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Pianist salary
Average pianist salary
$53,479
How much does a pianist make?
The average pianist salary in the United States is $53,479. Pianist salaries typically range between $25,000 and $113,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for pianists is $25.71 per hour.
Pianist salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Pianists earn the highest average salary in New Jersey.
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Where can a Pianist earn more?
Pianist salary estimates from across the web
Average pianist salary by state
The average pianist salary in New Jersey, Alaska, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average pianist salary states are Washington, Idaho, and Wyoming.
- State View
- County View
Highest paying states for pianists
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $71,075 | $34.17 |
| 2 | California | $73,233 | $35.21 |
| 3 | New York | $69,406 | $33.37 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $77,961 | $37.48 |
| 5 | Alaska | $74,222 | $35.68 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $67,695 | $32.55 |
| 7 | Michigan | $58,906 | $28.32 |
| 8 | West Virginia | $55,630 | $26.75 |
| 9 | Vermont | $64,798 | $31.15 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $60,168 | $28.93 |
| 11 | Illinois | $62,772 | $30.18 |
| 12 | Ohio | $55,863 | $26.86 |
| 13 | Iowa | $57,361 | $27.58 |
| 14 | Arizona | $52,952 | $25.46 |
| 15 | Maine | $54,835 | $26.36 |
| 16 | Maryland | $53,671 | $25.80 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $55,246 | $26.56 |
| 18 | Virginia | $55,138 | $26.51 |
| 19 | Kansas | $53,858 | $25.89 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $53,293 | $25.62 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $49,953 | $24.02 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $50,488 | $24.27 |
| 23 | Indiana | $48,550 | $23.34 |
| 24 | Kentucky | $49,323 | $23.71 |
| 25 | Tennessee | $47,459 | $22.82 |
| 26 | Louisiana | $50,009 | $24.04 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $48,811 | $23.47 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $46,143 | $22.18 |
| 29 | Texas | $47,516 | $22.84 |
| 30 | South Carolina | $48,103 | $23.13 |
| 31 | North Dakota | $47,175 | $22.68 |
| 32 | Delaware | $49,261 | $23.68 |
| 33 | Georgia | $47,360 | $22.77 |
| 34 | District of Columbia | $47,231 | $22.71 |
| 35 | Arkansas | $46,124 | $22.18 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $47,884 | $23.02 |
| 37 | Utah | $43,686 | $21.00 |
| 38 | Hawaii | $49,758 | $23.92 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $44,761 | $21.52 |
| 40 | Alabama | $43,838 | $21.08 |
| 41 | Oregon | $43,937 | $21.12 |
| 42 | Nevada | $43,787 | $21.05 |
| 43 | Florida | $44,938 | $21.60 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $42,946 | $20.65 |
| 45 | Washington | $42,444 | $20.41 |
| 46 | Montana | $43,103 | $20.72 |
| 47 | Colorado | $34,481 | $16.58 |
| 48 | Idaho | $41,354 | $19.88 |
| 49 | Wyoming | $39,758 | $19.11 |
| 50 | Missouri | $36,484 | $17.54 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $35,468 | $17.05 |
Highest paying cities for pianists
The highest-paying cities for pianists are Buena Park, CA, New York, NY, and Chicago, IL.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buena Park, CA | $72,700 | $34.95 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $69,426 | $33.38 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $63,252 | $30.41 |
| 4 | Rochester Hills, MI | $59,528 | $28.62 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $53,861 | $25.89 |
| 6 | Rock Hill, SC | $49,249 | $23.68 |
| 7 | Corpus Christi, TX | $48,654 | $23.39 |
| 8 | Bloomington, IN | $46,868 | $22.53 |
| 9 | Columbus, GA | $46,729 | $22.47 |
| 10 | Boca Raton, FL | $44,996 | $21.63 |
| 11 | Pocatello, ID | $40,102 | $19.28 |
| 12 | Fort Collins, CO | $33,935 | $16.31 |
Pianist salary details
A pianist's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $113,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a pianist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $113,000 | $9,417 | $54 |
| 75th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| Average | $53,479 | $4,457 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying pianist jobs
The highest paying types of pianists are guitarist, concert pianist, and musician.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Musician | $57,257 | $4,771 | $27.53 | 103 |
| Accompanist | $52,645 | $4,387 | $25.31 | 197 |
Which companies pay pianists the most?
Pianist salaries at SUNY Geneseo and PSEA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average pianist salary at companies like State University of New York College at Cortland and Houston Ballet are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SUNY Geneseo | $83,297 | $40.05 |
| 2 | PSEA | $83,223 | $40.01 |
| 3 | State University of New York College at Cortland | $80,116 | $38.52 |
| 4 | Houston Ballet | $69,941 | $33.63 |
| 5 | The Joffrey Ballet | $68,619 | $32.99 |
| 6 | Johns Hopkins University | $67,762 | $32.58 |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi | $59,219 | $28.47 |
| 8 | First United Church of Christ | $53,551 | $25.75 |
| 9 | Evangelical Presbyterian Church | $41,286 | $19.85 |
| 10 | Lynn University | $36,537 | $17.57 |
| 11 | Columbus State University | $34,527 | $16.60 |
| 12 | Von Maur | $26,542 | $12.76 |
| 13 | Worlds of Fun | $25,291 | $12.16 |
| 14 | Pocatello/Chubbuck School District 25 | $23,425 | $11.26 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Pianist salary by industry
The average pianist salary varies across industries:
- The average pianist salary in the health care industry is $58,067, the highest of any industry.
- The average pianist salary in the finance industry is $48,725.
- Pianists in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $33,678, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for pianists
| Rank | Industry | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Health Care | $58,067 | $27.92 |
| 2 | Hospitality | $48,725 | $23.43 |
| 3 | Education | $47,576 | $22.87 |
| 4 | Non Profits | $33,678 | $16.19 |
High Paying Pianist Jobs
Pianist salary trends
The average pianist salary has risen by $10,001 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average pianist earned $43,478 annually, but today, they earn $53,479 a year. That works out to a 15% change in pay for pianists over the last decade.
Compare pianist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average pianist salary over time
Compare pianist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Pianist salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,500 | $25.71 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $51,400 | $24.71 | +5.1% |
| 2023 | $48,800 | $23.45 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $47,700 | $22.94 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $46,400 | $22.32 | +2.1% |
Recently added pianist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Hopkin's University | Adjunct Collaborative Pianist | Frederick, MD | 12/11/2024 | $62,610 |
| Atlanta Music Project | Collaborative Pianist | Atlanta, GA | 12/11/2024 | $112,865 |
| Colorado State U | Collaborative Pianist/Piano Accompanist-Open Pool 2024 | Fort Collins, CO | 12/11/2024 | $46,000 |
| UNM Group | Staff Pianist | Albuquerque, NM | 12/09/2024 | $104,350 |
| University of New Mexico | Staff Pianist | Albuquerque, NM | 12/08/2024 | $104,350 |
| Bellevueyouthchoirs | Collaborative Pianist | Bellevue, WA | 11/30/2024 | $104,350 |
| Joffrey Ballet Company | Company Pianist | Chicago, IL | 11/26/2024 | $55,000 |
| St. Olaf College | AY-Student Collaborative Pianist | Northfield, MN | 11/20/2024 | $31,305 |
| Fredonia Technology Incubator | Staff Collaborative Pianist-School of Music | Fredonia, NY | 10/24/2024 | $18,500 |
| Ryan Consulting Group | Collaborative Pianist | Greeley, CO | 10/21/2024 | $73,045 |
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