Music Directors and Composers
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed
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.
Median pay: $73,710/yr (U.S. national, May 2025)
Typical range nationwide (10th–90th percentile). This is a population snapshot, not a personal prediction - actual pay varies by location, employer, and experience.
Job outlook: -0.3% projected growth, 2024–2034 — declining.
About 4,300 openings per year, on average, over the decade.
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS and Employment Projections.
• 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.
What's the median pay for Music Directors and Composers?
The median pay for Music Directors and Composers is $73,710 per year, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
What's the job outlook for Music Directors and Composers?
Employment for Music Directors and Composers is projected to change -0.3% from 2024 to 2034 - declining.
What education is typically required for Music Directors and Composers?
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
How many job openings are there each year for Music Directors and Composers?
About 4,300 openings per year, on average, over the decade.