How to hire a director of music

How to hire a director of music, step by step

Here's a step-by-step director of music hiring guide:

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

What does a director of music do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a director of music, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A director of music's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, directors of music from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of directors of music.

   Type of Director Of Music	Description	Hourly rate
   Director Of Music	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.	$12-40
   Band Director	Band Directors help their musicians prepare for their showcase events. They lead orchestras or other musical groups during musical performances or recording sessions.	$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

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Music Program
   • Music Theory
   • General Music
   • Fine Arts
   • Instrumental Ensembles
   • Music Selection
   • Radio Station
   • Music Library
   • Easter
   • FCC
   • DJS
   • Liturgy
   • Church Services
   • Community Outreach

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage entire music program, schedule ministers, concerts, and prayer services.
   • Achieve staff competence with 4 staff members, encouraging the growth and development of one staff member into a leadership position.
   • Direct 7th - 8th girls chorus.
   • Introduce and integrate Orff instruments to vocal songs.
   • Serve as rehearsal accompanist for chorus number while directing.
   • Draft and create costumes and props by hand for the production

   More director of music duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your director of music job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A director of music salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, directors of music' average salary in wyoming is 50% less than in arizona.
   • Seniority. Entry-level directors of music earn 68% less than senior-level directors of music.
   • Certifications. A director of music with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a director of music's salary.

   Average director of music salary

   $48,096yearly

   $23.12 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level director of music salary

   $27,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 20, 2026

   Average director of music salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Arizona	$62,449	$30
   2	California	$58,031	$28
   3	Texas	$57,710	$28
   4	New Mexico	$56,579	$27
   5	New York	$55,199	$27
   6	Colorado	$54,589	$26
   7	Tennessee	$54,149	$26
   8	Florida	$53,965	$26
   9	Virginia	$53,273	$26
   10	District of Columbia	$52,752	$25
   11	Maryland	$50,502	$24
   12	Indiana	$46,999	$23
   13	Massachusetts	$46,405	$22
   14	Oregon	$45,831	$22
   15	Ohio	$45,794	$22
   16	Nebraska	$44,854	$22
   17	Michigan	$39,681	$19
   18	Illinois	$36,631	$18
   19	Pennsylvania	$35,694	$17
   20	New Jersey	$33,312	$16

   Average director of music salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	York Prep School	$71,626	$34.44
   2	Valley Forge Military Academy & College	$69,235	$33.29
   3	Saint Xavier University	$68,816	$33.08
   4	The Joffrey Ballet	$67,044	$32.23
   5	UMiami Health System	$60,890	$29.27
   6	University of Rochester	$57,716	$27.75
   7	University of Nevada, Reno	$56,302	$27.07	2
   8	Missouri Military Academy	$54,935	$26.41
   9	University of Colorado Boulder	$54,772	$26.33
   10	Live Nation Entertainment	$51,716	$24.86	5
   11	iHeartMedia	$51,673	$24.84
   12	St Pius X Catholic Church	$50,647	$24.35
   13	tag	$50,474	$24.27
   14	Salem Media Group	$50,151	$24.11
   15	Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs	$50,001	$24.04
   16	SoundCloud	$49,292	$23.70
   17	Amuse Restaurant	$48,952	$23.53
   18	University of Alaska	$47,937	$23.05
   19	St. Martin's Episcopal Church	$47,754	$22.96
   20	Johns Hopkins University	$47,479	$22.83

4. Writing a director of music job description

   A job description for a director of music 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 director of music job description:

   Director of music job description example

   The School of Music is in search of a Director of Recruitment and Enrollment. This is an exciting opportunity for an academic recruitment professional with a passion for music. This position will be responsible for recruiting and enrolling highly qualified undergraduate and graduate level students to the School of Music, both nationally and internationally.
   Core responsibilities include:
   Managing the coordination of admission publicity/recruitment materials and advertising in collaboration with the Associate Director of Music Admission and Director of Marketing and Communications Planning national and international recruitment efforts Organizing and leading off-campus auditions and recruitment trips Managing campus and virtual visits for prospective students and their families Interviewing and speaking to groups of prospective students Planning and supervising audition day activities at the School, nationally and virtually, and assigning dates with applicants and the School of Music faculty, staff and students Developing strategic recruitment strategies and maintaining admission data Working closely with the Office of Undergraduate Admission on the processing and admitting of undergraduate students Managing admission communications and records, including transcripts, standardized tests, and language test scores Working with the Office of International Education on the processing of international students' documentation Participating in admission and scholarship decisions Managing graduate assistantship assignments and graduate orientation Supervising graduate assistants, music admission ambassadors (tour guides) and one part-time professional staff member
   
   You must demonstrate:
   An ability to pay close attention to detail, and to keep and maintain accurate and detailed reports and records. Strong communication skills An ability to prioritize work and handle multiple tasks simultaneously An ability to meet deadlines; work under pressure and with frequent interruptions. Ability to maintain composure when dealing with difficult situations and/or individuals.
   
   Flexibility, excellence, and passion are vital qualities within the School of Music. Inclusion, collaboration and cultural intelligence are valued competencies at CMU. Therefore, we are in search of a team member who is able to effectively interact with a varied population of internal and external partners at a high level of integrity. We are looking for someone who shares our values and who will support the mission of the university through their work.
   
   Qualifications:
   Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred 3-5 years of admissions experience required; experience in a conservatory or college music setting preferred. Extensive knowledge of music preferred
   
   Requirements:
   Successful Background Check Act 153 child protection clearances Domestic Travel will be required
   
   Additional Information:
   Salary Range: $65,000-$75,000
   Interested in this opportunity? Apply today!
   
   CMU's COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements: As a condition of employment, Carnegie Mellon University requires all staff and faculty working in the United States to be fully vaccinated, including a booster when eligible, against COVID-19. Prior to commencement of employment, new hires in the United States must provide proof of vaccination or obtain an approved exemption. (Exemptions may be requested for medical reasons or for religious or strong moral or ethical conviction.) Those granted an exemption must comply with all applicable COVID-19 mitigation requirements. The most up-to-date information on CMU's COVID-19 mitigation requirements can be found here: Minimum Requirements to Return to Campus.
   
   Location
   Pittsburgh, PA
   Job Function
   Admissions and Financial Aid
   Position Type
   Staff - Regular
   Full Time/Part time
   Full time
   Pay Basis
   Salary
   More Information:
   
   Please visit "Why Carnegie Mellon" to learn more about becoming part of an institution inspiring innovations that change the world. Click here to view a listing of employee benefits Carnegie Mellon University is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran . Statement of Assurance

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right director of music for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with directors of music they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit directors of music who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with director of music candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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 director of music

   Once you've decided on a perfect director of music candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new director of music first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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