Music Directors and Composers pay range in Philadelphia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $106,790 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Philadelphia earn between $50,170 and $81,980.
- $37K10th
- $50K25th
- $61KMedian
- $82K75th
- $107K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $74,270 | $6,189 | $35.71 |
| Median | $61,160 | $5,097 | $29.40 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $50,170 | $4,181 | $24.12 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $81,980 | $6,832 | $39.41 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Philadelphia vs. Pennsylvania and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Philadelphia earn about the same as the Pennsylvania average ($74,570) and 18% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -17% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $74,270 | $61,160 | $37,350 | $106,790 | 250 |
| Pennsylvania | $74,570 | $61,160 | $36,540 | $109,380 | 580 |
| 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 Philadelphia
On the average salary of $74,270, a single filer in Philadelphia takes home about $58,799 a year, or $4,900 a month and $2,261 every two weeks. Taxes take 21% of gross pay.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in PA | $58,799 | $4,900 |
| Working in NJ | $58,523 | $4,877 |
| Working in MD | $57,763 | $4,814 |
| Working in DE | $57,408 | $4,784 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Is Philadelphia a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Philadelphia area are 3% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.6), so the average $74,270 buys what about $72,420 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Philadelphia ($54,310). A typical home costs $390,463, or 5.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia ranks 5th of 5 Pennsylvania metro areas for this job; Lancaster pays the most ($81,330).
- Lancaster$81,330
- Scranton$81,010
- Pittsburgh$77,890
- Allentown$75,820
- Philadelphia$74,270
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 Philadelphia: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Philadelphia?
$35.71 an hour on average, and $29.41 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Philadelphia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $50,170, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Philadelphia?
About $58,799 a year ($4,900 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $74,270. Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
Do music directors and composers earn more in Philadelphia than elsewhere?
The average here is 18% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (37980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 11.1%.
- 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). Local earned income taxes (for example Philadelphia's wage tax) are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.05, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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