Music Directors and Composers pay range in Salem
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,340 a year or less, while the top 10% make $104,500 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Salem earn between $40,350 and $86,880.
- $40K10th
- $40K25th
- $57KMedian
- $87K75th
- $104K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $64,990 | $5,416 | $31.25 |
| Median | $56,730 | $4,728 | $27.27 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $40,350 | $3,362 | $19.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $86,880 | $7,240 | $41.77 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Salem vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Salem earn 7% less than the Oregon average ($69,590) and 28% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -23% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem | $64,990 | $56,730 | $40,340 | $104,500 | n/a |
| Oregon | $69,590 | $60,800 | $40,340 | $115,740 | 500 |
| 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 Salem
On the average salary of $64,990, a single filer in Salem takes home about $49,762 a year, or $4,147 a month and $1,914 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Salem a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Salem area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $64,990 buys what about $62,702 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.0 times the median wage of all jobs in Salem ($55,310). A typical home costs $454,689, or 7.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other Oregon cities
Salem ranks 2nd of 2 Oregon metro areas for this job; Portland pays the most ($65,380).
- Portland$65,380
- Salem$64,990
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 Salem: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Salem?
$31.25 an hour on average, and $27.27 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Salem?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,340 a year and the 25th percentile is $40,350, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Salem?
About $49,762 a year ($4,147 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $64,990. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do music directors and composers earn more in Salem than elsewhere?
The average here is 28% 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 Salem, OR (41420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 20.5%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
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