Music Director or Composer

Despite limited employment growth, about 5,100 openings for music directors and composers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Most of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Education: Bachelor's degree Details

Education Details

28%

Master's Degree

24%

Bachelor's Degree

21%

Doctoral Degree

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

Some College Courses

Less than a High School Diploma

High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.

Post-Master's Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master's degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.

Work From Home

Salary

High: $165,760.00

Average: $95,430.00

Hourly

Average: $45.88

Summary of What they do:

Conduct, direct, plan, and lead instrumental or vocal performances by musical artists or groups, such as orchestras, bands, choirs, and glee clubs; or create original works of music.

Responsibilities

Coordinate musical rehearsals or performances.

Study details of musical compositions.

Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.

Determine presentation subjects or content.

Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.

Audition or interview potential performers or staff members.

Select staff, team members, or performers.

Coordinate musical rehearsals or performances.

Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.

Coordinate musical rehearsals or performances.

Design layout of art or product exhibits, displays, or promotional materials.

Negotiate for services.

Direct fundraising or financing activities.

Collaborate with others to determine technical details of productions.

Collaborate with others to prepare or perform artistic productions.

Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.

Coordinate artistic activities.

Study scripts to determine project requirements.

Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.

Collaborate with others to prepare or perform artistic productions.

Create musical compositions, arrangements or scores.

Coordinate logistics for productions or events.

Operate audio recording equipment.

Stay informed about current developments in field of specialization.

What Music Directors and Composers Do

Music directors, also called conductors, lead orchestras and other musical groups during performances and recording sessions. Composers write and arrange original music in a variety of musical styles.

Duties

Composers write and arrange original music in a variety of musical styles.

Music directors typically do the following:

Select musical arrangements and compositions to be performed for live audiences or recordings
Prepare for performances by reviewing and interpreting musical scores
Direct rehearsals to prepare for performances and recordings
Choose guest performers and soloists
Audition new performers or assist section leaders with auditions
Practice conducting to improve their technique
Meet with potential donors and attend fundraisers

Music directors lead orchestras, choirs, and other musical groups. They ensure that musicians play with one coherent sound, balancing the melody, timing, rhythm, and volume. They also give feedback to musicians and section leaders on sound and style.

Music directors may work with a variety of musical groups, including church choirs, youth orchestras, and high school or college bands, choirs, or orchestras. Some work with orchestras that accompany dance and opera companies.

Composers typically do the following:

Write original music that orchestras, bands, and other musical groups perform
Arrange existing music into new compositions
Write lyrics for music or work with a lyricist
Meet with orchestras, musical groups, and others who are interested in commissioning a piece of music
Study and listen to music of various styles for inspiration
Work with musicians to record their music

Composers write music for a variety of types of musical groups and users. Some work in a particular style of music, such as classical or jazz. They also may write for musicals, operas, or other types of theatrical productions.

Some composers write scores for movies or television; others write jingles for commercials. Many songwriters focus on composing music for audiences of popular music.

Some composers use instruments to help them as they write music. Others use software that allows them to hear a piece without musicians.

Some music directors and composers give private music lessons to children and adults. Others teach music in elementary, middle, or high schools. For more information, see the profiles on kindergarten and elementary school teachers, middle school teachers, and high school teachers.

For more information about careers in music, see the profile on musicians and singers.

Important Qualities

Discipline. Talent is not enough for most music directors and composers to find employment in this field. They must constantly practice and seek to improve their technique and style.

Interpersonal skills. Music directors and composers need to work with agents, musicians, and recording studio personnel. Being friendly, respectful, and open to criticism as well as praise, while enjoying being with others, can help music directors and composers work well with a variety of people.

Leadership. Music directors and composers must guide musicians and singers by preparing musical arrangements and helping them achieve the best possible sound.

Musical talent. To become a music director or composer, one must have musical talent.

Perseverance. Music directors and composers need determination to continue submitting their compositions after receiving rejections. Also, reviewing auditions can be frustrating because it may take many different auditions to find the best musicians.

Promotional skills. Music directors and composers need to promote their performances through local communities, word of mouth, and social media platforms. Good self-promotional skills are helpful in building a fan base and getting more work opportunities.

Tasks On The Job

Apply elements of music theory to create musical and tonal structures, including harmonies and melodies.
Arrange music composed by others, changing the music to achieve desired effects.
Assign and review staff work in such areas as scoring, arranging, and copying music, and vocal coaching.
Audition and select performers for musical presentations.
Collaborate with other colleagues, such as copyists, to complete final scores.
Confer with producers and directors to define the nature and placement of film or television music.
Consider such factors as ensemble size and abilities, availability of scores, and the need for musical variety, to select music to be performed.
Coordinate and organize tours, or hire touring companies to arrange concert dates, venues, accommodations, and transportation for longer tours.
Copy parts from scores for individual performers.
Create original musical forms, or write within circumscribed musical forms such as sonatas, symphonies, or operas.
Determine voices, instruments, harmonic structures, rhythms, tempos, and tone balances required to achieve the effects desired in a musical composition.
Direct groups at rehearsals and live or recorded performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance dynamics, rhythm, and tempo.
Experiment with different sounds, and types and pieces of music, using synthesizers and computers as necessary to test and evaluate ideas.
Explore and develop musical ideas based on sources such as imagination or sounds in the environment.
Fill in details of orchestral sketches, such as adding vocal parts to scores.
Meet with soloists and concertmasters to discuss and prepare for performances.
Perform administrative tasks such as applying for grants, developing budgets, negotiating contracts, and designing and printing programs and other promotional materials.
Plan and schedule rehearsals and performances, and arrange details such as locations, accompanists, and instrumentalists.
Position members within groups to obtain balance among instrumental or vocal sections.
Produce recordings of music.
Rewrite original musical scores in different musical styles by changing rhythms, harmonies, or tempos.
Stay abreast of the latest trends in music and music technology.
Study films or scripts to determine how musical scores can be used to create desired effects or moods.
Study scores to learn the music in detail, and to develop interpretations.
Transcribe ideas for musical compositions into musical notation, using instruments, pen and paper, or computers.
Transcribe musical compositions and melodic lines to adapt them to a particular group, or to create a particular musical style.
Transpose music from one voice or instrument to another to accommodate particular musicians.
Use gestures to shape the music being played, communicating desired tempo, phrasing, tone, color, pitch, volume, and other performance aspects.
Write musical scores for orchestras, bands, choral groups, or individual instrumentalists or vocalists, using knowledge of music theory and of instrumental and vocal capabilities.
Write music for commercial mediums, including advertising jingles or film soundtracks.

