Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT is $71,850/year ($34.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $340K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $115K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.75), that's roughly $69,927 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,865/month, about 39.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $72K get you in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford’s Regional Price Parity (102.75). 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford
Music directors and composers pay in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford tracks closely to the national median, $72K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,865/month, which is 40.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.75) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for music directors and composers in metros near Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $98K | $87K |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $79K | $73K |
| Rochester | $84K | $87K |
| Providence-Warwick | $64K | $63K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $72K. Top earners bring in $340K or more, a $292K 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $72K, rent takes 40.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,865/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,918/month. At HUD’s $1,865/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $72K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford pays $72K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.75), the purchasing-power equivalent is $70K — below the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT?
The median is $71,850 a year, that works out to about $35 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,640, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $340,380. The mean (average) is $115,300, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $72K enough to live in Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,619/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,865/month, which eats 40.4% 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 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford?
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford has a Regional Price Parity of 102.75 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median music directors and composers salary is worth about $69,927 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.