Music Directors and Composers pay range in Baltimore
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $115,910 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Baltimore earn between $50,570 and $98,940.
- $48K10th
- $51K25th
- $64KMedian
- $99K75th
- $116K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $80,460 | $6,705 | $38.68 |
| Median | $64,300 | $5,358 | $30.91 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,570 | $4,214 | $24.31 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $98,940 | $8,245 | $47.57 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Baltimore vs. Maryland and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Baltimore earn about the same as the Maryland average ($80,120) and 11% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -13% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $80,460 | $64,300 | $48,450 | $115,910 | 110 |
| Maryland | $80,120 | $64,300 | $48,450 | $124,790 | 160 |
| United States | $90,470 | $73,710 | $39,880 | $165,760 | 12,540 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Music Directors and Composers salary after taxes in Baltimore
On the average salary of $80,460, a single filer in Baltimore takes home about $61,823 a year, or $5,152 a month and $2,378 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Is Baltimore a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Baltimore area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 104.5), so the average $80,460 buys what about $77,005 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Baltimore ($59,070). A typical home costs $405,877, or 5.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in nearby metro areas
- Lancaster, PA$81,330
- Washington, DC$89,970
- Philadelphia, PA$74,270
- Trenton, NJ$126,910
- Allentown, PA$75,820
- Richmond, VA$85,330
Highest-paying cities for music directors and composers
San Francisco, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($136,080).
- San Francisco, CA$136,080
- Las Vegas, NV$132,760
- Syracuse, NY$128,010
- Trenton, NJ$126,910
- New York, NY$120,330
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Music Directors and Composers salary in Baltimore: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Baltimore?
$38.68 an hour on average, and $30.91 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Baltimore?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $48,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,570, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Baltimore?
About $61,823 a year ($5,152 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $80,460. Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
Do music directors and composers earn more in Baltimore than elsewhere?
The average here is 11% less than the U.S. average for this job ($90,470).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 27-2041; area Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD (12580). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 12.9%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Maryland's county income tax (2.25%–3.30%, charged in every county) is not included, so real take-home pay is lower.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.00, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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