The salary statistics of music directors and composers in the industry sector of arts, entertainment, and recreation are shown in Table 1. In Table 2 we compare music director and composers salaries in different industries within the arts, entertainment, and recreation sector.
| Percentile Bracket | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th Percentile Wage | $19,720 |
| 25th Percentile Wage | $34,240 |
| 50th Percentile Wage | $54,660 |
| 75th Percentile Wage | $79,520 |
| 90th Percentile Wage | $141,540 |
Table 1 shows the average annual salary for music directors and composers in the industry sector of arts, entertainment, and recreation. The salaries are shown in 5 percentile scales. The average annual salary for the 90th percentile (the top 10 percent of the highest paid) music directors and composers is $141,540. The median annual salary (50th percentile) is $54,660. The average annual salary for the bottom 10 percent paid music directors and composers is $19,720.
The table and chart below show the trend of the median salary of music directors and composers in the industry sector of arts, entertainment, and recreation from 2012 to 2018.
| Year | Median Salary | Yearly Growth | 6-Year Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | $54,660 | 0.09% | 0.80% |
| 2017 | $54,610 | -4.60% | - |
| 2016 | $57,120 | 4.46% | - |
| 2015 | $54,570 | -0.84% | - |
| 2014 | $55,030 | 0.00% | - |
| 2013 | $55,030 | 1.47% | - |
| 2012 | $54,220 | - | - |
Data source: The national compensation survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2018 and published in April 2019 [1].