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Music Directors and Composers Salary by State and Metro Area

Music Directors and Composers in the United States earn a median salary of $73,710/year ($35.44/hr). Salaries range from $39,880 to $165,760 depending on experience. Below, compare salaries across 30 states and 30 metro areas where BLS publishes data.

$40K
10th percentile
$53K
25th percentile
$74K
Median
$104K
75th percentile
$166K
90th percentile

Where Music Directors and Composers have the most money left over after rent

Median pay minus estimated federal + state + FICA taxes, minus 12 months of rent at HUD's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent. Darker green means more money left over each year. Hover any state for the breakdown.

Music Directors and Composers disposable income by state, after taxes and rentUS map showing how much money is left over each year for a median-paid music directors and composers after estimated federal + state + FICA taxes and a 2-bedroom apartment at HUD Fair Market Rent. Darker green means more money left over. Click any state for its full profile.AlabamaMedian pay$42KTake-home (after tax)$34KRent (2BR)$1,085/moLeft over after rent$21K/yr#30th nationally →AlaskaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →ArizonaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →ColoradoMedian pay$88KTake-home (after tax)$67KRent (2BR)$1,832/moLeft over after rent$45K/yr#6th nationally →FloridaMedian pay$58KTake-home (after tax)$49KRent (2BR)$1,658/moLeft over after rent$29K/yr#23rd nationally →GeorgiaMedian pay$67KTake-home (after tax)$52KRent (2BR)$1,434/moLeft over after rent$35K/yr#17th nationally →IndianaMedian pay$77KTake-home (after tax)$60KRent (2BR)$1,144/moLeft over after rent$47K/yr#3rd nationally →KansasStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →MaineStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →MassachusettsMedian pay$79KTake-home (after tax)$60KRent (2BR)$2,347/moLeft over after rent$32K/yr#20th nationally →MinnesotaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →New JerseyMedian pay$123KTake-home (after tax)$89KRent (2BR)$2,067/moLeft over after rent$64K/yr#1st nationally →North CarolinaMedian pay$63KTake-home (after tax)$50KRent (2BR)$1,284/moLeft over after rent$35K/yr#18th nationally →North DakotaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →OklahomaMedian pay$54KTake-home (after tax)$44KRent (2BR)$1,081/moLeft over after rent$31K/yr#22nd nationally →PennsylvaniaMedian pay$61KTake-home (after tax)$49KRent (2BR)$1,351/moLeft over after rent$33K/yr#19th nationally →South DakotaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →TexasMedian pay$66KTake-home (after tax)$55KRent (2BR)$1,415/moLeft over after rent$38K/yr#11th nationally →WyomingStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →ConnecticutMedian pay$77KTake-home (after tax)$59KRent (2BR)$1,679/moLeft over after rent$39K/yr#10th nationally →MissouriMedian pay$62KTake-home (after tax)$49KRent (2BR)$1,097/moLeft over after rent$36K/yr#15th nationally →West VirginiaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →IllinoisMedian pay$49KTake-home (after tax)$39KRent (2BR)$1,407/moLeft over after rent$22K/yr#29th nationally →New MexicoStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →ArkansasStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →CaliforniaMedian pay$93KTake-home (after tax)$69KRent (2BR)$2,471/moLeft over after rent$39K/yr#9th nationally →DelawareStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →District of ColumbiaMedian pay$84KTake-home (after tax)$63KRent (2BR)$2,146/moLeft over after rent$37K/yr#12th nationally →HawaiiMedian pay$75KTake-home (after tax)$56KRent (2BR)$2,240/moLeft over after rent$29K/yr#24th nationally →IowaMedian pay$62KTake-home (after tax)$49KRent (2BR)$1,064/moLeft over after rent$36K/yr#13th nationally →KentuckyStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →MarylandMedian pay$64KTake-home (after tax)$51KRent (2BR)$1,795/moLeft over after rent$29K/yr#25th nationally →MichiganMedian pay$59KTake-home (after tax)$47KRent (2BR)$1,272/moLeft over after rent$32K/yr#21st nationally →MississippiMedian pay$62KTake-home (after tax)$49KRent (2BR)$1,077/moLeft over after rent$36K/yr#14th nationally →MontanaMedian pay$52KTake-home (after tax)$42KRent (2BR)$1,129/moLeft over after rent$28K/yr#26th nationally →New HampshireStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →New YorkMedian pay$83KTake-home (after tax)$63KRent (2BR)$1,917/moLeft over after rent$40K/yr#7th nationally →OhioMedian pay$61KTake-home (after tax)$50KRent (2BR)$1,188/moLeft over after rent$36K/yr#16th nationally →OregonMedian pay$61KTake-home (after tax)$46KRent (2BR)$1,555/moLeft over after rent$27K/yr#27th nationally →TennesseeMedian pay$80KTake-home (after tax)$64KRent (2BR)$1,215/moLeft over after rent$50K/yr#2nd nationally →UtahMedian pay$83KTake-home (after tax)$63KRent (2BR)$1,350/moLeft over after rent$46K/yr#4th nationally →VirginiaMedian pay$59KTake-home (after tax)$47KRent (2BR)$1,646/moLeft over after rent$27K/yr#28th nationally →WashingtonMedian pay$75KTake-home (after tax)$61KRent (2BR)$1,830/moLeft over after rent$39K/yr#8th nationally →WisconsinMedian pay$79KTake-home (after tax)$61KRent (2BR)$1,202/moLeft over after rent$46K/yr#5th nationally →NebraskaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →South CarolinaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →IdahoStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →NevadaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →VermontStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →LouisianaStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →Rhode IslandStatusAwaiting dataView state profile →Annual $ left after rent ($K)$21K$36K (median)$64KSource: BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, federal + state tax brackets · AffordMap.com
View map data as a table
StateMedian (nominal)Rent/mo (2BR)Left after rent
New Jersey$123K$2,067$64K
Tennessee$80K$1,215$50K
Indiana$77K$1,144$47K
Utah$83K$1,350$46K
Wisconsin$79K$1,202$46K
Colorado$88K$1,832$45K
New York$83K$1,917$40K
Washington$75K$1,830$39K
California$93K$2,471$39K
Connecticut$77K$1,679$39K
Texas$66K$1,415$38K
District of Columbia$84K$2,146$37K
Iowa$62K$1,064$36K
Mississippi$62K$1,077$36K
Missouri$62K$1,097$36K
Ohio$61K$1,188$36K
Georgia$67K$1,434$35K
North Carolina$63K$1,284$35K
Pennsylvania$61K$1,351$33K
Massachusetts$79K$2,347$32K
Michigan$59K$1,272$32K
Oklahoma$54K$1,081$31K
Florida$58K$1,658$29K
Hawaii$75K$2,240$29K
Maryland$64K$1,795$29K
Montana$52K$1,129$28K
Oregon$61K$1,555$27K
Virginia$59K$1,646$27K
Illinois$49K$1,407$22K
Alabama$42K$1,085$21K

