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Music Director / Composer

$73,710
median / year
$39,880 – $165,760
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Lead musical groups in rehearsal and performance, or compose and arrange original music.

You may also see this posted as: Choir Director, Conductor, Music Composer, Music Director, Arranger, Composer.

Where you work

Concert halls, studios, schools, and theaters

The hours

Evenings, weekends, project-based

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • 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.

Good fit if you like…

Artistic

creating, designing, performing, or working without a rigid script

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

InnovationLeadership OrientationSelf-ConfidenceIntellectual Curiosity

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordAnvil Studio

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$73,710
per year
Hourly median
$35.44
per hour
What most earn
$39,880–$165,760
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~4,300
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
-0.3%
Little change
Working in the U.S.
12,540
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 25.6% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree.

Related work experience: Less than 5 years.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

Find state licensesFind recognized certifications

What it takes

Music theoryConductingCompositionEar training

The honest take

Leads performances or writes original music, passion-driven work with flat demand and much freelance income.

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Standard Occupational Classification 27-2041. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.