Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Massachusetts is $78,620/year ($37.8/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $150K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.09), that's roughly $78,549 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,347/month, about 45.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Massachusetts. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Massachusetts?
About music directors and composers
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What this looks like in Massachusetts
Music directors and composers pay in Massachusetts tracks closely to the national median, $79K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,347/month, which is 47.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.09) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Massachusetts
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $150K or more, a $99K spread from bottom to top.
Music Directors and Composers salary by metro in Massachusetts
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $79K | +0% | 260 |
Compare to other states
Track music directors and composers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Massachusetts numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Massachusetts?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 47.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,347/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Massachusetts?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,067/month. At HUD’s $2,347/month FMR, rent would take 77% 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 Massachusetts?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Massachusetts compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Massachusetts pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.09), the purchasing-power equivalent is $79K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Massachusetts?
The median is $78,620 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $51,120, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $150,380. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Massachusetts?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,980/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,347/month, which eats 47.1% 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 Massachusetts?
Massachusetts has a Regional Price Parity of 100.09 (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 $78,549 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.