Music Directors and Composers pay range in Grand Rapids
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,280 a year or less, while the top 10% make $80,600 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Grand Rapids earn between $43,710 and $80,600.
- $38K10th
- $44K25th
- $65KMedian
- $81K75th
- $81K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $67,750 | $5,646 | $32.57 |
| Median | $65,190 | $5,432 | $31.34 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $43,710 | $3,642 | $21.01 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $80,600 | $6,717 | $38.75 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Grand Rapids vs. Michigan and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Grand Rapids earn about the same as the Michigan average ($68,810) and 25% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -12% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids | $67,750 | $65,190 | $38,280 | $80,600 | 60 |
| 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 Grand Rapids
On the average salary of $67,750, a single filer in Grand Rapids takes home about $52,930 a year, or $4,411 a month and $2,036 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 Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
Is Grand Rapids a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Grand Rapids area are 4% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 95.5), so the average $67,750 buys what about $70,908 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Grand Rapids ($47,570). A typical home costs $359,923, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other Michigan cities
Grand Rapids ranks 1st of 2 Michigan metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Grand Rapids: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Grand Rapids?
$32.57 an hour on average, and $31.34 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Grand Rapids?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,280 a year and the 25th percentile is $43,710, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Grand Rapids?
About $52,930 a year ($4,411 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $67,750. Includes Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
Do music directors and composers earn more in Grand Rapids than elsewhere?
The average here is 25% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI (24340). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 9.8%.
- 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 Grand Rapids's local income tax (1.5%).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.30, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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