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Job outlook for musicians in the United States
Musician job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected musician job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 6,400 new jobs for musicians are projected over the next decade.
Musician salaries have increased 15% for musicians in the last 5 years.
There are over 9,603 musicians currently employed in the United States.
There are 103 active musician job openings in the US.
The average musician salary is $57,257.
Are musician jobs in demand?
Musician job and salary trends over time
Musician jobs over time
Musician job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 9,603 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 13,866 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 16,403 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 16,622 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 16,020 | 0.00% |
Average musician salary over time
Musician salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,257 | $27.53 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | $55,031 | $26.46 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $52,222 | $25.11 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $51,091 | $24.56 | +2.8% |
| 2021 | $49,705 | $23.90 | +2.1% |
Musician jobs by state
Most common states for musicians
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 39,536,653 | 22 | 0% |
| 2 | New York | 19,849,399 | 6 | 0% |
| 3 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 5 | 0% |
| 4 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 4 | 0% |
| 5 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 2 | 0% |
| 6 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2 | 0% |
| 7 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 1 | 0% |
| 8 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1 | 0% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 10 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 0 | 0% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 12 | Vermont | 623,657 | 0 | 0% |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 0 | 0% |
| 14 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 0 | 0% |
| 15 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 0 | 0% |
| 16 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 0 | 0% |
| 17 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 0 | 0% |
| 18 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 0 | 0% |
| 19 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 0 | 0% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 0 | 0% |
Musician job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of musician experts
California State University - San Bernardino
Carthage College
Indiana University Bloomington
The University of Tennessee - Martin
University of South Florida
Coastal Carolina University
Augsburg University
University of the Pacific
Azusa Pacific University
Morgan State University
San Diego Mesa College
Willamette University
Rice University
University of Missouri - Kansas City
North Carolina State University
Saint Mary's College
Michael Griffith D.M.A.
Director of Orchestral ActivitiesWhat general advice would you give to a Musician?
Michael Griffith D.M.A.: Assuming you mean a classical musician, you practice, attend rehearsals, and do performances. Depending on the instrument, there may be technical items in addition: making reeds, oiling valves, and items like that. Since many musicians also teach lessons, that many be part of one’s day.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Griffith D.M.A.: It can be a very creative, satisfying way to earn a living.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Michael Griffith D.M.A.: Like: you are part of a truly great art form, daily working on some of the greatest creations of humanity, works by Beethoven, Mozart, etc. You work together with other wonderful musicians. After performances, you get to share the applause of a grateful audience. Dislike: the daily practicing to keep your playing at a high level. If you are a free-lance musician, the uncertainty and in some areas, the travel. Depending on your level of success, you may not make a huge amount of money.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dan Satterwhite: Skills that are outside many young performer's comfort zone include music technology, music administration, and many other things. People can save a lot of money on projects if they can handle their own recordings, or write successful grants for funding. Long story short, young music professionals must have more than one basket for their eggs! When COVID hit, the musicians who were able to quickly pívot to areas of the music business other than live performance suffered the least! And these musicians continue to use the skills they developed for extra income now that things are (sort of) back to normal.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dan Satterwhite: Many interviewers will ask, 'what else can you do?' Versatility is key, and having a well-tended website and social media presence is essential. The more employers know about you and what you can do for them, the more likely they are to hire you. Young professionals need to be willing to get out of their comfort zones and adapt to the ever-changing music business.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dan Satterwhite: Music performance graduates today face a job market that is more difficult than ever. For full-time positions in classical music, there are thousands and thousands of graduates for just hundreds of jobs. The math is depressing! But young professionals can make their lives much easier by developing versatility in the field...be able to play lots of styles of music, auxiliary instruments, and gain expertise in other aspects of the music business.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dr. Suna Gunther: Continue to think of yourself as a lifelong learner, and be flexible in the ways you define your career. As the world changes, what it needs from you will change as well. Make good connections with fellow musicians and keep in touch with them. Make sure you’re finding fulfilling musical outlets for yourself, whether or not they’re directly linked to your job.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Suna Gunther: Outreach, multimedia projects, and music production.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Suna Gunther: Say yes to whatever opportunities you are able to become qualified for, even if there’s a learning curve. Go out and meet people, and become comfortable using social media in steady, productive ways to promote your projects and maintain professional connections.
