Composer earnings by seniority

90th percentile

Top-level composer earnings begin at:

$39.48 per hour

$82,120 per year

75th percentile

Senior-level composer earnings begin at:

$33.62 per hour

$69,940 per year

50th percentile

Mid-level composer earnings begin at:

$28.05 per hour

$58,340 per year

25th percentile

Junior-level composer earnings begin at:

$23.19 per hour

$48,230 per year

10th percentile

Starting level composer earnings begin at:

$17.69 per hour

$36,790 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 7% less than similar careers in Texas. On average, they make less than musicians but more than piano tuners.

Career Median Salary
Musician salary $67K
Talent agent salary $70K
Talent director salary $62K
Singer salary $50K
Music artist salary $50K
Conductor salary $58K
Composer salary $58K
Audio engineer salary $47K
Music therapist salary $43K
Piano tuner salary $37K

Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)