United States · Pay by job · Arts, Design, Sports and Media
Music Director and Composer salary and take-home pay
The typical US music director and composer earns $73,710 a year, or $35.44 an hour (BLS, May 2025). In Texas, where the median for this job is $65,570, a single filer keeps about $54,865 a year after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.
BLS title: Music Directors and Composers (SOC 27-2041). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025.
How much does a music director and composer earn?
| Percentile | Bar | A year | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,880 | $19.17 | |
| 25th | $53,110 | $25.53 | |
| Median | $73,710 | $35.44 | |
| 75th | $104,090 | $50.04 | |
| 90th | $165,760 | $79.69 |
The middle half of people in this job earn $53,110 to $104,090 a year, and about 12,540 people do it across the US (BLS, May 2025).
Take-home pay tool
Music Director and Composer · Texas · single · median
$54,865.49 a year after tax
$4,572.12 a month · $2,110.21 a paycheck (every two weeks)
| Pay before tax | $65,570.00 |
|---|---|
| Federal income tax | −$5,688.40 |
| Social Security and Medicare | −$5,016.11 |
| Texas tax and payroll contributions | none |
| Take-home pay | $54,865.49 |
Pay: the median for this job in Texas, $65,570 a year (BLS). One job, standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, the year’s tax spread over 26 paychecks.
What does a music director and composer take home at each pay point?
A single filer on the national figures, paid every two weeks, with nothing taken before tax:
| Pay a year | Texas | California | New York | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $39,880 | $34,224 | $33,162 | $32,464 |
| 25th | $53,110 | $44,854 | $43,004 | $42,322 |
| Median | $73,710 | $60,685 | $57,165 | $56,952 |
| 75th | $104,090 | $82,057 | $75,413 | $76,513 |
| 90th | $165,760 | $124,563 | $111,382 | $114,812 |
Take-home after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax for 2026. New York is outside New York City.
Where does a music director and composer keep the most after tax?
Our 19 states, ranked by take-home pay on each state’s own median for this job (single filer). Only these 19 states have take-home figures so far.
| Rank | State | Median pay | Take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $122,750 | $88,830 |
| 2 | California | $93,090 | $68,840 |
| 3 | Tennessee | $79,640 | $64,857 |
| 4 | New York | $82,930 | $62,901 |
| 5 | Washington | $75,060 | $60,594 |
| 6 | Texas | $65,570 | $54,865 |
| 7 | Georgia | $67,100 | $53,435 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $63,380 | $51,086 |
| 9 | Ohio | $61,380 | $50,254 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $61,160 | $49,402 |
| 11 | Florida | $57,830 | $48,646 |
| 12 | Michigan | $59,400 | $47,634 |
| 13 | Virginia | $59,050 | $47,045 |
| 14 | Illinois | $49,270 | $39,474 |
Not ranked, because BLS released no median there: Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Wyoming.
How much does a music director and composer earn in each state?