Dr. Stacey Fraser
Professor/Director of Opera TheatreCalifornia State University - San Bernardino
Music
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dr. Stacey Fraser: Maximizing salary potential is a tough one for musicians, if you are a performer, you need to practice daily and be committed to the craft. Meet people, go to concerts and make connections. The money will come if you prove yourself as a reliable, and hard-working musician.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Stacey Fraser: As much as technology has come to the forefront for all of us, it cannot replace hard work, we need to practice our skill set daily, and be prepared for all opportunities at any given time.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Stacey Fraser: Work hard, make sure you are prepared, and maintain discipline, rigor, and perseverance.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dr. Susan Bengtson Price: Starting your career in music requires establishing connections within your community, including reaching out to more established musicians in your field who will have helpful information about the current music scene and where to get started. Regardless of your specialty, some jobs in music are publicly advertised by the union or on job boards, but many are referred through personal connections or created by you. Don't limit yourself to what you imagined yourself doing when you graduated. Many times the foundational skills you acquire in school are just the beginning of what you will use and learn in the professional world. One of the incredible things about working in music is the ability to have a career that takes on many different forms during your lifetime.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Susan Bengtson Price: Crossover between popular and classical genres, as well as between jazz and classical, will continue to increase in desirability in the near future. In addition to performing in full-time ensembles and teaching (the most traditional routes), playing in smaller, self-managed ensembles, recording commercially, creating digital resources, grant writing, fundraising, and owning your own business will be the hallmark of musicians as entrepreneurs in a rapidly evolving field.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Susan Bengtson Price: Flexibility is key when you are starting out. At first, you may need to go where the openings are, even if it does not perfectly align with your long-term vision. Anything you can do within your field starting out, even if it is part time, will put you on the path towards finding your place in the field. Look for ways to be your own boss, and be alert to your surroundings. You can learn a tremendous amount from musicians who have been immersed in the industry longer than you and often they are eager to share advice they wish they'd been given when they first started out that will save you from making costly mistakes (both in terms of time and money).
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Ruthie Williamson: The most important skill for young artists is an entrepreneurial mindset. Musicians must possess the skills of a small business owner and a publicist, especially in the early years of their career. Whether a composer or performer, audio engineer or conductor, artists should have strong musicianship in aural skills and functional tonal harmony. Basic business skills such as accounting and project management, and basic marketing skills in multimedia platforms like Adobe Suite and Canva are already proving to be important for musicians. Young professionals would also be wise to develop foundational skills in at least one digital audio workstation (DAW) and in social media content creation.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ruthie Williamson: Cast a wide net—think about how big your “field” really is and how many and varied your opportunities are. Artists with expertise in audio engineering and sound production can readily find opportunities in studio recording, live sound recording, music production, and theater tech, among many other areas. Dancers with a classical ballet background can take advantage of tap, jazz, and contemporary dance instruction to broaden their horizons once they graduate. In addition to full-time employment with a ballet company, dancers can be employed on or off Broadway, aboard cruise ships, as teachers in dance studios, or they can dance freelance. Graduates with music education certification for teaching in public schools can immediately find full-time employment in almost any state in the US directing K-12 students in choir, band, jazz band, or orchestra. Young artists with graphic design, social media marketing, or administrative experience will find many career opportunities in arts administration and management, such as in development or fundraising offices, marketing for arts nonprofit organizations, or managing orchestras or opera companies. The field that is the most challenging for our graduates to pursue directly completing a degree is the “traditional” routes in full-time music performance. Many graduates interested in a career in music performance are hoping to be picked for an orchestra or opera company through auditions. There's no lack of talent among music performance graduates, but there is a paucity of full-time classical performance gigs. As Angela Beeching emphasizes in Beyond Talent, 'Pick yourself.' We recommend music graduates don't wait to be 'picked' for that big gig and make their own opportunities by developing a portfolio career-- a combination of smaller gigs, teaching, arts administration, and community service.