The average wage for a composer in Virginia is around $27.48 per hour.
Avg Wage
Composers earn an average hourly wage of $27.48.
Salaries typically start from $17.74 per hour and go up to $76.46 per hour.
3% above national average Updated in 2021
Composer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level composer earnings begin at:
$76.46 per hour
$159,040 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level composer earnings begin at:
$37.33 per hour
$77,650 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level composer earnings begin at:
$27.48 per hour
$57,150 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level composer earnings begin at:
$18.68 per hour
$38,850 per year
10th percentile
Starting level composer earnings begin at:
$17.74 per hour
$36,900 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 about the same as related careers in Virginia. On average, they make less than music artists but more than music therapists.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music artist salary | $84K |
| Musician salary | $84K |
| Composer salary | $57K |
| Conductor salary | $57K |
| Casting director salary | $64K |
| Talent agent salary | $62K |
| Music therapist salary | $47K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)