Music composer vs producer

The differences between music composers and producers 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 a producer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a producer has an average salary of $72,202, which is higher than the $54,646 average annual salary of a music composer.

The top three skills for a music composer include audio engineering, video games and music theory. The most important skills for a producer are work ethic, video production, and client relationships.

Music composer vs producer overview

	Music Composer	Producer
Yearly salary	$54,646	$72,202
Hourly rate	$26.27	$34.71
Growth rate	5%	8%
Number of jobs	3,788	10,610
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	44	40
Years of experience	6	12

Music composer vs producer salary

Music composers and producers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Music Composer	Producer
Average salary	$54,646	$72,202
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $106,000	Between $43,000 And $120,000
Highest paying City	New York, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Alaska	Nevada
Best paying company	Microsoft	Meta
Best paying industry	Media	-

Differences between music composer and producer education

There are a few differences between a music composer and a producer in terms of educational background:

	Music Composer	Producer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 67%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Music	Communication
Most common college	Stanford University	Harvard University

Music composer vs producer demographics

Here are the differences between music composers' and producers' demographics:

	Music Composer	Producer
Average age	44	40
Gender ratio	Male, 86.8% Female, 13.2%	Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8%
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, 7.8% Unknown, 5.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 6.3% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	30%	14%

Differences between music composer and producer duties and responsibilities

Music composer example responsibilities.

Work with others to manage DJs and volunteers, as well as plan on campus events.
Compose music for film, television, trailers, documentaries, commercials, internet media, and games.
Create original compositions and content for documentaries and local television commercials.
Collaborate with parish staff and liturgy committee about events and fundraiser

Producer example responsibilities.

Manage and augment existing budget with EP.
Manage production of a Sony HD motion graphics internal sales video.
Manage all union matters including, IASTE, DGA and AFTRA.
Prospect and generate new business through telemarketing leads, referrals, networking and cold leads.
Lead the creation of key titles including high profile X360 launch title and new NFL brand IP.
Manage and guide guest bloggers through the editing process, copy edit blogs and produce content in HTML.

Music composer vs producer skills

Common music composer skills

Audio Engineering, 23%
Video Games, 15%
Music Theory, 14%
Sound Design, 10%
Pro Tools, 7%
Sound Effects, 7%

Common producer skills

Work Ethic, 9%
Video Production, 6%
Client Relationships, 6%
Project Management, 6%
Cross-Selling, 6%
News Stories, 4%

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Music Composer
Music Composer vs Producer

Updated January 8, 2025

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