Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for band leaders in the United States
Are band leader jobs in demand?
Yes, band leader jobs are in demand. Band leader demand is projected to grow 5% from 2018 to 2028.
Band leader job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of band leader jobs and the average band leader salary over time.
Band leader jobs over time
Band leader job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 345 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 332 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 381 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 438 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 555 | 0.00% |
Average band leader salary over time
Band leader salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $55,494 | $26.68 | +1.1% |
| 2025 | $54,878 | $26.38 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $52,711 | $25.34 | --1.9% |
| 2023 | $53,731 | $25.83 | +1.0% |
| 2022 | $53,221 | $25.59 | +0.6% |
Band leader jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of band leader job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where band leaders earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Most common states for band leaders
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 216 | 31% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 143 | 23% |
| 3 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 251 | 19% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 1,077 | 16% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 120 | 16% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 110 | 15% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 191 | 14% |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 133 | 13% |
| 9 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 110 | 13% |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,574 | 12% |
| 11 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,054 | 12% |
| 12 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 890 | 12% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 507 | 12% |
| 14 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 237 | 12% |
| 15 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 125 | 12% |
| 16 | New York | 19,849,399 | 1,739 | 9% |
| 17 | Delaware | 961,939 | 20 | 2% |
| 18 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 12 | 2% |
| 19 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 37 | 1% |
| 20 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 12 | 1% |
Band Leader job outlook: Expert opinions
We spoke to band leader professors and experts from several universities and companies to get their opinions on where the band leader job market for recent graduates is heading and how young graduates entering the band leader industry can be adequately prepared. Here are their thoughts.
Our panel of band leader experts
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Bethel University
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What skills will help Band Leaders earn the most?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: For educational leaders, I'm not convinced discrete skills equate to salary. Working hard and working well with others, with a disposition of humility and curiosity, is really powerful. Perhaps the combination of soft and hard skills gained through diverse experiences, positions, and institutional contexts results in the highest earning potential.
Band leader jobs
Updated November 7, 2020