Music Directors and Composers pay range in San Francisco
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $57,190 a year or less, while the top 10% make $314,960 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in San Francisco earn between $68,760 and $166,090.
- $57K10th
- $69K25th
- $113KMedian
- $166K75th
- $315K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $136,080 | $11,340 | $65.42 |
| Median | $112,950 | $9,412 | $54.30 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $68,760 | $5,730 | $33.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $166,090 | $13,841 | $79.85 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in San Francisco vs. California and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in San Francisco earn 25% more than the California average ($108,530) and 50% more than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is +53% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $136,080 | $112,950 | $57,190 | $314,960 | 320 |
| 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 Francisco
On the average salary of $136,080, a single filer in San Francisco takes home about $95,713 a year, or $7,976 a month and $3,681 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% 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 Francisco a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the San Francisco area are 16% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 115.6), so the average $136,080 buys what about $117,703 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in San Francisco ($74,260). A typical home costs $1,149,215, or 8.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other California cities
San Francisco ranks 1st of 5 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- 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 Francisco: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in San Francisco?
$65.42 an hour on average, and $54.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in San Francisco?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $57,190 a year and the 25th percentile is $68,760, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in San Francisco?
About $95,713 a year ($7,976 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $136,080. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do music directors and composers earn more in San Francisco than elsewhere?
The average here is 50% 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 Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA (41860). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 20.4%.
- 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 1.69, this job is 1.7 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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