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Job outlook for choral directors in the United States
Are choral director jobs in demand?
Choral director job and salary trends over time
Choral director jobs over time
Choral director job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 363 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 349 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 402 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 462 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 585 | 0.00% |
Average choral director salary over time
Choral director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $54,709 | $26.30 | +1.1% |
| 2024 | $54,102 | $26.01 | +4.1% |
| 2023 | $51,966 | $24.98 | --1.9% |
| 2022 | $52,971 | $25.47 | +1.0% |
| 2021 | $52,468 | $25.23 | +0.6% |
Choral director jobs by state
Most common states for choral directors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 518 | 16% |
| 2 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 493 | 16% |
| 3 | Oklahoma | 3,930,864 | 446 | 11% |
| 4 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 503 | 10% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 491 | 10% |
| 6 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 303 | 10% |
| 7 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 7 | 0% |
| 8 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 2 | 0% |
| 9 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2 | 0% |
| 10 | New York | 19,849,399 | 2 | 0% |
| 11 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 1 | 0% |
| 12 | Delaware | 961,939 | 1 | 0% |
| 13 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 1 | 0% |
| 14 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 0 | 0% |
| 15 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 0 | 0% |
| 16 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 0 | 0% |
| 17 | Alaska | 739,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 18 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 0 | 0% |
| 19 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 20 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 0 | 0% |
Choral Director job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of choral director experts
Carthage College
Utah State University
Kenyon College
Pepperdine University
What general advice would you give to a Choral Director?
Zackary Simonini: 2. Technology always advances faster than most theatre budgets can keep up. This forces us to 'learn on the fly' sometimes. Dedicate some time to keeping up with the newest technology, at least be aware of it. IF you have time and resources, set aside some of your efforts to grow technological skills that are more and more in demand in theatres and other event industries. These skills involve creating projections/effects in qLab or comparable programs. Furthermore wireless technology continues to become available in ways that can mitigate the need for hard wire cabling. Visit the message boards, learn the troubleshooting guides and familiarize yourself with the 'new solutions'. Other skills that continue to be more and more relevant is the use of LED lights and moving lights. These instruments are different from the incandescent fixtures I initially learned on but spending time to learn how to program moving lights is immensely useful and marketable to many industries. Finally even if your theatre/space does not rely on microphone/speaker enhancement of actors/instruments LEARN what you can about the physics of sound and how to interact with the technology associated with live sound mixing.
Richie Call
Department Head/Artistic DirectorUtah State University
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What will help Choral Directors increase their earning potential?
Richie Call: Like: Getting to do what they love. Dislike: Lack of stability
Wendy MacLeod
James E. Michael Playwright-in-ResidenceKenyon College
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What Choral Director skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Wendy MacLeod: I've seen a rise in the multi-hyphenate, that is, someone who might be able to perform what they write. Or a director who can generate buzz as a producer. For example, my former student Spencer Huffman, recently did a production of Caryl Churchill's FAR AWAY in a factory in Chicago, a novel concept that generated press.
Kelly Todd
Assistant Instructor of TheaterPepperdine University
Drama/Theatre Arts And Stagecraft
What will help Choral Directors increase their earning potential?
Kelly Todd: It’s a lot of work for little pay!