How To Become A Music Educator: What It Is and Career Path

What is a music educator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

2 min read

Quoted experts

Rusty Banks,

Fred David Romines Ph.D.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a music educator. For example, did you know that they make an average of $22.07 an hour? That's $45,904 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 159,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a music educator?

Rusty Banks

Senior Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music, Franklin and Marshall College

First, remember that your career doesn't start when you graduate. It starts before then. Do everything you can to get experience and exposure while still in school.
Be nice to people. Make yourself useful. Go to other musician's performances. Know the people in a scene.
Remember that you're always auditioning. This goes for when you play and how you interact with people. Show up to everything and perform at a professional level, even if what's going on around you isn't. Show up prepared. You can't wait until you're at Carnegie Hall to start playing well. Develop a reputation for being solid as a player and as a colleague.
Have a plan. "Vague dreams of stardom" is not a plan. How many gigs do you want to be doing by next year? What number of followers are you going to have by when? Set some concrete metrics and strive for them. You won't always reach them but that's not the point. Having something to measure against is important. Tracking your success shows you how well what you are doing is working.

ScoreMusic EducatorUS Average

Salary

3.6

Avg. Salary $45,904

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.8

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.2

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.28%

Asian 11.25%

Black or African American 7.23%

Hispanic or Latino 10.29%

Unknown 4.95%

White 66.02%

Gender

female 53.23%

male 46.77%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

8.9

Work life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a music educator

Explore music educator education requirements

Most common music educator degrees

Bachelor's

70.4 %

Master's

18.5 %

Associate

3.9 %

Start to develop specific music educator skills

Skills	Percentages
Music Education	29.21%
Classroom Management	13.98%
K-12	6.65%
Music Theory	5.93%
Public Schools	4.63%

Research music educator duties and responsibilities

Manage revolving caseload of students with IEP team including initials, transfer placements, manifestation determinations.
Play for several pit orchestras for drama productions.
Incorporate the teaching philosophies of Orff, Kodaly and Dalcroze.
Provide vocal instruction for drama students with singing roles in the yearly school musical.

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