PERSONALITY

KEY:

Strength

Caution

Warning

Your Assessment Results		CAREER CHARACTERISTICS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	88%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	85%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	82%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	82%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	82%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	77%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	76%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	72%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.

Your Assessment Results		IMPORTANT STRENGTHS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment		97%	Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment		61%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Your Assessment Results		WORK VALUES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	89%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

APTITUDES

KEY:

Strength

Caution

Warning

Your Assessment Results		ABILITIES \| SKILLS Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	81%	Hearing Sensitivity - The ability to detect or tell the differences between sounds that vary in pitch and loudness.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Auditory Attention - The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	52%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Your Assessment Results		TASKS \| ACTIVITIES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	87%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	86%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	75%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	69%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	68%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	63%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	60%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	56%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	54%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	53%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Your Assessment Results		CONTEXT \| ATTRIBUTES Importance


? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	93%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	90%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	89%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	87%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	84%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	80%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	79%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	73%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	71%	Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	70%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	66%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	65%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	64%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	61%	Spend Time Sitting - How much does this job require sitting?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	59%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	57%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
? ? ? ? Begin Career Assessment	58%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

Work Environment

Music directors ensure that musicians play with one coherent sound, balancing the melody, timing, rhythm, and volume.

Music directors and composers held about 51,800 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of music directors and composers were as follows:

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations	62%
Self-employed workers	22
Performing arts companies	7
Elementary and secondary schools; state, local, and private	2

Music directors commonly work in concert halls and recording studios, and they may spend a lot of time traveling to different performances. Composers can work in offices, recording studios, or their own homes.

Jobs for music directors and composers are found all over the country. However, many jobs are located in cities in which entertainment activities are concentrated, such as New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Chicago.

Work Schedules

Rehearsals and recording sessions are commonly held during business hours, but performances take place most often on nights and weekends. Because music writing is done primarily independently, composers may be able to set their own schedules.

Getting Started

How to Become a Music Director or Composer

In order to become a music director or composer, one must have the talent to play, write, and conduct music.

Educational and training requirements for music directors and composers vary, although most positions require related work experience. A conductor for a symphony orchestra typically needs a master’s degree; a choir director may need a bachelor’s degree. There are no formal educational requirements for those interested in writing popular music.

Education

For positions as a conductor or classical composer, employers generally prefer to hire candidates who have a master’s degree in music theory, music composition, or conducting.

Applicants to postsecondary programs in music typically are required to submit recordings, audition in person, or both. These programs teach students about music history and styles, along with instruction in composing and conducting techniques. Information on degree programs is available from the National Association of Schools of Music.

Choir directors typically need a bachelor’s degree. Common fields of degree include fine and performing arts and education. Those who work in public schools may need a teaching license or certification. For more information, see the profiles on teachers.

There are no specific educational requirements for those interested in writing popular music. These composers usually find employment by submitting recordings of their compositions to bands, singers, record companies, and movie studios. Composers may promote themselves through personal websites, social media, or online video or audio of their musical work.

Training

Music directors and composers typically begin their musical training at a young age by learning to play an instrument or singing, and perhaps performing as a musician or singer. Music directors and composers who are interested in classical music may seek additional training through music camps and fellowships. These programs provide participants with classes, lessons, and performance opportunities.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Music directors and composers often work as musicians or singers in a group, a choir, or an orchestra before they take on a leadership role. They use this time to master their instrument and gain an understanding of how the group functions. For more information, see the profile on musicians and singers.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about music degree programs, visit

National Association of Schools of Music

For more information about careers in music, visit

Future of Music Coalition

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of music directors and composers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Actors	Actors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media.	Some college, no degree	The annual wage is not available.
Dancers and Choreographers	Dancers and choreographers use dance performances to express ideas and stories.	See How to Become One	The annual wage is not available.
High School Teachers	High school teachers teach academic lessons and various skills that students will need to attend college and to enter the job market.	Bachelor's degree	$62,360
Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers	Kindergarten and elementary school teachers instruct young students in basic subjects in order to prepare them for future schooling.	Bachelor's degree	$61,620
Middle School Teachers	Middle school teachers educate students, typically in sixth through eighth grades.	Bachelor's degree	$61,810
Musicians and Singers	Musicians and singers play instruments or sing for live audiences and in recording studios.	No formal educational credential	The annual wage is not available.
Postsecondary Teachers	Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level.	See How to Become One	$80,840
Producers and Directors	Producers and directors make business and creative decisions about film, television, stage, and other productions.	Bachelor's degree	$85,320
Writers and Authors	Writers and authors develop written content for various types of media.	Bachelor's degree	$73,150