Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Utah is $82,570/year ($39.7/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $65K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.54), that's roughly $83,793 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,350/month, or 25.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Utah. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $83K get you in Utah?
About music directors and composers
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What this looks like in Utah
Utah sits well above the national pay line for music directors and composers, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $74K. Rent runs $1,350/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 25.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.54) 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, Utah
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $65K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $21K spread from bottom to top.
Music Directors and Composers salary by metro in Utah
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $83K | +0% | 100 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Utah numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Utah?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 25.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,350/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for music directors and composers in Utah?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $65K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,907/month. At HUD’s $1,350/month FMR, rent would take 35% 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 Utah?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $83K here vs. $74K nationally.
How does Utah compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Utah pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.54), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Utah?
The median is $82,570 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $65,110, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $86,410. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Utah?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,220/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,350/month, which eats 25.9% 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 Utah?
Utah has a Regional Price Parity of 98.54 (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 $83,793 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.