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Ruthie Williamson: Be prepared to develop a portfolio career—a combination of revenue streams that may include private teaching, arts administration, arranging, conducting, self-publishing, sound engineering, etc. Don't turn down gigs because they aren't prestigious enough or what you ultimately want to be doing. Every gig is an opportunity to get your name out and meet other artists. Get to know community leaders engaged in the arts and find the gaps in service in your community. Take opportunities to meet like-minded individuals with whom you may want to work in the future, and don’t be afraid to reach out to them for support or advice early in your career. Learn how to write grants and apply for grant funding from arts organizations to develop your projects.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Roberto Mancusi DMA: A desire to reach out to a wider audience. The demographic and dynamic changes of the audience mean that, as musicians, we need to meet them where they are and provide a way for them to enjoy what we do. That means exploring a wider, more diverse palette of music, composers, genres, and styles. In order to make all music accessible, we need to open the door to all music, not simply the music of old, dead, Europeans.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Roberto Mancusi DMA: By being flexible, marketable, and multifaceted. Those three traits will open more doors than they close. Competition is immense in our business. We need to find ways of standing out in the crowd. By opening more doors it can, potentially, create more opportunities. This is a numbers game. While some of this is based on luck, there are certain things we can do to “put our fingers on the scale”.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Roberto Mancusi DMA: Never stop learning and growing as a musician. When we make music, we bring a piece of ourselves to the table. We’re vulnerable. As you get more mature, your life experiences and those of people around you influence you and how you perform. Be open to that. Be aware that composers are on that same journey. While certain parts of music remain universal, there is a reason that the music of Bach differs from the music of Beethoven, which differs from the music of Duke Ellington and Libby Larsen. Never stop exploring those differences. They make you a better musician, a better performer, and a better human.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Pablo Arencibia Padron: Versatility. This is already happening, but it will continue to happen in the upcoming years. Being able to play different music styles, and to work with musicians with different backgrounds will be essential as the music business continues to evolve and change. If you can only work in one style, your work opportunities will shrink.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Pablo Arencibia Padron: If making a higher salary is a top priority, you need a business plan. You can target a particular sector of the industry or if you have a musical project, you have to figure out how to market it. Get trained in business and marketing as you will need to sell your music in the same way that any other product is sold. You need to make sure you have a high-quality product too. Trying to sell your music too soon could make you waste opportunities if your product is not ready.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Pablo Arencibia Padron: Be open to perform (or work if you are not a performer) in very different situations and styles. Accept multiple opportunities even if they take you out of your comfort zone, so that you can become a well-rounded professional. Experience is essential and you won't get it if you don't confront multiple situations early in your career. Networking is extremely important. Be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and find ways to connect with other musicians and important contacts in the music industries. Consider events, gatherings, Jam sessions, attending other music events, and introducing yourself to others.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Marissa Terranova: Like many careers, there are positive and negative elements of being a musician. Music is a creative outlet, allowing musicians to freely express their emotions and tell stories. Music is also a way to connect with people, whether it's an audience or a community of musicians. Collaborating with other musicians, sharing experiences, and supporting each other's work is deeply fulfilling and contributes to a sense of belonging in the musical community. The challenges that come with being a musician include financial insecurity, unpredictable work schedules, performance anxiety, and possible criticism or rejection. The start of any musician's career involves initial networking, recognition, and acceptance by other industry professionals in order to obtain steady work. This can be a stressful process, inducing anxiety and fear of rejection by audiences or record labels. While royalties and steady work come with time, the start of a musician's career can be unpredictable and financially unstable. Also, a work schedule riddled with late nights and traveling can take a toll on someone's mental and physical health. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential to a sustainable career. However, once a musician has a public presence and steady work, it's one of those careers that is 'high risk, high reward' as the payoff is having a soul-fulfilling career.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Marissa Terranova: Being a musician today has many benefits. From being able to perform/record remotely to diverse revenue streams, musicians are able to reach global audiences and adapt to today's changing economy in a way that few other careers can. With the rise of accessible and affordable technology, musicians can create quality recordings from the comfort of their own home, collaborating with industry leaders from all over the world. This global access also contributes to a wide-reaching fanbase as technology makes it easier to connect with people all over the world, regardless of physical location. This international fanbase allows musicians to earn revenue from various outlets, not just from live performances. Earnings from streaming royalties, contracting, and selling merchandise, just to name a few, can provide income stability and security. The collaborative environment of being a musician is not only socially fulfilling but can also lead to new opportunities. Collaborating with songwriters, producers, and even fans through social media offers a unique outlet for musicians to communicate. The music industry is constantly evolving, and adapting to changes in technology, consumer behavior, and market trends encourages innovation and creativity, allowing musicians to experiment with new sounds, genres, and business models.