Music Directors and Composers Salary
The median pay for a music directors and composers in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is $78,760/year ($37.87/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $43K at the entry level to $144K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $72,337 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 43.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $79K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Music directors and composers pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria 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 $2,246/month, which is 45% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $64K | $62K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $55K | $56K |
| Richmond | $58K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level music directors and composers (10th percentile) start around $43K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $144K or more, a $101K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a music directors and composer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 45% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new music directors and composers typically earn — is $43K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,575/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 87% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $79K locally vs. $74K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for music directors and composers?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $74K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — below the national median.
How much do music directors and composers make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $78,760 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,910, and experienced music directors and composers can clear $144,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,995/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 45% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $72,337 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.