Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA is $74,270/year ($35.71/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $303K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $112K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Prices run high here (RPP 111.89), so that salary is closer to $66,378 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $3,001/month, about 61.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $74K get you in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad’s Regional Price Parity (111.89). 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad
Music directors and composers pay in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad tracks closely to the national median, $74K locally vs. $74K nationwide, a 1% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $3,001/month, which is 62.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 12% above the national average (BEA RPP 111.89), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for music directors and composers in metros near San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $93K | $82K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $113K | $98K |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $95K | $89K |
| Fresno | $47K | $46K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $303K or more, a $260K 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad numbers change.
Related careers in Arts & Media
Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 62.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $3,001/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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,578/month. At HUD’s $3,001/month FMR, rent would take 116% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $74K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 111.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — below the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA?
The median is $74,270 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,960, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $302,530. The mean (average) is $112,260, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,799/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $3,001/month, which eats 62.5% 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad?
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad has a Regional Price Parity of 111.89 (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 $66,378 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.