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Marissa Terranova: In order to be a successful musician, you must not only possess incredible skill on your instrument, but also be someone who is personable, attentive, flexible, and dependable. Working musicians are consistently practicing, spending hours daily maintaining and honing their skills on their instrument. Besides daily practice, musicians must also network with industry professionals and market themselves to create a public presence. Maintaining a professional website that includes a CV and portfolio of original work is all part of creating a profile within the industry. Musicians regularly attend concerts and listen to music in all styles and genres as part of their research into musical trends. Whether musicians are playing in a cover band or playing original music, it's important to be deeply familiar with style and the function of your particular instrument.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Juyoung Lee Ph.D, MT-BC, RMT: Dream big for your long-term goal but don't be picky. You can start small but grow big! Choose the most appropriate work from the available options. There are always opportunities to move on to different and new opportunities. Start immediately somewhere!
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Juyoung Lee Ph.D, MT-BC, RMT: As technology and AI ever develop, people who demonstrate creativity or support others to be creative and expressive will become crucial members of society and that way, we will maintain our humanity and support human needs. I believe there will be more opportunities for musicians and music therapists in the near and far future!
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Juyoung Lee Ph.D, MT-BC, RMT: Your previous work experience in the related field is always helpful so make sure to have some meaningful work during school. Advanced training or education is always helpful, consider taking a graduate program such as Equivalency plus Master of Music Therapy (E+MMT) at Augsburg University if you like to become a Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC) and Master of Music Therapy if you are already an MT-BC. With the advanced degree, chances of getting a better salary and promotion will be increased.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Jonathan Latta DMA (he/him): In all the arts fields, and especially music, it is beneficial to remain open, flexible, creative, and collaborative. The ways we generate revenue in the arts are constantly shifting and being nimble with an entrepreneurial mindset will best serve this dynamic landscape. The good thing with a shifting horizon is that there are constantly spaces being opened up for one’s own perspectives as well as their artistic vision and approach to find a place.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jonathan Latta DMA (he/him): A musician would benefit from being diverse in their experience with a variety of musical styles. Performing artists could find the ability to teach in some way helpful, and vice versa music teachers could benefit in many ways from being a performer. The ability to seek financial funding through artistic endeavors, grant writing, and fundraising continues to be important. Lastly, the skills of networking and building collaborations will remain a key component of one’s success in music.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Jonathan Latta DMA (he/him): The artist that is willing to create a portfolio of professional activities will best be able to maximize one’s earning potential. In creating a career that consists of some performance, some teaching, some non-profit employment, and potentially some composing/arranging will likely have a fulfilling and financially viable career.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Joel Clifft DMA: I think this is the wrong question. When your career is starting out in music, the focus should not be on maximizing salary. Rather, take every opportunity to continue your development. Ultimately, it is your development that will raise your salary.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Joel Clifft DMA: To work in the field you need to be so much more than a great musician. In addition to honing your craft, you need to be able to market yourself, know about video and audio production, use social media effectively, collaborate, etc. We cannot simply be a great musician and wait for the world to find us. We have to learn how to use today's platforms to get the word out. And start now! Don't wait until everything is perfect. Start making things now and share them. This is the only way to develop the skills you'll need.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Joel Clifft DMA: Hopefully you've started thinking about your career long before graduation. Most often, the people with whom you've studied end up being your employers, or you end up employing them. They know your work, and they like you...hopefully. Even your professors can be great contacts for getting started in the field, especially if you've done great work and you are pleasant to be around. Also, in the early stages, I'd suggest that you keep all options open. Try everything, take every opportunity, stay hungry for experience and knowledge, and keep developing your skills. You may have just graduated but you'll be a student for life. Be grateful for the opportunities you have and pour your best work into them. This will make you stronger, keep you grateful, and lead to better opportunities.
