Composer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level composer earnings begin at:

$67.96 per hour

$141,367 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level composer earnings begin at:

$40.61 per hour

$84,475 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level composer earnings begin at:

$22.92 per hour

$47,673 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level composer earnings begin at:

$12.93 per hour

$26,904 per year

10th percentile

Starting level composer earnings begin at:

$7.73 per hour

$16,077 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 19% more than similar careers in Kentucky. On average, they make more than music therapists.

Career Median Salary
Composer salary $48K
Audio engineer salary $53K
Talent director salary $51K
Conductor salary $41K
Music therapist salary $44K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)