Music Directors and Composers salary by state

StateMedianHourlyEmployment
New Jersey$123K$59.02/hr210
California$93K$44.76/hr2,510
Colorado$88K$42.53/hr160
District of Columbia$84K$40.41/hr140
New York$83K$39.87/hr2,370
Utah$83K$39.7/hr150
Tennessee$80K$38.29/hr400
Wisconsin$79K$37.83/hr200
Massachusetts$79K$37.8/hr340
Indiana$77K$37.15/hr200
Connecticut$77K$37.06/hr120
Washington$75K$36.09/hr260
Hawaii$75K$35.85/hr90
Georgia$67K$32.26/hr,
Texas$66K$31.53/hr480
Maryland$64K$30.91/hr160
North Carolina$63K$30.47/hr200
Mississippi$62K$29.92/hr40
Iowa$62K$29.68/hr120
Missouri$62K$29.65/hr60
Ohio$61K$29.51/hr440
Pennsylvania$61K$29.41/hr580
Oregon$61K$29.23/hr500
Michigan$59K$28.56/hr310
Virginia$59K$28.39/hr370
Florida$58K$27.81/hr570
Oklahoma$54K$26.08/hr60
Montana$52K$24.77/hr110
Illinois$49K$23.69/hr,
Alabama$42K$20.31/hr70
123

Showing 1–10 of 30 states with published data

BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small

Top paying metro areas

Metro areaMedianEmployment
Syracuse, NY$140K120
Trenton-Princeton, NJ$115K30
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$113K320
Colorado Springs, CO$105K40
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$98K1,520
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$95K110
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$93K1,280
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN$85K310
Rochester, NY$84K180
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV$83K,
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT$83K100
Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN$82K90
Madison, WI$80K70
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$79K260
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$79K320
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$77K130
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$75K190
Cleveland, OH$74K100
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$74K170
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA$74K40
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT$72K40
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ$72K40
Lancaster, PA$71K40
Urban Honolulu, HI$69K70
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC$68K40
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$67K160
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$65K60
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA$64K,
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD$64K110
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA$64K150
How to become a music directors and composerCareer guide →