Dr. James Martin
Principal Trombone, American Pops Orchestra, LecturerMorgan State University
Music
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dr. James Martin: Minimize your salary needs. Your extra cash will all be needed for equipment, instruments, space, connection, travel, seminars, and whatever else comes up for you as a professional. When choosing an instrument or computer, for instance, determine what that tool can really generate and set your budget accordingly.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. James Martin: Find a mentor who has your back even if they aren't familiar with the various modes of self-promotion we see in music today. So many aspiring performers take to social media before they are ready for prime time and their brand or reputation can suffer among the elite. Patience with yourself and the time it takes to build your skills in response to the demands of the market will be paramount.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. James Martin: Musicians who create their own arrangements of widely known tunes will always do well. Creating and distributing practice music for students is also very popular as the discipline of pedagogy becomes higher and higher throughout the country.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Ian Bassett: In the field of music, a musician needs to be a practicing musician regardless of the particular aspect they chose as their main focus. Music tends to be more of a meritocracy than other fields. You can be personable, have excellent communication skills, be buttoned up in your writing, and professional but if you do not have aptitude on your instrument of choice you’ll have a tough time getting your foot in the door. It’s also important to realize that music is not like other fields where the check mark of a degree guarantees you a job or any sort of salary. You’ll need to have a more entrepreneurial mindset. Be ready to sell yourself, have a good elevator pitch on what it is that you do. For many people, they see musicians as playing in a field they enjoy. So why pay them? It’s your job to describe what you do as providing a particular value that is worth the price of admission. Finally, be ready to have more than one stream of income. This may come in the form of formal teaching assignments from institutions, private lessons that you run yourself, and gigging independently as well as under management. Musicians today hardly have just one job. Having options such as formal teaching assignments from professional institutions can also help you cover expenses like health insurance and retirement investing.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Ian Bassett: Say “yes” to all opportunities. This may involve going from working 0 days a week (and hopefully during those times practicing your instrument or composing etc) to working 7 days a week. A musician needs to build trust and the appearance of sweat equity in order for their reputation to grow enough to have steady work. Like I mentioned previously, it’s very rare to come out of school and get a high paying job or gig right away. It’s a slow steady build that eventually begins to perpetuate itself once the event horizon has been crossed. One last tip: remember every offer is a negotiation. Often times people (usually with business training) will offer a musician (usually without business training) their pay as if it is set in stone. You can always negotiate for what you think is fair and represents something closer to your worth. The worst thing that can happen is the negotiating party may say they are unable to accommodate you. If that happens, you can always walk back your negotiations to their original offer veiled as a “favor, just for you.” No one rejects that one!
