The average salary for a composer in California is around $93,090 per year.
Avg Salary
Composers earn an average yearly salary of $93,090.
Wages typically start from $48,600 and go up to $175,670.
34% above national average Updated in 2025
Composer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level composer earnings begin at:
$84.46 per hour
$175,670 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level composer earnings begin at:
$60.79 per hour
$126,430 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level composer earnings begin at:
$44.76 per hour
$93,090 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level composer earnings begin at:
$32.12 per hour
$66,810 per year
10th percentile
Starting level composer earnings begin at:
$23.37 per hour
$48,600 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Composer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $93,090 |
| Colorado | $88,460 |
| District of Columbia | $84,040 |
| New York | $82,930 |
| Utah | $82,570 |
| Tennessee | $79,640 |
| Wisconsin | $78,690 |
| Massachusetts | $78,620 |
| Indiana | $77,270 |
| Connecticut | $77,070 |
| Washington | $75,060 |
| Hawaii | $74,570 |
| Minnesota | $72,630 |
| Georgia | $67,100 |
| Texas | $65,570 |
| Maryland | $64,300 |
| North Carolina | $63,380 |
| Mississippi | $62,240 |
| Iowa | $61,740 |
| Missouri | $61,670 |
| Ohio | $61,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,160 |
| Oregon | $60,800 |
| Michigan | $59,400 |
| Virginia | $59,050 |
| Florida | $57,830 |
| Rhode Island | $56,980 |
| New Hampshire | $55,690 |
| Kansas | $55,290 |
| Vermont | $55,160 |
| Oklahoma | $54,250 |
| South Carolina | $53,150 |
| Montana | $51,530 |
| Illinois | $49,270 |
| Arkansas | $49,110 |
| Kentucky | $47,673 |
| Louisiana | $46,420 |
| Arizona | $44,750 |
| Nebraska | $44,240 |
| Alabama | $42,250 |
| New Mexico | $36,310 |
| Idaho | $33,730 |
| New Jersey | $122,750 |
How do composer salaries compare to similar careers?
Composers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than talent directors but more than piano tuners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Talent director salary | $130K |
| Singer salary | $91K |
| Music artist salary | $91K |
| Musician salary | $91K |
| Music teacher salary | $99K |
| Conductor salary | $93K |
| Composer salary | $93K |
| Music therapist salary | $98K |
| Audio engineer salary | $78K |
| Piano tuner salary | $48K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)