Occupation salary profile

Music Directors and Composers

SOC 27-2041 BLS OEWS May 2025 H-1B LCAs, last 12 months

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.

National median · BLS
$73,710
▲ +15.77% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
$53,123
▼ -10.49% YoY · 35 LCAs
Average salary · BLS
$90,470
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
12,540
Jobs (BLS)
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Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Music Directors and Composers

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation; H-1B covers 35 certified Labor Condition Applications filed by sponsoring employers in the last 12 months.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS) H-1B sponsored
10th — entry pay$39,880$45,304
25th$53,110$47,520
Median (50th)$73,710$53,123
75th$104,090$66,040
90th — top pay$165,760$75,280
H-1B sponsors pay a median of $53,123 for Music Directors and Composers — 27.9% below the BLS national median of $73,710.

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

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Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Music Directors and Composers

BLS projects employment of music directors and composers to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 4,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
51,100 → 51,700
+600 jobs
Projected change
+1.2%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
4,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Plus less than 5 years experience
Self-employed
24.7% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 4)
Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a bachelor's degree →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

H-1B sponsored pay

Pay by H-1B wage level

Employers assign every H-1B filing a Department of Labor prevailing-wage level, from Level I (entry) to Level IV (fully competent). Pay rises steeply with level.

H-1B median $53,123
Change vs prior year -10.49%
After inflation (CPI-U) -13.21%
Wage level LCAs Share P25 Median P75
Level I 17 48.6% $47,040 $49,500 $52,000
Level II 16 45.7% $51,371 $63,640 $73,950
Skills & tools

Skills needed for Music Directors and Composers

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening3.9
  • Speaking3.6
  • Critical Thinking3.5
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.5
  • Reading Comprehension3.5
  • Active Learning3.4
  • Coordination3.4
  • Writing3.4
  • Monitoring3.3
  • Persuasion3.3
Top knowledge areas
  • Fine Arts4.7
  • English Language3.8
  • Education and Training3.5
  • Computers and Electronics3.4
  • Customer and Personal Service3.1
  • Philosophy and Theology3.1
  • Administrative2.9
  • Communications and Media2.9
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordAnvil StudioApple Final Cut ProApple MainStageArobas Music Guitar ProArpege Music PizzicatoAudacityAudio Chaos Soundscape GeneratorAudiverisAvid Pro ToolsAvid Technology SibeliusAzemus FSBasic Music ComposerCakewalk SONAR

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What music directors and composers do

  • Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
  • Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
  • Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
  • Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
  • Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.
  • Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.
  • Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
  • Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.
Also called
Choir DirectorConductorMusic ComposerMusic DirectorArrangerComposerMusic ProducerOrchestra DirectorSongwriter
More job titles for this occupation (36)
Artistic DirectorBand DirectorBand LeaderBand MasterChildren's Choir DirectorChoir LeaderChoirmasterChoral Activities DirectorChoral DirectorChorus MasterConceptorDigital ComposerFilm ComposerHandbell Choir DirectorHigh School Band DirectorJingle WriterLeadership DirectorLiturgical Music DirectorMaestroMarching Band DirectorMiddle School Band DirectorMusic AdapterMusic ArrangerMusic Arts DirectorMusic ManagerMusic MinisterMusic Ministries DirectorMusic OrchestratorMusic PastorMusic SupervisorMusic WriterMusical DirectorOrchestra ConductorOrchestra LeaderOrchestratorScore Composer

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.