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Ian Bassett: Musicians will need to become better communicators to the public for no other reason that our skills will be easily replaced by technology. Musicians will need to be able to roll with the punches that technology coming into the creative fields will bring. With the prevalence of AI generated art, it will be far more important for musicians, composers, and all other artists to create the human connection between art and the experience. Personally, I find the thoughts and feelings of other human beings to be very important to artistic integrity. While AI generated art can be fun, it does not provide the soul satisfying experience that art is intended to provide when it is a series of algorithms.
Heather Mastel-Lipson
Willamette University
Music
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Heather Mastel-Lipson: You’ll have to take gigs that don’t pay great in the beginning, but never do gigs “for exposure.” They rarely lead to anything and they undervalue your skills and time. Charge what you’re worth, try not to accept work for less because you are teaching people how to treat you and it does a disservice to your colleagues trying to charge what they’re worth.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Heather Mastel-Lipson: You will likely end up doing many things you weren’t expecting. Take every gig you can and don’t undercharge.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Heather Mastel-Lipson: You will need many more entrepreneurial skills than music school prepares you for. A big part of getting to make music is being good at the administrative tasks associated with juggling freelance gigs. Learning how to use social media, whether you like it or not, will be an asset in making you visible for getting the gigs you want.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dr. Arthur Gottschalk: Your music education is also a college education, which prepares you for many things beyond music. You may have to take a “day job” while you advance your career as a musician. Stay flexible, and be aware of possible opportunities everywhere. The path forward is not a straight line, and one of the pleasurable things about a career in music is that it can encompass so many different activities within the field. You may start your career as a music educator, but your work might lead you to opportunities as an arranger, or composer of educational music, or to develop method books or practice etudes. Your day job in retail might lead you towards music merchandising; your clerical day job might lead you towards work in music administration, or publishing, or management. Your job as a symphony musician might allow you to also form a chamber group, and your interests may eventually take you in that direction, or towards private teaching. There are so may fulfilling and exciting options beyond what you think your education may have prepared you for.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Arthur Gottschalk: Knowing where the money comes from that pays you, that is, understanding your role in the music and arts economy, can play a strong role in two immediate ways. First is the ability that it will give you in making successful choices and decisions regarding your career. Second is the increase in your chances of success when you try to increase your salary be asking for a raise. An orchestra player who thinks that her salary comes from ticket sales might ask for a pay raise and justify it by touting her abilities on her instrument. A more successful approach might come from an awareness of the organization’s support; if it is from institutional grants then the musician might tout her frequent outreach work in the community. If local corporate support is important to the organization then supporting her pay request by describing her work for and/or with the local chamber of commerce might be more effective. But above all, we as musicians should develop, as early as possible, a multitude of income streams, and not become too reliant upon just one source. Music is not the stablest of industries, but keeping that in mind and preparing for contingency by maximizing your activity across a wide number of outlets can not only protect you, but increase your earning power and provide a lot of life and career satisfaction as well.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Arthur Gottschalk: I recommend all musicians to take a fund-raising course or two, or to get a certificate if possible. The arts are having a hard time paying for themselves these days, as government support wanes, and every job prospect these days is enhanced if there is fund-raising education and/or experience on your resume. Also, entrepreneurship is the biggest by-word in the field of music employment these days; we are often forced by circumstances to create our own jobs and opportunities, but those can become the most rewarding and fulfilling career options available.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Linda Brand: Treating those around you with kindness and empathy has never been more important. As musicians, we can do so much good in the world. Shows and gigs come and go, but relationships remain. Also, the simple basics of being well prepared and showing up on time should never be dismissed.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Linda Brand: Pursue your dreams! While you work to get established, never feel you haven't 'made it' if you are also doing complimentary work. That is simply the nature of a career in music. For example, a fantastic professional conductor I know also does computer coding. Wonderful singers also work in box offices or use their technical theatre skills, work in arts administration or in restaurants or shops. Love to teach? Create your own studio! Start your own company. Be nimble. Embrace the variety of what you can do. You're not just building a career. You're building a life.