Composer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level composer earnings begin at:

$41.86 per hour

$87,069 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level composer earnings begin at:

$33.76 per hour

$70,217 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level composer earnings begin at:

$26.58 per hour

$55,290 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level composer earnings begin at:

$20.93 per hour

$43,536 per year

10th percentile

Starting level composer earnings begin at:

$16.88 per hour

$35,110 per year

Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.

Composer salary by state

State Name Average Salary
Minnesota $72,630
Georgia $64,700
New Jersey $64,240
Washington $60,380
Texas $58,340
District of Columbia $57,450
Wisconsin $57,240
Rhode Island $56,980
New Hampshire $55,690
Kansas $55,290
Vermont $55,160
Virginia $55,090
Massachusetts $55,000
Florida $53,260
South Carolina $53,150
New York $53,020
Iowa $51,940
Mississippi $51,790
California $51,610
Connecticut $50,280
Missouri $49,280
Arkansas $49,110
Maryland $48,830
Kentucky $47,673
Indiana $46,900
Louisiana $46,420
Hawaii $45,760
Alabama $45,480
Michigan $45,100
Arizona $44,750
Nebraska $44,240
Oregon $44,040
Utah $43,440
Tennessee $43,260
Ohio $42,290
Colorado $41,780
Pennsylvania $40,630
Illinois $39,466
North Carolina $39,180
New Mexico $36,310
Oklahoma $34,080
Idaho $33,730
Montana $19,180

How do composer salaries compare to similar careers?

Composers earn 6% more than similar careers in Kansas. On average, they make less than music teachers but more than singers.

Career Median Salary
Music teacher salary $65K
Composer salary $55K
Talent director salary $47K
Conductor salary $51K
Musician salary $35K
Singer salary $35K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)