Music Directors and Composers pay range in Trenton
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,450 a year or less, while the top 10% make $198,950 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Trenton earn between $95,420 and $173,540.
- $65K10th
- $95K25th
- $115KMedian
- $174K75th
- $199K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $126,910 | $10,576 | $61.01 |
| Median | $115,400 | $9,617 | $55.48 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $95,420 | $7,952 | $45.88 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $173,540 | $14,462 | $83.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Trenton vs. New Jersey and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Trenton earn 5% less than the New Jersey average ($133,540) and 40% more than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is +57% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trenton | $126,910 | $115,400 | $65,450 | $198,950 | 30 |
| New Jersey | $133,540 | $122,750 | $67,690 | $205,740 | 210 |
| 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 Trenton
On the average salary of $126,910, a single filer in Trenton takes home about $92,115 a year, or $7,676 a month and $3,543 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Is Trenton a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Trenton area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.2), so the average $126,910 buys what about $122,999 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Trenton ($63,490). A typical home costs $446,377, or 3.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in nearby metro areas
- Philadelphia, PA$74,270
- Allentown, PA$75,820
- New York, NY$120,330
- Lancaster, PA$81,330
- Scranton, PA$81,010
- Kiryas Joel, NY$87,610
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 Trenton: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Trenton?
$61.01 an hour on average, and $55.48 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Trenton?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $65,450 a year and the 25th percentile is $95,420, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Trenton?
About $92,115 a year ($7,676 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $126,910. New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
Do music directors and composers earn more in Trenton than elsewhere?
The average here is 40% more 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 Trenton-Princeton, NJ (45940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.6%.
- 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). New Jersey's employee unemployment, disability and family-leave contributions are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.68, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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