Music Directors and Composers pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,040 a year or less, while the top 10% make $91,420 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Portland earn between $45,510 and $69,960.
- $38K10th
- $46K25th
- $67KMedian
- $70K75th
- $91K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $65,380 | $5,448 | $31.43 |
| Median | $66,800 | $5,567 | $32.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $45,510 | $3,792 | $21.88 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $69,960 | $5,830 | $33.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Portland earn 6% less than the Oregon average ($69,590) and 28% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -9% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $65,380 | $66,800 | $38,040 | $91,420 | 160 |
| Oregon | $69,590 | $60,800 | $40,340 | $115,740 | 500 |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $65,380, a single filer in Portland takes home about $50,045 a year, or $4,170 a month and $1,925 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $54,713 | $4,559 |
| Working in OR | $50,045 | $4,170 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $65,380 buys what about $62,018 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other Oregon cities
Portland ranks 1st of 2 Oregon metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Portland$65,380
- Salem$64,990
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 Portland: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Portland?
$31.43 an hour on average, and $32.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $38,040 a year and the 25th percentile is $45,510, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Portland?
About $50,045 a year ($4,170 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $65,380. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do music directors and composers earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 28% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.69, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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