Music Directors and Composers pay range in Honolulu
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,790 a year or less, while the top 10% make $115,490 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Honolulu earn between $63,220 and $92,390.
- $54K10th
- $63K25th
- $69KMedian
- $92K75th
- $115K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $82,790 | $6,899 | $39.80 |
| Median | $69,330 | $5,778 | $33.33 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $63,220 | $5,268 | $30.39 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $92,390 | $7,699 | $44.42 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Honolulu vs. Hawaii and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Honolulu earn 5% less than the Hawaii average ($87,060) and 8% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -6% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $82,790 | $69,330 | $53,790 | $115,490 | 70 |
| Hawaii | $87,060 | $74,570 | $53,790 | $116,390 | 90 |
| 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 Honolulu
On the average salary of $82,790, a single filer in Honolulu takes home about $62,584 a year, or $5,215 a month and $2,407 every two weeks. Taxes take 24% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Is Honolulu a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Honolulu area are 11% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 111.0), so the average $82,790 buys what about $74,612 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Honolulu ($57,220). A typical home costs $851,163, or 10.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in nearby metro areas
- San Francisco, CA$136,080
- Sacramento, CA$98,430
- Fresno, CA$60,320
- Los Angeles, CA$103,350
- Salem, OR$64,990
- Portland, OR$65,380
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 Honolulu: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Honolulu?
$39.80 an hour on average, and $33.33 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Honolulu?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $53,790 a year and the 25th percentile is $63,220, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Honolulu?
About $62,584 a year ($5,215 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $82,790. Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
Do music directors and composers earn more in Honolulu than elsewhere?
The average here is 8% less 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 Urban Honolulu, HI (46520). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 12.0%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Hawaii's top brackets above $125,000 follow Act 46 (2024).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.01, this job is 2.0 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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