Music Directors and Composers Job Outlook
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of music directors and composers to grow 1.2% from 2025 to 2035 (about 600 more jobs), with about 4,200 openings a year, and the May 2025 median pay of $73,710 a year ranks 292nd of 825 occupations.
- Projected change
- +1.2%
- Openings a year
- 4,200
- Median pay
- $73,710
- Pay rank
- 292nd of 825
Is employment of music directors and composers growing or shrinking?
Growing: BLS projects employment of music directors and composers to rise 1.2% (about 600 more jobs) from 2025 to 2035, slower than the 3.5% projected across all occupations. That is about the same as the +1.5% summed from BLS's employment levels across the 41 arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations with a projection. That change ranks 541st of 830 projected occupations.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Employment, 2025 | 51,100 |
| Employment, 2035 | 51,700 |
| Projected change | +1.2% |
| Openings a year | 4,200 |
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035. A projection is a BLS estimate, not a count. The 51,100 jobs here differ from the 12,540 on the salary page because Employment Projections also counts the self-employed and a wider set of workers, while OEWS counts wage and salary jobs in May 2025. BLS published these projections on August 27, 2026; checked November 10, 2026. Confirm any figure in the BLS Employment Projections tables.
BLS's reasons for this projection are at the Occupational Outlook Handbook. State projections are at Projections Central; projections by industry are left to BLS. Education, licensing and work context at O*NET.
How many job openings are there each year?
About 4,200 openings a year, from job growth and from workers leaving the occupation, the 411th most of 830 occupations. About 99% of them replace workers who change occupations or leave the labor force; the rest come from the 60 jobs added in an average year.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035.
How does pay for music directors and composers rank?
The median of $73,710 a year ranks 292nd of 825 occupations with a published median. It sits in the upper half of occupations on both pay and openings.
Source: BLS OEWS national file, May 2025. Wage and salary jobs only; the self-employed are not counted. OEWS pay excludes overtime, shift differentials and non-production bonuses. Ranks count only the occupations with that published figure: 830 for projected change, 830 for openings, 825 for median pay, which is why the totals differ.
What does it take to start?
- Typical entry-level education: bachelor's degree.
- Work experience in a related occupation: less than 5 years.
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035, education and training assignments.
How do related jobs compare on outlook?
| Occupation | Change | Openings a year | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Musicians and Singers | +0.3% | 17,400 | $47.80/hr |
| Choreographers | +3.1% | 600 | $55,310 |
| Producers and Directors | +4.0% | 12,100 | $90,360 |
| Writers and Authors | -0.3% | 11,900 | $76,910 |
| Art Directors | +4.2% | 12,200 | $114,850 |
| Film and Video Editors | +3.7% | 3,100 | $75,420 |
| Actors | 0% | 6,300 | $29.05/hr |
| Sound Engineering Technicians | -3.1% | 1,000 | $73,130 |
Related occupations from O*NET; projections from BLS Employment Projections, 2025 to 2035; pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.