The average salary for a musician in California is around $91,166 per year.
Avg Salary
Musicians earn an average yearly salary of $91,166.
Wages typically start from $44,949 and go up to $257,150.
57% above national average Updated in 2025
Musician earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level musician earnings begin at:
$123.63 per hour
$257,150 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level musician earnings begin at:
$75.32 per hour
$156,666 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level musician earnings begin at:
$43.83 per hour
$91,166 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level musician earnings begin at:
$28.23 per hour
$58,718 per year
10th percentile
Starting level musician earnings begin at:
$21.61 per hour
$44,949 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Musician salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Montana | $97,427 |
| Washington | $96,824 |
| Colorado | $96,242 |
| New Mexico | $93,891 |
| California | $91,166 |
| Indiana | $83,034 |
| Missouri | $81,578 |
| Maryland | $81,058 |
| Massachusetts | $80,954 |
| Michigan | $76,190 |
| Wisconsin | $76,149 |
| Maine | $74,381 |
| Iowa | $74,152 |
| Texas | $69,867 |
| Ohio | $69,389 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,768 |
| Georgia | $65,541 |
| New York | $64,813 |
| District of Columbia | $64,272 |
| Kansas | $59,571 |
| New Jersey | $55,515 |
| Rhode Island | $54,288 |
| Arkansas | $52,320 |
| Alabama | $49,483 |
| Utah | $45,718 |
| Oregon | $45,406 |
| Vermont | $45,386 |
| Louisiana | $40,539 |
| South Carolina | $40,082 |
| Tennessee | $39,054 |
| Nebraska | $30,805 |
| Arizona | $27,040 |
| Nevada | $136,157 |
| North Carolina | $120,557 |
| Minnesota | $111,571 |
| Illinois | $110,490 |
| Hawaii | $109,387 |
| Connecticut | $105,560 |
| Virginia | $105,248 |
| Florida | $104,978 |
How do musician salaries compare to similar careers?
Musicians earn about the same as related careers in California. On average, they make less than talent directors but more than conductors.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Talent director salary | $130K |
| Singer salary | $91K |
| Music artist salary | $91K |
| Musician salary | $91K |
| Music teacher salary | $99K |
| Conductor salary | $93K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)