90	0.1
Madison, WI	$79,870	$38.40	70	0.2
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$78,760	$37.87	260	0.1
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$78,760	$37.87	320	0.1
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	$76,700	$36.88	130	0.0
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA	$75,030	$36.07	190	0.1
Cleveland, OH	$74,370	$35.75	100	0.1
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$74,270	$35.71	170	0.1
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA	$73,610	$35.39	40	0.2
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT	$71,850	$34.54	40	0.1
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ	$71,800	$34.52	40	0.1
Lancaster, PA	$71,100	$34.18	40	0.2
Urban Honolulu, HI	$69,330	$33.33	70	0.2
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC	$67,590	$32.50	40	0.0
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA	$66,800	$32.12	160	0.1
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI	$65,190	$31.34	60	0.1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	$64,440	$30.98	Not published	Not published
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD	$64,300	$30.91	110	0.1
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA	$64,250	$30.89	150	0.2
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH	$63,850	$30.70	30	0.1
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	$63,440	$30.50	110	0.0
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$63,290	$30.43	70	0.1
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	$61,740	$29.68	70	0.2
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY	$61,670	$29.65	100	0.4
St. Louis, MO-IL	$61,670	$29.65	40	0.0
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$61,160	$29.41	250	0.1
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	$60,500	$29.09	130	0.0
Jacksonville, FL	$60,000	$28.85	30	0.0
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL	$59,720	$28.71	70	0.1
Raleigh-Cary, NC	$58,570	$28.16	40	0.0
Columbus, OH	$58,490	$28.12	60	0.1
Richmond, VA	$57,860	$27.82	40	0.1
Pittsburgh, PA	$57,650	$27.72	90	0.1
Salem, OR	$56,730	$27.27	Not published	Not published
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC	$55,130	$26.50	100	0.1
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI	$52,900	$25.43	120	0.1
Akron, OH	$51,530	$24.78	40	0.1
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	$50,530	$24.29	Not published	Not published
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL	$49,150	$23.63	130	0.1
Fresno, CA	$46,960	$22.58	40	0.1
Binghamton, NY	$40,500	$19.47	40	0.4
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	Not published	Not published	140	0.3
Bend, OR	Not published	Not published	40	0.4
Boise City, ID	Not published	Not published	30	0.1
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY	Not published	Not published	150	0.3
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO	Not published	Not published	60	0.0
Eugene-Springfield, OR	Not published	Not published	110	0.7
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI	Not published	Not published	80	0.1
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI	Not published	Not published	80	0.0
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	Not published	Not published	40	0.1
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	Not published	Not published	100	0.1
San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX	Not published	Not published	30	0.0
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	Not published	Not published	110	0.1
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	Not published	Not published	30	0.1

About this data. Estimates are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 release, retrieved from bls.gov/oes/tables.htm on July 24, 2026. OEWS estimates describe metropolitan/nonmetropolitan areas and states — not city limits — and are not designed for year-over-year comparisons. See BLS methodology, our plain-English methodology, and sources. CitySalaryData is independent and not affiliated with BLS.