Music Directors and Composers pay range in Detroit
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,700 a year or less, while the top 10% make $91,090 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Detroit earn between $38,870 and $73,320.
- $37K10th
- $39K25th
- $53KMedian
- $73K75th
- $91K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $62,630 | $5,219 | $30.11 |
| Median | $52,900 | $4,408 | $25.43 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,870 | $3,239 | $18.69 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $73,320 | $6,110 | $35.25 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Detroit vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Detroit earn 9% less than the Michigan average ($68,810) and 31% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -28% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $62,630 | $52,900 | $36,700 | $91,090 | 120 |
| Michigan | $68,810 | $59,400 | $36,700 | $125,090 | 310 |
| 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 Detroit
On the average salary of $62,630, a single filer in Detroit takes home about $48,724 a year, or $4,060 a month and $1,874 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Is Detroit a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Detroit area are in line with the U.S. average (BEA price parity 100.3), so the average $62,630 buys what about $62,444 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Detroit ($52,080). A typical home costs $269,080, or 4.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other Michigan cities
Detroit ranks 2nd of 2 Michigan metro areas for this job; Grand Rapids pays the most ($67,750).
- Grand Rapids$67,750
- Detroit$62,630
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 Detroit: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Detroit?
$30.11 an hour on average, and $25.43 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Detroit?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $36,700 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,870, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Detroit?
About $48,724 a year ($4,060 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $62,630. Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
Do music directors and composers earn more in Detroit than elsewhere?
The average here is 31% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI (19820). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.0%.
- 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). Includes Detroit's local income tax (2.4%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.77, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.77).
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