Music Directors and Composers pay range in San Diego
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,960 a year or less, while the top 10% make $302,530 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in San Diego earn between $67,100 and $129,600.
- $43K10th
- $67K25th
- $74KMedian
- $130K75th
- $303K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $112,260 | $9,355 | $53.97 |
| Median | $74,270 | $6,189 | $35.71 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $67,100 | $5,592 | $32.26 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $129,600 | $10,800 | $62.31 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in San Diego vs. California and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in San Diego earn 3% more than the California average ($108,530) and 24% more than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is +1% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego | $112,260 | $74,270 | $42,960 | $302,530 | 170 |
| California | $108,530 | $93,090 | $48,600 | $175,670 | 2,510 |
| 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 San Diego
On the average salary of $112,260, a single filer in San Diego takes home about $81,457 a year, or $6,788 a month and $3,133 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is San Diego a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Diego area are 12% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.9), so the average $112,260 buys what about $100,333 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in San Diego ($58,690). A typical home costs $946,365, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other California cities
San Diego ranks 2nd of 5 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($136,080).
- San Francisco$136,080
- San Diego$112,260
- Los Angeles$103,350
- Sacramento$98,430
- Fresno$60,320
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 San Diego: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in San Diego?
$53.97 an hour on average, and $35.71 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in San Diego?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $42,960 a year and the 25th percentile is $67,100, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in San Diego?
About $81,457 a year ($6,788 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $112,260. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do music directors and composers earn more in San Diego than elsewhere?
The average here is 24% more 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 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA (41740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 16.7%.
- 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). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.33, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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