Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Oklahoma is $54,250/year ($26.08/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $168K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $88K, 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 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $62,028 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,081/month, about 30.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Oklahoma. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $54K get you in Oklahoma?
About music directors and composers
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What this looks like in Oklahoma
Pay for music directors and composers in Oklahoma runs about 26% below the U.S. median of $74K. Rent runs $1,081/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.8% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $168K or more, a $138K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track music directors and composers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Oklahoma numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Oklahoma?
Yes — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 29.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for music directors and composers in Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,772/month. At HUD’s $1,081/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Oklahoma?
Local pay runs 26% below the national median — $54K here vs. $74K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Oklahoma pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s -26%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — below the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Oklahoma?
The median is $54,250 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,540, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $167,740. The mean (average) is $88,420, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,628/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 29.8% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $62,028 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.