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Linda Brand: If you're a musician looking for a great salary right out of high school or college that's great - and may happen! But that's the exception, not the rule. As a working professional musician starting out, you will probably be doing multiple jobs/gigs. Get advice on how to proceed in each avenue you pursue. It will take a while to get established - like at least 3-5 years. Do you want to teach? Get the best education degree you can and build connections and do good work. Do you want to teach in college? You'll need a master's degree, then an MFA or Doctorate unless you have top-level professional experience in lieu of the degree. Is the freelance musician life too unpredictable for you? Look for complimentary work with some flexibility in its schedule. Balance is key - and finding YOUR balance is essential.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Alexander Kahn: There is always a need for music! Music is recession-proof and inflation-proof, it has been a part of human experience ever since the dawn of time and will always be something that humans need in their lives.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Alexander Kahn: On the plus side, nothing beats a career where you get to follow your passion, express yourself artistically, and bring joy to others. On the downside, music is a very competitive field and only a small handful of musicians are adequately compensated for their work.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Alexander Kahn: The career path of a musician can take many different forms. Students who major in music in college can find themselves performing music (in bars, concert halls, stadiums, churches, living rooms, and many other spaces) teaching music (both in private lessons and group classes), writing about music, producing music in a recording studio, writing music (for performance or for TV/film productions), or working behind the scenes in music (as a manager, arts administrator, or music venue operator). Often graduates will find themselves pursuing a combination of many of these different career paths.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Dr. Anatoly Larkin: With the fast changing world, make sure you have other skills under your belt in addition to your main focus as a musician. I would advise developing skills outside of music, especially in the area of technology. Chances are you'll need to be very comfortable with various software tools to be able to promote your own work. Also, if music as a career path doesn't work out, you will want something to fall back on.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Anatoly Larkin: Salary for a musician can come from a number of sources, but, unless you are at the top of your game, and lucky, chances are that you will not be making big bucks as a performer or a composer. So far, the steady supply of middle class suburban families, who would like their children to study music during the school years, has been and continues to be the main source of income for musical professionals. Expect to have a teaching studio of varying sizes. But to maximize the salary potential in a field that has very few steady jobs with reasonable income (e.g. a full-time academic position), always, always market yourself from every angle in any conversation, leveraging every ounce of skill that you have to offer to the world. You never know what opportunities might present themselves.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Dr. Anatoly Larkin: Music performance is a tough field, even if you are at the top of your game. Practice hard and make sure to network, connecting with as many professionals as possible, particularly as a collaborator. You want your name to be widely known for the quality work that you do.
What general advice would you give to a Musician?
Michael Blackburn M.A.: The number of things a musician does on a daily basis is as varied as the number of working musicians. Some (like me) are teachers, some are gigging performers, some are composers, some are arts administrators, but most of us do all of the above and more. The most stable work is usually found in two institutions: churches and schools. Almost every musician you ask has had a job in one of these at some point. So while most people might have the 'starving artist' trope in their minds, the reality is a bit more nuanced. You really can earn a decent living, particularly if you have a degree.
What Musician skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Michael Blackburn M.A.: It’s a great time to be entering the music field, particularly as a teacher, as there are a huge number of job openings at the moment. In California, proposition 28 was passed last year, which solidified significant funding for music education in K-12 schools. Additionally, there is always high demand for musicians to play wedding and funeral ceremonies, especially if you are a competent pianist/organist. Churches and schools are our bread and butter.
What will help Musicians increase their earning potential?
Michael Blackburn M.A.: Our favorite thing about being a musician is the work itself, of course. Whether you’re an instrumentalist, vocalist, conductor, teacher, DJ, etc., making music is why we get out of bed in the morning. Speaking for myself, what I’ve found most frustrating is the amount of administrative work it takes to make it in this field- booking gigs, fielding emails, explaining to administrators why a tuned piano is a necessity not a luxury, etc. Burnout is also a real danger. On the one hand, it’s fulfilling to have your skills be that in demand, but you have to pace yourself. It’s ok to turn down gigs if you need a breather.