| State | Median pay | People in the job | Take-home (single) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $42,250 | 70 | not yet |
| Alaska | not released | 60 | – |
| Arizona | not released | not released | not yet |
| Arkansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| California | $93,090 | 2,510 | $68,840 (#2) |
| Colorado | $88,460 | 160 | not yet |
| Connecticut | $77,070 | 120 | not yet |
| Delaware | not released | not released | not yet |
| District of Columbia | $84,040 | 140 | not yet |
| Florida | $57,830 | 570 | $48,646 (#11) |
| Georgia | $67,100 | not released | $53,435 (#7) |
| Hawaii | $74,570 | 90 | not yet |
| Idaho | not released | not released | not yet |
| Illinois | $49,270 | not released | $39,474 (#14) |
| Indiana | $77,270 | 200 | not yet |
| Iowa | $61,740 | 120 | not yet |
| Kansas | not released | not released | not yet |
| Kentucky | not released | not released | not yet |
| Louisiana | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maine | not released | not released | not yet |
| Maryland | $64,300 | 160 | not yet |
| Massachusetts | $78,620 | 340 | not yet |
| Michigan | $59,400 | 310 | $47,634 (#12) |
| Minnesota | not released | 140 | not yet |
| Mississippi | $62,240 | 40 | not yet |
| Missouri | $61,670 | 60 | not yet |
| Montana | $51,530 | 110 | not yet |
| Nebraska | not released | not released | not yet |
| Nevada | not released | not released | – |
| New Hampshire | not released | not released | – |
| New Jersey | $122,750 | 210 | $88,830 (#1) |
| New Mexico | not released | not released | not yet |
| New York | $82,930 | 2,370 | $62,901 (#4) |
| North Carolina | $63,380 | 200 | $51,086 (#8) |
| North Dakota | not released | not released | not yet |
| Ohio | $61,380 | 440 | $50,254 (#9) |
| Oklahoma | $54,250 | 60 | not yet |
| Oregon | $60,800 | 500 | not yet |
| Pennsylvania | $61,160 | 580 | $49,402 (#10) |
| Rhode Island | not released | 150 | not yet |
| South Carolina | not released | not released | not yet |
| South Dakota | not released | not released | – |
| Tennessee | $79,640 | 400 | $64,857 (#3) |
| Texas | $65,570 | 480 | $54,865 (#6) |
| Utah | $82,570 | 150 | not yet |
| Vermont | not released | 30 | not yet |
| Virginia | $59,050 | 370 | $47,045 (#13) |
| Washington | $75,060 | 260 | $60,594 (#5) |
| West Virginia | not released | not released | not yet |
| Wisconsin | $78,690 | 200 | not yet |
| Wyoming | not released | not released | – |
Median yearly pay for this job in each state, from BLS. Take-home and its rank are for the 19 states with a take-home engine so far. Each linked state shows its highest-paying jobs after tax.
What is the job outlook for a music director and composer?
BLS expects jobs as a music director and composer to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).
- Job growth, 2025 to 2035
- +1.2%
- Openings a year
- about 4,200
- Usual education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- None
What do similar jobs pay?
The 10 arts, design, sports and media jobs closest in pay to a music director and composer:
- Writer and Author median $76,910
- Film and Video Editor median $75,420
- Set and Exhibit Designer median $75,240
- Camera Operator median $74,990
- Public Relations Specialist median $74,750
- Other Media Worker median $73,620
- Sound Engineering Technician median $73,130
- Court Reporter median $72,420
- Other Artist and Related Worker median $71,240
- Other Media Equipment Worker median $70,720
Every job in the group: Arts, Design, Sports and Media jobs. Not sure which job suits you? Try the free career test.
What else can I work out?
- Your paycheck on $73,710, with any pay schedule, 401(k) or HSA.
- Hourly to salary: $35.44 an hour as a yearly salary.
- Your 2026 tax refund on $73,710, with the new deductions for tips and overtime.
Where do these figures come from?
Pay is the BLS estimate for all employers in May 2025 (the latest), and the outlook is from BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Your own pay depends on your employer, area and experience. Take-home is our estimate for 2026: one job, the standard deduction, nothing taken before tax, from the same engine as our paycheck calculator.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tables (BLS); Employment Projections tables (BLS). This site is independent and not part of the BLS.
Questions about music director and composer pay
How much does a music director and composer make an hour?
The median is $35.44 an hour (BLS, May 2025). The middle half earn $25.53 to $50.04, and the top 10% earn $79.69 or more.
Which state pays a music director and composer the most?
Among the 50 states and DC, New Jersey has the highest median for this job: $122,750 a year (BLS). After tax, of the 19 states we cover, New Jersey leaves the most: $88,830 a year for a single filer on its median of $122,750.
What is a music director and composer’s take-home pay?
On the national median of $73,710, a single filer keeps about $60,685 a year in Texas (no state income tax), $57,165 in California and $56,952 in New York outside New York City, after federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and state tax. Pick your state in the tool above.
What education do you need to be a music director and composer?
BLS lists a bachelor's degree as the usual way in, with less than 5 years of work experience in a related job and no on-the-job training once hired.
Is the number of music director and composer jobs growing?
BLS expects jobs as a music director and composer to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year (BLS Employment Projections 2025–35).