How to hire a band director

How to hire a band director, step by step

Here's a step-by-step band director hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a band director job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new band director
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a band director do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your band director job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a band director for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect band director also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of band directors and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Band Director	Description	Hourly rate
   Band Director	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.	$13-46
   Minister Of Music	A Minister of Music coordinates, rehearses, and directs all choirs of a church, as appropriate. They assist the pastor in planning the congregational services of the church.	$13-42
   Director Of Music	A music director is responsible for leading the musical aspects of a theatre production, monitoring the performance of musical groups to ensure the audience's satisfaction, as well as smooth show transitions. Music directors evaluate the production's concept and select the best music pieces... Show more	$12-40

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Classroom Management
   • Band Program
   • Concert Band
   • Music Theory
   • PEP Band
   • Football Games
   • Music Education
   • Brass
   • Jazz Band
   • HS
   • Fine Arts
   • Music Curriculum
   • All-State
   • Percussion Ensemble

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Resolve misconducts and social issues which lead to greater leadership skills and perfect orchestrate performances.
   • Work with others to manage DJs and volunteers, as well as plan on campus events.
   • Lead and direct the Orff instrument ensemble
   • Help students audition for college and all-state.
   • Plan and post content for Facebook page.
   • Develop curriculum for and teach speech and drama classes.

   More band director duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your band director job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A band director salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a band director in New Jersey may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level band director usually earns less than a senior-level band director. Additionally, a band director with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average band director salary

   $52,443yearly

   $25.21 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level band director salary

   $28,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 7, 2026

   Average band director salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	New York	$66,003	$32
   2	Delaware	$65,823	$32
   3	California	$61,198	$29
   4	Texas	$60,691	$29
   5	Georgia	$56,530	$27
   6	Idaho	$55,026	$26
   7	Indiana	$51,153	$25
   8	Missouri	$44,584	$21
   9	North Carolina	$40,315	$19
   10	Illinois	$40,267	$19
   11	New Jersey	$39,761	$19

   Average band director salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School	$90,479	$43.50
   2	Central State University	$69,723	$33.52
   3	University of Michigan	$54,213	$26.06
   4	Broward County Public Schools	$49,902	$23.99
   5	Paradise Valley Unified School District	$47,684	$22.93
   6	New Brunswick Public Schools	$47,456	$22.82	2
   7	Proviso Township Schools	$46,696	$22.45	1
   8	JUDAH CHRISTIAN SCHOOL	$44,252	$21.27
   9	Catholic Charities Health and Human Services	$42,940	$20.64
   10	Visalia Unified School District	$41,982	$20.18
   11	KIPP DC	$38,827	$18.67
   12	KIPP Austin Public Schools	$38,749	$18.63	2
   13	Bethany College	$34,063	$16.38
   14	Jackson Madison County School System	$32,433	$15.59
   15	Rowland Unified School District	$32,081	$15.42	1
   16	Leander ISD	$32,025	$15.40
   17	district	$31,211	$15.01
   18	Music & Arts	$29,423	$14.15	1
   19	Alhambra Unified School District	$29,367	$14.12
   20	Fontana Unified School District	$23,858	$11.47

4. Writing a band director job description

   A job description for a band director role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a band director job description:

   Band director job description example

   Direct and manage the overall program of instrumental music for the school(s) assigned. Provide students the opportunity to participate in extracurricular band activities and ensure compliance with all state, University Interscholastic League (UIL), Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) and District requirements. Plan activities to achieve district, region, and state recognition.
   Major Responsibilities:
   
   * Direct and supervise all school band performances, including concert band, jazz band, soloists, small ensembles, etc.
   * Establish performance requirements, enforce academic requirements, and verify each student's eligibility to participate in band.
   * Provide opportunities for band participation in curricular and extracurricular events, including concerts, football games, pep rallies, parades, TMEA, UIL, and DISD sanctioned activities.
   * Comply with federal and state laws, State and Local Board of Education policy, and UIL rules pertaining to band participation.
   * Obtain and use evaluative findings (including student achievement data) to determine program effectiveness and ensure that program renewal is continuous and responds to student needs.
   * Compile budgets and cost estimates based on documented program needs.
   * Coordinate fundraising activities and manage funds according to Local Board policy.
   * Maintain current inventory of all fixed assets within department.
   * Plan and use appropriate instructional and learning strategies, activities, materials and equipment that reflect understanding of the learning styles and needs of students assigned and show written evidence of preparation as required.
   * Conduct ongoing assessments of student achievement through formal and informal testing.
   * Head band director required to grow the band program through recruitment of current and future students.
   * Apply and enforce student discipline in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct and Student Handbook.
   * Establish and maintain open communication by conducting conferences with parents, students, principals, and teachers.
   * Develop and implement plans for improvement and growth of band program and show written evidence of preparation as required.
   * Performs all other tasks and duties as assigned
   * All federally funded incumbents of this position must comply with time and effort reporting requirements through personnel activity reports or periodic certification, as appropriate.
   * Regular and punctual attendance at the worksite is required for this position
   
   WORK ENVIRONMENT:
   
   The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Travel throughout the district is integral to this job. A remote working environment /alternate work arrangement is not an option for campus-based employees/campus-based positions because regular and punctual attendance at the worksite and performing all duties at the worksite are essential job duties for all campus-based personnel.
   
   *
   
   The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required of this job:
   
   * Bachelor's Degree from an accredited university; valid Texas teacher certificate with required endorsements for subject and subject level assigned.
   
   * Must have experience or demonstrated a desire to work in an urban school district.
   * Demonstrate understanding and ability to teach students with multiple learning styles and abilities.
   * Demonstrated an ability to work in a setting with diverse populations.
   * Demonstrated ability to engage students with 21st century teaching strategies such as Project Based Learning and technology integrated curriculum with computer programs such as Sibelius, Auralia, Rhythm Bee, Finale, SmartMusic, and Charms.
   * Demonstrated proficient to advance skill in the use of Internet, E-Mail, Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, and PowerPoint, Google Docs, Charms, and SmartMusic.
   * Demonstrated writing and editing skills.
   * Demonstrated ability to manage budget and personnel.
   * Demonstrated ability to interpret policy, procedures, and data.
   * Knowledgeable of state and UIL policies governing band.
   * Demonstrated flexibility to cope with the challenges of a rapidly changing world
   * Demonstrated willingness to remain current with the latest developments in the profession
   
   Physical Demands:
   
   The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations will be made if necessary:
   
   While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; use hands, handle instruments, feel objects, tools, or controls; communicate verbally and electronically; reach with hands and arms; stand and move throughout the building and/or to other facilities; and drive. Occasionally required to climb or balance. Frequently required to lift and/or exert force up to 50 pounds; occasionally required to lift and/or exert force up to 100 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find band directors for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any band directors they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level band directors with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your band director job on Zippia to find and recruit band director candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting band directors requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new band director

   Once you've found the band director candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new band director. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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