Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Lancaster, PA is $71,100/year ($34.18/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $147K for experienced workers.
So what does $71K get you in Lancaster?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lancaster’s Regional Price Parity (98.3). 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 Lancaster
Music directors and composers pay in Lancaster tracks closely to the national median, $71K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 4% difference. Rent runs $1,526/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.3) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Lancaster, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $61K | , |
| Pittsburgh | $58K | , |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $72K | , |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $74K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lancaster, PA
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $71K. Top earners bring in $147K or more, a $107K 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 Lancaster numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lancaster?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $71K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,526/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 Lancaster?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,389/month. At HUD’s $1,526/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 Lancaster?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $71K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Lancaster compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Lancaster pays $71K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Lancaster, PA?
The median is $71,100 a year, that works out to about $34 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,810, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $146,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $71K enough to live in Lancaster?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,685/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,526/month, which eats 32.6% 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 Lancaster?
Lancaster has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median music directors and composers salary is worth about $72,330 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.