Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.
National median · BLS
$99,424
▲ +12.6%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$125,757
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
36,180
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Musicians and Singers
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$42,328
25th
$57,346
Median (50th)
$99,424
75th
$156,686
90th — top pay
$275,725
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Musicians and Singers
BLS projects employment of musicians and singers to grow 0.3% from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 17,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
170,400 → 170,900
+600 jobs
Projected change
+0.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
17,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Long-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
47.8% 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.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Musicians and Singers salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Musicians and Singers
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
Speaking3.4
Active Listening3.3
Monitoring3.3
Reading Comprehension3.1
Social Perceptiveness3.1
Coordination3.0
Critical Thinking3.0
Service Orientation2.9
Time Management2.9
Active Learning2.8
Top knowledge areas
Fine Arts4.8
Education and Training2.9
English Language2.8
Administration and Management2.7
Customer and Personal Service2.5
Communications and Media2.5
Sociology and Anthropology2.2
Computers and Electronics2.2
Software and technology used
FacebookMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordSAP softwareAcoustica MixcraftApple GarageBandAppointment scheduling softwareAudacityAvid Technology Pro ToolsAvid Technology SibeliusBlogging softwareCantovation Sing & SeeEmail softwareFinancial tracking softwareInstagramiZotope OzoneMakeMusic Finale
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 musicians and singers do
Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
Practice performances, individually or in rehearsal with other musicians, to master individual pieces of music or to maintain and improve skills.
Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets.
Play from memory or by following scores.
Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.
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.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Musicians and Singers, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $99,424.
