Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $115,400/year ($55.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $199K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $111,843 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,950/month, or 27.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $115K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Trenton-Princeton sits well above the national pay line for music directors and composers, local pay runs about 57% higher than the U.S. median of $74K. Rent runs $1,950/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 27.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) 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 Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $98K | $87K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $61K | $60K |
| Rochester | $84K | $87K |
| Syracuse | $140K | $146K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $115K. Top earners bring in $199K or more, a $134K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
Yes — at the median salary of $115K, rent takes 27.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for music directors and composers in Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,927/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 50% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay is 57% above the national median — $115K here vs. $74K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Trenton-Princeton pays $115K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +57%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $112K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $115,400 a year, that works out to about $55 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,450, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $198,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $115K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,029/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 27.7% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $111,843 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.