Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Binghamton, NY is $40,500/year ($19.47/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $107K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $66K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.86), which stretches that salary to about $43,614 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,103/month, about 39.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $41K get you in Binghamton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Binghamton’s Regional Price Parity (92.86). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About music directors and composers
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What this looks like in Binghamton
Pay for music directors and composers in Binghamton runs about 45% below the U.S. median of $74K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,103/month, which is 40.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for music directors and composerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for music directors and composers in metros near Binghamton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $98K | $87K |
| Rochester | $84K | $87K |
| Syracuse | $140K | $146K |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh | $62K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Binghamton, NY
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $107K or more, a $73K spread from bottom to top.
Music Directors and Composers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Music Directors and Composers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $123K | +67% | 210 |
| California | $93K | +26% | 2,510 |
| Colorado | $88K | +20% | 160 |
| District of Columbia | $84K | +14% | 140 |
| New York | $83K | +13% | 2,370 |
| Utah | $83K | +12% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $80K | +8% | 400 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | +7% | 200 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +7% | 340 |
| Indiana | $77K | +5% | 200 |
| Connecticut | $77K | +5% | 120 |
| Washington | $75K | +2% | 260 |
| Hawaii | $75K | +1% | 90 |
| Georgia | $67K | -9% | N/A |
| Texas | $66K | -11% | 480 |
| Maryland | $64K | -13% | 160 |
| North Carolina | $63K | -14% | 200 |
| Mississippi | $62K | -16% | 40 |
| Iowa | $62K | -16% | 120 |
| Missouri | $62K | -16% | 60 |
| Ohio | $61K | -17% | 440 |
| Pennsylvania | $61K | -17% | 580 |
| Oregon | $61K | -18% | 500 |
| Michigan | $59K | -19% | 310 |
| Virginia | $59K | -20% | 370 |
| Florida | $58K | -22% | 570 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -26% | 60 |
| Montana | $52K | -30% | 110 |
| Illinois | $49K | -33% | N/A |
| Alabama | $42K | -43% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 30 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track music directors and composers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Binghamton numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Binghamton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 40.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,103/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for music directors and composers in Binghamton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,075/month. At HUD’s $1,103/month FMR, rent would take 53% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is music directors and composer a high-paying job in Binghamton?
Local pay runs 45% below the national median — $41K here vs. $74K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Binghamton compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Binghamton pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -45%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — below the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Binghamton, NY?
The median is $40,500 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,580, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $107,120. The mean (average) is $66,130, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Binghamton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,746/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,103/month, which eats 40.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a music directors and composers salary go in Binghamton?
Binghamton has a Regional Price Parity of 92.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median music directors and composers salary is worth about $43,614 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do music directors and composers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.