The median annual wage for Music Directors and Composers in California is $74,760 (May 2024 BLS OES). The mean (average) is $98,460.
Pay spans roughly $41,790 at the 10th percentile to $179,160 at the 90th, so experience and specialisation move this figure a lot. At the median that is about $35.94 per hour. An estimated 2,410 people work as music directors and composers in California.
| Median (annual) | $74,760 |
| Mean (annual) | $98,460 |
| Median (hourly) | $35.94 |
| 10th percentile | $41,790 |
| 90th percentile | $179,160 |
| Employment | 2,410 |
Updated 2026-07-23.
Source: BLS OES May 2024 — bls.gov/oes. Checked 2026-07-23.