What This Job Pays: musicians, singers

March 5, 2006

What This Job Pays: musicians, singers

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Salary: Median hourly earnings of musicians and singers were $17.85 in 2004, the latest figures available from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most made from $9.68 to $53.59 an hour. Annual earnings data for musicians and singers were not available, because of the wide variation in the number of hours worked by musicians and singers and the short-term nature of many jobs, which may last for one day or one week; it is extremely rare for musicians and singers to have guaranteed employment that exceeds three to six months. Median annual pay of salaried music directors and composers was $34,570, with most making from $24,040 to $75,380.

Demand: Competition for jobs is keen; those who can play several instruments and perform a wide range of musical styles should enjoy the best job prospects.

Need to know: Part-time schedules and intermittent unemployment are common; many musicians supplement their income with earnings from other sources. Aspiring musicians usually begin studying an instrument or training their voices at an early age.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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