Highest-paying cities for music directors and composers
Syracuse, NY leads at $140,230 a year. Pay is not adjusted for local prices; see each page for the cost-of-living view.
| Place | Median | 25th–75th |
|---|---|---|
| Syracuse, NY | $140,230 | $60,400–$140,230 |
| Trenton, NJ | $115,400 | $95,420–$173,540 |
| San Francisco, CA | $112,950 | $68,760–$166,090 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $104,690 | $59,890–$119,960 |
| New York, NY | $97,970 | $58,400–$165,760 |
| Sacramento, CA | $94,700 | $56,760–$104,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $93,090 | $76,040–$113,340 |
| Nashville, TN | $84,660 | $18,600–$102,140 |
| Rochester, NY | $84,130 | $57,600–$88,460 |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $82,570 | $81,510–$82,570 |
| Indianapolis, IN | $81,770 | $55,470–$127,800 |
| Madison, WI | $79,870 | $58,550–$103,290 |
| Boston, MA | $78,760 | $64,520–$107,910 |
| Washington, DC | $78,760 | $56,040–$124,790 |
| Dallas, TX | $76,700 | $53,720–$109,380 |
| Seattle, WA | $75,030 | $61,390–$95,880 |
| Cleveland, OH | $74,370 | $49,840–$88,190 |
| San Diego, CA | $74,270 | $67,100–$129,600 |
| Scranton, PA | $73,610 | $51,530–$109,380 |
| Hartford, CT | $71,850 | $56,180–$159,950 |
| Allentown, PA | $71,800 | $59,410–$81,050 |
| Lancaster, PA | $71,100 | $48,220–$93,020 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $69,330 | $63,220–$92,390 |
| Charlotte, NC | $67,590 | $52,950–$92,190 |
| Portland, OR | $66,800 | $45,510–$69,960 |
| Grand Rapids, MI | $65,190 | $43,710–$80,600 |
| Baltimore, MD | $64,300 | $50,570–$98,940 |
| Providence, RI | $64,250 | $44,840–$110,340 |
| Dayton, OH | $63,850 | $51,440–$82,200 |
| Houston, TX | $63,440 | $51,980–$83,400 |
| Cincinnati, OH | $63,290 | $49,360–$76,990 |
| Des Moines, IA | $61,740 | $51,570–$66,300 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | $61,670 | $56,590–$111,160 |
| St. Louis, MO | $61,670 | $48,030–$66,400 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $61,160 | $50,170–$81,980 |
| Miami, FL | $60,500 | $46,990–$75,830 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $60,000 | $47,740–$63,100 |
| Orlando, FL | $59,720 | $49,610–$72,950 |
| Raleigh, NC | $58,570 | $55,360–$71,220 |
| Columbus, OH | $58,490 | $50,060–$71,250 |
| Richmond, VA | $57,860 | $53,190–$100,380 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $57,650 | $42,540–$78,900 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | $55,130 | $48,140–$78,230 |
| Detroit, MI | $52,900 | $38,870–$73,320 |
| Akron, OH | $51,530 | $35,870–$56,440 |
| Tampa, FL | $49,150 | $37,850–$64,770 |
| Fresno, CA | $46,960 | $35,710–$63,540 |
| Binghamton, NY | $40,500 | $34,920–$68,250 |
Data period: BLS OEWS May 2025.