The average wage for a composer in California is around $28.42 per hour.
Avg Wage
Composers earn an average hourly wage of $28.42.
Salaries typically start from $14.00 per hour and go up to $49.90 per hour.
15% below national average Updated in 2021
Composer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level composer earnings begin at:
$49.90 per hour
$103,790 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level composer earnings begin at:
$38.75 per hour
$80,600 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level composer earnings begin at:
$28.42 per hour
$59,110 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level composer earnings begin at:
$16.86 per hour
$35,070 per year
10th percentile
Starting level composer earnings begin at:
$14.00 per hour
$29,120 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Composer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $77,230 |
| Georgia | $77,000 |
| Hawaii | $76,940 |
| Idaho | $74,690 |
| Washington | $62,480 |
| District of Columbia | $62,290 |
| Texas | $62,070 |
| Florida | $60,750 |
| Arizona | $60,290 |
| California | $59,110 |
| South Carolina | $58,100 |
| Ohio | $57,500 |
| Virginia | $57,150 |
| Rhode Island | $56,980 |
| Mississippi | $56,460 |
| New Hampshire | $55,690 |
| Vermont | $55,160 |
| Maryland | $53,460 |
| Connecticut | $53,320 |
| Colorado | $51,710 |
| Minnesota | $50,040 |
| Missouri | $49,280 |
| Wisconsin | $49,200 |
| Arkansas | $49,110 |
| North Carolina | $49,090 |
| Iowa | $48,830 |
| New York | $48,790 |
| Michigan | $48,440 |
| Kentucky | $47,673 |
| Louisiana | $46,420 |
| Utah | $46,230 |
| Nebraska | $44,240 |
| Indiana | $43,880 |
| Pennsylvania | $43,700 |
| Tennessee | $43,260 |
| Kansas | $43,200 |
| Illinois | $38,430 |
| Oregon | $38,370 |
| Oklahoma | $37,660 |
| South Dakota | $30,690 |
| Alabama | $29,010 |
| Montana | $24,060 |
| New Mexico | $21,840 |
| New Jersey | $100,330 |
How do composer salaries compare to similar careers?
Composers earn 16% less than similar careers in California. On average, they make less than singers but more than piano tuners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Singer salary | $84K |
| Music artist salary | $84K |
| Musician salary | $84K |
| Audio engineer salary | $63K |
| Music therapist salary | $79K |
| Conductor salary | $59K |
| Composer salary | $59K |
| Piano tuner salary | $43K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)