The average salary for a music teacher in California is around $99,410 per year.
Avg Salary
Music teachers earn an average yearly salary of $99,410.
Wages typically start from $60,420 and go up to $202,740.
41% above national average Updated in 2025
Vanderbilt University
Applied Behavior Analysis Online M.Ed.
Music teacher earnings by seniority
Top-level music teacher earnings begin at:
$97.47 per hour
$202,740 per year
Senior-level music teacher earnings begin at:
$68.78 per hour
$143,070 per year
Mid-level music teacher earnings begin at:
$47.79 per hour
$99,410 per year
Junior-level music teacher earnings begin at:
$36.04 per hour
$74,960 per year
Starting level music teacher earnings begin at:
$29.05 per hour
$60,420 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Music teacher salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $99,410 |
| New York | $98,850 |
| Vermont | $97,980 |
| Rhode Island | $97,580 |
| District of Columbia | $96,900 |
| Massachusetts | $85,820 |
| Maryland | $85,590 |
| Michigan | $82,990 |
| New Jersey | $80,100 |
| Georgia | $79,870 |
| Maine | $79,860 |
| New Hampshire | $79,090 |
| Louisiana | $78,710 |
| Connecticut | $78,600 |
| Montana | $78,420 |
| Ohio | $78,050 |
| Washington | $77,950 |
| Minnesota | $77,760 |
| Iowa | $77,740 |
| Texas | $77,560 |
| Wisconsin | $77,560 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,280 |
| Oregon | $76,770 |
| New Mexico | $76,240 |
| Indiana | $76,050 |
| Missouri | $75,960 |
| Nebraska | $75,200 |
| Virginia | $74,870 |
| North Carolina | $73,800 |
| West Virginia | $73,280 |
| Idaho | $72,300 |
| Arizona | $72,060 |
| Tennessee | $72,030 |
| Colorado | $70,060 |
| North Dakota | $67,190 |
| Utah | $66,220 |
| Kentucky | $64,440 |
| Florida | $63,820 |
| Alabama | $63,540 |
| South Dakota | $63,380 |
| Illinois | $62,960 |
| South Carolina | $62,420 |
| Oklahoma | $62,200 |
| Hawaii | $61,960 |
| Kansas | $61,260 |
| Arkansas | $60,650 |
| Mississippi | $60,580 |
| Wyoming | $59,190 |
| Nevada | $52,870 |
| Puerto Rico | $35,840 |
| Delaware | $103,320 |
How do music teacher salaries compare to similar careers?
Music teachers earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than school psychologists but more than composers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| School psychologist salary | $128K |
| Musician salary | $91K |
| Music artist salary | $91K |
| Singer salary | $91K |
| Physical education teacher salary | $128K |
| Music teacher salary | $99K |
| Professor salary | $112K |
| Distance learning coordinator salary | $100K |
| Conductor salary | $93K |
| Composer salary | $93K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)