Music Directors and Composers pay range in Richmond
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,500 a year or less, while the top 10% make $168,950 or more. The middle half of music directors and composers in Richmond earn between $53,190 and $100,380.
- $40K10th
- $53K25th
- $58KMedian
- $100K75th
- $169K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $85,330 | $7,111 | $41.02 |
| Median | $57,860 | $4,822 | $27.82 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $53,190 | $4,432 | $25.57 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $100,380 | $8,365 | $48.26 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Music Directors and Composers pay in Richmond vs. Virginia and the U.S.
Music directors and composers in Richmond earn 8% more than the Virginia average ($79,160) and 6% less than the U.S. average ($90,470). At the median the gap is -22% against the U.S. median of $73,710.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $85,330 | $57,860 | $40,500 | $168,950 | 40 |
| Virginia | $79,160 | $59,050 | $42,910 | $130,980 | 370 |
| 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 Richmond
On the average salary of $85,330, a single filer in Richmond takes home about $64,767 a year, or $5,397 a month and $2,491 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 (2025 rules).
Is Richmond a good place for music directors and composers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Richmond area are 2% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 97.9), so the average $85,330 buys what about $87,198 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Richmond ($51,460). A typical home costs $397,705, or 4.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Music Directors and Composers salary in other Virginia cities
Richmond ranks 1st of 2 Virginia metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Richmond$85,330
- Virginia Beach$70,670
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 Richmond: questions
How much do music directors and composers make an hour in Richmond?
$41.02 an hour on average, and $27.82 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level music directors and composers salary in Richmond?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $40,500 a year and the 25th percentile is $53,190, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the music directors and composers take-home pay in Richmond?
About $64,767 a year ($5,397 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $85,330.
Do music directors and composers earn more in Richmond than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% 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 Richmond, VA (40060). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 10.9%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.79, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.79).
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