Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between music composers and arrangers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a music composer, becoming an arranger takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a music composer has an average salary of $54,646, which is higher than the $50,195 average annual salary of an arranger.
The top three skills for a music composer include audio engineering, video games and music theory. The most important skills for an arranger are assembly line, bacon, and travel arrangements.
| Music Composer | Arranger | |
| Yearly salary | $54,646 | $50,195 |
| Hourly rate | $26.27 | $24.13 |
| Growth rate | 5% | 5% |
| Number of jobs | 3,788 | 90 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 2 |
Music composers and arrangers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Music Composer | Arranger | |
| Average salary | $54,646 | $50,195 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $106,000 | Between $24,000 And $103,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Microsoft | - |
| Best paying industry | Media | - |
There are a few differences between a music composer and an arranger in terms of educational background:
| Music Composer | Arranger | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Music | Music |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between music composers' and arrangers' demographics:
| Music Composer | Arranger | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2% | Male, 60.3% Female, 39.7% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.5% Asian, 5.3% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 30% | 30% |