Music careers are often chosen much less as a result of they’re a straightforward highway to monetary success and extra due to ardour. Whereas few will make it as the following large pop star, there are nonetheless loads of different alternatives that require music abilities. Luckily, there are many well-paying jobs within the music business.
To assemble this checklist, we checked out common salaries and the necessities mandatory to reach many alternative music-related fields, from cowl bands to music attorneys. Among the jobs listed right here may be carried out by somebody who’s self-taught however extremely expert in a particular instrument or different space. Others require apprenticeships or superior levels.
Share this checklist with highschool college students as they contemplate their future careers, and guarantee them that their love of music can translate right into a profitable profession.
*Be aware: Most wage data is from Certainly.com and ZipRecruiter.com and represents the common annual or hourly wage for every job in March 2025 in the US.
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Music Careers in Efficiency
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1. Session Musician
Whereas typically known as a session musician, this job may also be known as a backing musician or studio musician. These persons are usually employed for one-time, particular tasks and usually are not a part of a proper band. Session musicians could also be employed to play a particular instrument or present backing vocals.
Common Wage: $52,774
Schooling/Coaching: Musical expertise, formal or self-taught music schooling
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2. Band Chief
A band chief has many duties, together with selecting set lists and preparations and main rehearsals and performances. They could even be chargeable for managing the enterprise facet of issues as properly.
Common Wage: $57,114
Schooling/Coaching: Musical expertise, formal or self-taught music schooling
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3. Conductor
A music conductor is chargeable for directing choirs or orchestras throughout each rehearsals and performances. They have to unify the musicians whereas persistently setting the tempo of the music and controlling the interpretation of the piece.
Common Wage: $49,395
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in music, grasp’s diploma in conducting, music idea, or composition
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4. Cowl Band Musician
There may be quite a lot of demand for canopy or tribute bands, so deciding to go this route is a certain solution to get the gig. You’ll be able to carry out at concert events, weddings, and plenty of different features.
Common Wage: $40,000
Schooling/Coaching: Musical expertise, formal or self-taught music schooling
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5. DJ
A disc jockey, also called a DJ, usually entertains for audiences by enjoying recorded music at varied features. Additionally they work together with the viewers, together with asserting the bridal occasion at weddings.
Common Wage: Hourly charge of $50 to $500
Schooling/Coaching: Musical expertise, formal or self-taught music schooling
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6. Accompanist
An accompanist is an ideal job for somebody with a background in piano enjoying, although there could also be a necessity for vocalists as properly.
Common Wage: $40,000
Schooling/Coaching: Musical expertise, formal or self-taught music schooling
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7. Navy Musician
The armed forces make use of musicians who carry out a wide range of roles whereas serving within the army. These can embrace performing in marching bands, jazz bands, and the like. These musicians can also carry out at occasions corresponding to parades and funerals.
Common Wage: $53,000
Schooling/Coaching: Musical expertise, formal or self-taught music schooling
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8. Jingle Author
Somebody has to jot down all these catchy jingles you hear on commercials so why not you? Jingle writers focus on composing temporary musical items which can be utilized in promoting throughout totally different types of media.
Common Wage: $35 per hour
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in music or a powerful information of composition and/or varied musical genres
Music Careers in Manufacturing and Engineering
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9. Sound Engineer
A sound or audio engineer has a mastery of varied audio gear and software program that they use to assist produce music and sound for various media corresponding to music and movie. They assist to make sure the standard of the sound produced via equalization and dynamics processing.
Common Wage: $75,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in audio engineering or music know-how
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10. Instrument Technician
A musical instrument technician often focuses on a sure sort of instrument corresponding to string or brass. They’ll do a variety of issues together with making repairs and restoring devices. They’ll additionally provide recommendation about long-term care of the instrument.
Common Wage: $30 per hour
Schooling/Coaching: Expert in understanding and performance of instrument
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11. Copyist
A copyist performs an important position within the music subject by creating finalized sheet music that may be distributed to members of a musical ensemble. They’re chargeable for proofreading and organizing music that can be used both in a studio session or a dwell efficiency.
Common Wage: $40,000
Schooling/Coaching: Extremely expert within the space of musical notation and composition
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12. Studio Designer
A studio designer is hands-on in designing and constructing both entire studios or separate useful areas like isolation cubicles and management rooms. They want intensive information of acoustics, structure, audio recording, and the like.
Common Wage: $115,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in manufacturing, recording, structure, or acoustical science
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13. Assistant Engineer
An assistant engineer assists the lead engineer in no matter manner mandatory. Their duties might embrace adjusting microphones, making minor fixes to devices, shifting gear, and actually something that wants doing. It’s a extremely sought-after entry-level place that may be seen extra as an apprenticeship.
Common Wage: $60,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in audio engineering/music manufacturing
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14. Music Photographer
Phenomenal images abilities are essential to seize bands and different musicians, in addition to a eager understanding of lighting and taking pictures in a dynamic setting. You’ll additionally need to construct a portfolio and work in your networking in an effort to e-book jobs.
Common Wage: $44,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in images, although it’s not necessary
Music Careers in Enterprise
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15. Reserving Agent
A reserving agent will certainly need to community to determine a roster of musicians and musical acts. After you have purchasers, you’ll work with expertise consumers, live performance promoters, competition administrators, and others on reserving jobs.
Common Wage: $40,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in advertising and marketing, communications, or public relations
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16. Enterprise Supervisor
A enterprise administration agency or enterprise supervisor handles varied features of a musical act’s monetary and negotiation wants.
Common Wage: $80,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration
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17. Live performance Promoter
A live performance promoter is chargeable for organizing and planning dwell occasions by working with venues to e-book expertise. They’re additionally chargeable for selling the acts.
Common Wage: $45,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in enterprise administration, communications, advertising and marketing
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18. Leisure Legal professional
Musicians rent leisure attorneys to help them with authorized agreements. Additionally they negotiate varied contracts and producer agreements.
Common Wage: $120,000
Schooling/Coaching: Graduate regulation diploma
Careers in Music Schooling
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19. Music Trainer (Pre-Okay via Grade 12)
A music trainer for preschool via twelfth grade teaches college students about totally different features of music. Whereas they often train in a faculty setting, they might additionally work in group facilities or music academies.
Common Wage: $54,000
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in music schooling plus any certificates/licensing requirement to your state
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20. Music Therapist
A music therapist is a particular sort of counselor that works with people to help with psychological well being challenges via singing, enjoying devices, and listening to music.
Common Wage: $27 per hour
Schooling/Coaching: Bachelor’s diploma in music remedy in addition to required fieldwork
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