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Band Director salary
Average band director salary
$52,443
How much does a band director make?
The average band director salary in the United States is $52,443. Band director salaries typically range between $28,000 and $96,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for band directors is $25.21 per hour.
Band director salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Band directors earn the highest average salary in Alaska.
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Where can a Band Director earn more?
Band Director salary estimates from across the web
Average band director salary by state
Highest paying states for band directors
Rank  | State | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $65,695 | $31.58 |
| 2 | Nevada | $62,734 | $30.16 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $64,832 | $31.17 |
| 4 | Delaware | $65,688 | $31.58 |
| 5 | Arizona | $65,382 | $31.43 |
| 6 | Oklahoma | $56,365 | $27.10 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $62,796 | $30.19 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $59,152 | $28.44 |
| 9 | New York | $65,906 | $31.69 |
| 10 | Maine | $63,150 | $30.36 |
| 11 | Alaska | $68,765 | $33.06 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $56,333 | $27.08 |
| 13 | Arkansas | $54,939 | $26.41 |
| 14 | Texas | $58,055 | $27.91 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $62,678 | $30.13 |
| 16 | Virginia | $61,976 | $29.80 |
| 17 | Mississippi | $54,357 | $26.13 |
| 18 | Florida | $56,197 | $27.02 |
| 19 | Georgia | $56,429 | $27.13 |
| 20 | Maryland | $60,094 | $28.89 |
| 21 | Washington | $55,832 | $26.84 |
| 22 | District of Columbia | $62,896 | $30.24 |
| 23 | California | $60,800 | $29.23 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | $55,485 | $26.68 |
| 25 | Colorado | $55,147 | $26.51 |
| 26 | Ohio | $52,620 | $25.30 |
| 27 | Idaho | $56,081 | $26.96 |
| 28 | Indiana | $51,158 | $24.60 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $53,951 | $25.94 |
| 30 | Utah | $54,315 | $26.11 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | $51,836 | $24.92 |
| 32 | Michigan | $47,030 | $22.61 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $45,625 | $21.94 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $42,039 | $20.21 |
| 35 | South Carolina | $48,419 | $23.28 |
| 36 | Montana | $44,019 | $21.16 |
| 37 | Oregon | $47,104 | $22.65 |
| 38 | Missouri | $44,275 | $21.29 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $48,863 | $23.49 |
| 40 | Vermont | $48,673 | $23.40 |
| 41 | South Dakota | $45,978 | $22.10 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $46,281 | $22.25 |
| 43 | Pennsylvania | $42,573 | $20.47 |
| 44 | Alabama | $35,128 | $16.89 |
| 45 | Iowa | $34,298 | $16.49 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $39,957 | $19.21 |
| 47 | Illinois | $39,953 | $19.21 |
| 48 | New Jersey | $39,833 | $19.15 |
| 49 | Minnesota | $36,264 | $17.43 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $33,275 | $16.00 |
| 51 | Kansas | $33,536 | $16.12 |
Highest paying cities for band directors
The highest-paying cities for band directors are New York, NY, Wilmington, DE, and Visalia, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $66,003 | $31.73 |
| 2 | Wilmington, DE | $65,823 | $31.65 |
| 3 | Visalia, CA | $61,198 | $29.42 |
| 4 | El Paso, TX | $60,691 | $29.18 |
| 5 | Alpharetta, GA | $56,530 | $27.18 |
| 6 | Idaho Falls, ID | $55,026 | $26.45 |
| 7 | Noblesville, IN | $51,153 | $24.59 |
| 8 | Saint Charles, MO | $44,584 | $21.43 |
| 9 | Burlington, NC | $40,315 | $19.38 |
| 10 | North Chicago, IL | $40,267 | $19.36 |
| 11 | Wayne, NJ | $39,761 | $19.12 |
Band Director salary details
A band director's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a band director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| Average | $52,443 | $4,370 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
| 10th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
Highest paying band director jobs
The highest paying types of band directors are phlebotomy director, orchestra leader, and orchestra director.
| Job Title | Annual Salary | Monthly Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister Of Music | $50,311 | $4,193 | $24.19 | 2,661 |
| Director Of Music | $48,096 | $4,008 | $23.12 | 7,394 |
Top companies hiring band directors now:
Which companies pay band directors the most?
Band director salaries at Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School and Central State University are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average band director salary at companies like University of Michigan and Broward County Public Schools are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School | $90,479 | $43.50 |
| 2 | Central State University | $69,723 | $33.52 |
| 3 | University of Michigan | $54,213 | $26.06 |
| 4 | Broward County Public Schools | $49,902 | $23.99 |
| 5 | Paradise Valley Unified School District | $47,684 | $22.93 |
| 6 | New Brunswick Public Schools | $47,456 | $22.82 |
| 7 | Proviso Township Schools | $46,696 | $22.45 |
| 8 | JUDAH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL | $44,252 | $21.27 |
| 9 | Catholic Charities Health and Human Services | $42,940 | $20.64 |
| 10 | Visalia Unified School District | $41,982 | $20.18 |
| 11 | KIPP DC | $38,827 | $18.67 |
| 12 | KIPP Austin Public Schools | $38,749 | $18.63 |
| 13 | Bethany College | $34,063 | $16.38 |
| 14 | Jackson Madison County School System | $32,433 | $15.59 |
| 15 | Rowland Unified School District | $32,081 | $15.42 |
| 16 | Leander ISD | $32,025 | $15.40 |
| 17 | district | $31,211 | $15.01 |
| 18 | Music & Arts | $29,423 | $14.15 |
| 19 | Alhambra Unified School District | $29,367 | $14.12 |
| 20 | Fontana Unified School District | $23,858 | $11.47 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Band Director salary trends
The average band director salary has risen by $4,858 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average band director earned $47,585 annually, but today, they earn $52,443 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for band directors over the last decade.
Compare band director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average band director salary over time
Compare band director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
- National Average
- Columbus, OH
Band Director salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $52,400 | $25.21 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $51,900 | $24.93 | +3.9% |
| 2023 | $49,800 | $23.95 | -1.9% |
| 2022 | $50,800 | $24.41 | +0.9% |
| 2021 | $50,300 | $24.18 | +0.6% |
Recently added band director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date Added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Fe Public Schools | SY: Teacher-Assistant Band Director | Tome, NM | 12/13/2024 | $50,000 |
| Harrisburg Schooldistrict | Marching Band Percussion Director (Open Until Filled) | Harrisburg, SD | 12/13/2024 | $38,412 |
| Garland Independent School District | 29864 Assistant Band Director | Nome, TX | 12/13/2024 | $61,500 |
| Pawtucket Public Schools | Assistant Band Director (Marching Band) | Rhode Island | 12/13/2024 | $104,350 |
| University of Cincinnati | Assoc DIR Bearcat Bands | Cincinnati, OH | 12/10/2024 | $62,000 |
| New Bedford Public Schools | Assistant Rock Band Director | New Bedford, MA | 12/04/2024 | $52,175 |
| Prosper ISD (Tx | Head Band Director-Richland HS) | Prosper, TX | 12/01/2024 | $81,021 |
| Greece Central School District | Marching Band Winter Colorguard Director/Choreographer | Fine, NY | 10/26/2024 | $35,479 |
| Pawtucket Public Schools | Assistant Band Director (Marching Band) | Rhode Island | 10/23/2024 | $104,350 |
| Port Arthur Independent School District (Tx | Band Director Elem | Port Arthur, TX | 10/15/2024 | $52,400 |
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