Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Cleveland, OH is $74,370/year ($35.75/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $79,184 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,279/month, or 26.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). 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 Cleveland
Music directors and composers pay in Cleveland tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,279/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for music directors and composers in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $63K | $66K |
| Columbus | $58K | $61K |
| Akron | $52K | $55K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $64K | $69K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $109K 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 with published data
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 Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 25.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for music directors and composers in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,910/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Cleveland?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Cleveland pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $74,370 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,500, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $157,960. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,946/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 25.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a music directors and composers salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (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 $79,184 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.