The average salary for a conductor in the United States is around $73,710 per year.
Avg Salary
Conductors earn an average yearly salary of $73,710.
Wages typically start from $39,880 and go up to $165,760.
29% above national average Updated in 2025
Conductor earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level conductor earnings begin at:
$79.69 per hour
$165,760 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level conductor earnings begin at:
$50.04 per hour
$104,090 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level conductor earnings begin at:
$35.44 per hour
$73,710 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level conductor earnings begin at:
$25.53 per hour
$53,110 per year
10th percentile
Starting level conductor earnings begin at:
$19.17 per hour
$39,880 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Conductor 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 |
| Vermont | $55,160 |
| Oklahoma | $54,250 |
| South Carolina | $53,150 |
| Montana | $51,530 |
| Kansas | $51,250 |
| Illinois | $49,270 |
| Arkansas | $49,110 |
| Louisiana | $46,420 |
| Arizona | $44,750 |
| Nebraska | $44,240 |
| Alabama | $42,250 |
| Kentucky | $41,290 |
| New Mexico | $36,310 |
| Idaho | $33,730 |
| New Jersey | $122,750 |
How do conductor salaries compare to similar careers?
Conductors earn 9% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than music artists but more than choreographers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music artist salary | $99K |
| Musician salary | $99K |
| Actor salary | $60K |
| Talent director salary | $90K |
| Music teacher salary | $79K |
| Composer salary | $74K |
| Conductor salary | $74K |
| Audio engineer salary | $73K |
| Announcer salary | $47K |
| Choreographer salary | $55K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)