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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

27-2041 Music Directors and Composers

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.


National estimates for Music Directors and Composers
Industry profile for Music Directors and Composers
Geographic profile for Music Directors and Composers

National estimates for Music Directors and Composers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Music Directors and Composers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
11,690 4.8 % $ 45.88 $ 95,430 9.2 %

Percentile wage estimates for Music Directors and Composers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 15.26 $ 21.66 $ 30.26 $ 47.21 $ 79.69
Annual Wage (2) $ 31,750 $ 45,050 $ 62,940 $ 98,200 $ 165,760


Industry profile for Music Directors and Composers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Music Directors and Composers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Music Directors and Composers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Music Directors and Composers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Performing Arts Companies 3,730 3.09 $ 41.22 $ 85,730
Religious Organizations 3,720 1.97 $ 37.14 $ 77,260
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 930 1.50 (8) (8)
Elementary and Secondary Schools 820 0.01 $ 32.69 $ 68,000
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 590 0.02 $ 30.99 $ 64,460

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Music Directors and Composers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Performing Arts Companies 3,730 3.09 $ 41.22 $ 85,730
Sound Recording Industries 440 2.21 $ 39.25 $ 81,640
Religious Organizations 3,720 1.97 $ 37.14 $ 77,260
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers 930 1.50 (8) (8)
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 140 0.10 $ 44.14 $ 91,820

Top paying industries for Music Directors and Composers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures (8) (8) $ 48.84 $ 101,590
Motion Picture and Video Industries 360 0.09 $ 46.40 $ 96,510
Employment Services (8) (8) $ 45.27 $ 94,170
Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events 140 0.10 $ 44.14 $ 91,820
Performing Arts Companies 3,730 3.09 $ 41.22 $ 85,730


Geographic profile for Music Directors and Composers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Music Directors and Composers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Music Directors and Composers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of music directors and composers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Music Directors and Composers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 2,250 0.13 1.61 $ 47.20 $ 98,170
New York 2,030 0.22 2.82 (8) (8)
Florida 880 0.10 1.21 $ 33.73 $ 70,160
Pennsylvania 600 0.10 1.30 $ 26.86 $ 55,870
Tennessee 560 0.18 2.27 $ 36.41 $ 75,730


Map of location quotient of music directors and composers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Music Directors and Composers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii 260 0.44 5.62 $ 34.57 $ 71,900
Rhode Island 170 0.36 4.50 (8) (8)
New York 2,030 0.22 2.82 (8) (8)
Montana 110 0.22 2.77 (8) (8)
Tennessee 560 0.18 2.27 $ 36.41 $ 75,730


Map of annual mean wages of music directors and composers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Music Directors and Composers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 90 0.13 1.68 $ 63.30 $ 131,670
Massachusetts 240 0.07 0.87 $ 52.32 $ 108,820
Connecticut 280 0.17 2.16 $ 47.60 $ 99,000
California 2,250 0.13 1.61 $ 47.20 $ 98,170
Texas 290 0.02 0.28 $ 43.13 $ 89,710



Map of employment of music directors and composers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Music Directors and Composers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,390 0.23 2.89 $ 49.66 $ 103,290
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 1,360 0.15 1.87 (8) (8)
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 470 0.46 5.76 $ 37.15 $ 77,270
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 350 0.13 1.70 $ 37.30 $ 77,580
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 230 0.08 1.06 $ 29.09 $ 60,510
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 220 0.05 0.63 $ 27.59 $ 57,380
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 210 0.09 1.13 $ 52.43 $ 109,050
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 210 0.07 0.87 $ 46.03 $ 95,740
Urban Honolulu, HI 200 0.48 6.12 $ 33.51 $ 69,700
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 180 0.07 0.86 $ 52.61 $ 109,430


Map of location quotient of music directors and composers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Music Directors and Composers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Bend-Redmond, OR 50 0.60 7.56 $ 25.38 $ 52,780
Syracuse, NY 150 0.51 6.47 (8) (8)
Urban Honolulu, HI 200 0.48 6.12 $ 33.51 $ 69,700
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN 470 0.46 5.76 $ 37.15 $ 77,270
Rochester, NY 180 0.38 4.79 $ 29.91 $ 62,220
Providence-Warwick, RI-MA 170 0.30 3.74 (8) (8)
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,390 0.23 2.89 $ 49.66 $ 103,290
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 90 0.22 2.77 $ 35.97 $ 74,810
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 80 0.19 2.42 $ 50.77 $ 105,600
Trenton, NJ 50 0.19 2.41 $ 41.84 $ 87,030


Map of annual mean wages of music directors and composers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Music Directors and Composers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 180 0.07 0.86 $ 52.61 $ 109,430
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 210 0.09 1.13 $ 52.43 $ 109,050
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 80 0.19 2.42 $ 50.77 $ 105,600
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 1,390 0.23 2.89 $ 49.66 $ 103,290
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 70 0.06 0.75 $ 49.37 $ 102,690
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT 100 0.18 2.24 $ 46.15 $ 95,990
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 210 0.07 0.87 $ 46.03 $ 95,740
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 50 0.02 0.20 $ 44.97 $ 93,530
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 70 0.02 0.23 $ 44.62 $ 92,820
Richmond, VA 40 0.07 0.88 $ 44.06 $ 91,640

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Music Directors and Composers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 50 0.36 4.50 (8) (8)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 40 0.43 5.50 $ 41.39 $ 86,100
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 40 0.11 1.44 $ 42.14 $ 87,650

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Music Directors and Composers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 40 0.43 5.50 $ 41.39 $ 86,100
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 50 0.36 4.50 (8) (8)
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 40 0.11 1.44 $ 42.14 $ 87,650

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Music Directors and Composers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 40 0.11 1.44 $ 42.14 $ 87,650
Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area 40 0.43 5.50 $ 41.39 $ 86,100
Coast Oregon nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 37.31 $ 77,600
Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $ 19.33 $ 40,200


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023