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Job outlook for music educators in the United States
Music educator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected music educator job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 159,400 new jobs for music educators are projected over the next decade.
Music educator salaries have increased 2% for music educators in the last 5 years.
There are over 24,047 music educators currently employed in the United States.
There are 9,533 active music educator job openings in the US.
The average music educator salary is $45,904.
Are music educator jobs in demand?
Music educator job and salary trends over time
Music educator jobs over time
Music educator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24,047 | 0.01% |
| 2020 | 24,673 | 0.01% |
| 2019 | 25,801 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 25,468 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 25,439 | 0.01% |
Average music educator salary over time
Music educator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $45,904 | $22.07 | +0.2% |
| 2025 | $45,799 | $22.02 | --0.6% |
| 2024 | $46,082 | $22.15 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $44,086 | $21.20 | --2.5% |
| 2022 | $45,219 | $21.74 | +5.1% |
Music educator jobs by state
Most common states for music educators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 61 | 5% |
| 2 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 38 | 4% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 28 | 4% |
| 4 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 37 | 3% |
| 5 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 20 | 3% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 19 | 3% |
| 7 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 17 | 3% |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 210 | 2% |
| 9 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 170 | 2% |
| 10 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 141 | 2% |
| 11 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 120 | 2% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 115 | 2% |
| 13 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 111 | 2% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 93 | 2% |
| 15 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 83 | 2% |
| 16 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 64 | 2% |
| 17 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 39 | 2% |
| 18 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 38 | 2% |
| 19 | Delaware | 961,939 | 21 | 2% |
| 20 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 18 | 2% |
Most common cities for music educators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 1 | 0% | $58,950 |
Music Educator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of music educator experts
University of Maine
Meredith College
Texas Tech University
Elmhurst College
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of California - San Diego
Fort Hays State University
Georgia College and State University
Auburn University Main Campus
Oklahoma State University
Washington State University
Saginaw Valley State University
The University of Vermont
King's College
Hope College
Idaho State University
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. Micheal Houlahan Ph.D: People enjoy the opportunity to share their passion for music, inspire students, and make a positive impact on their lives. However, challenges such as budget cuts, limited resources, and administrative pressures can be drawbacks for some music educators.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Micheal Houlahan Ph.D: Music education is crucial for fostering creativity, critical thinking, and emotional expression in students. With the growing recognition of the importance of arts education, there is a high demand for qualified music educators in schools and communities.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Micheal Houlahan Ph.D: Music educators are responsible for teaching music theory, history, performance, and appreciation to students of all ages. They create lesson plans, conduct rehearsals, organize performances, and assess student progress. Those entering the field may start as student teachers or assistants, gradually gaining experience and expertise.
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.
Professor, Literacy, Language and CultureUniversity of Maine
Education
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.: As these new graduates begin to feel included in the culture of the school, as they become more comfortable with the curriculum, as they gain a better understanding of their learners' strengths and weaknesses, as they develop a management plan that works for them, and as they get better at their pacing and time management, they will transition into a master teacher and an excellent professional in the field of education.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.: Future graduating education majors can expect to immediately enter the 'survival phase of teaching.' Up to this point, they have had university faculty, university mentors, collaborating teacher mentors, and their peer candidates all supporting their development into excellent professionals in the field of education. However, upon the first minute of the first day of teaching, they will enter the survival phase and, in many cases, they will fight for personal and professional existence.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. Jim Waddelow DMA: It depends on the age group. Many elementary teachers enjoy a typical school day of an hour before classes start and an after classes are released. Middle school and High school have more before/after school activities and weekend auditions, festivals, competitions, etc. Band directors have athletic events to plan and perform with the students that go beyond the normal M-F side of the job. Most of the teaching is the pedagogy of teaching the instrument--voice, band or orchestra. Teachers of beginners introduce the instrument, while teachers of older students refine the basics and take them to the next level.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Jim Waddelow DMA: Many enjoy the flexibility of having summers open to travel or explore other interests--or just the downtime. Especially since many other entry-level professional jobs have far less paid time off, the trade-off of a smaller salary outweighs the lower wages that a teacher brings home each month. Many have to adjust to realize that there are many nights and weekends that come with a music teacher position. After all--this is when concerts and music festivals take place.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Jim Waddelow DMA: The entire profession is understaffed, as retirements and people leaving the profession outnumbers the number of folks entering the workforce. Our students have had a 100% job placement rate for over 15 years, and graduates may choose to work in any part of the country, as positions are plentiful everywhere.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. Valerie Paton Ph.D.: Leaders who know how to lead others to higher levels of understanding and performance tend to enjoy the satisfaction of being generative and investing in the next generation of learners and leaders. But leadership has a cost in every sector and those who want to take on these roles invest deeply of themselves in others, so healthy life balance is always important.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Valerie Paton Ph.D.: Education is always a great profession to pursue because we have a 'learning society'. Individuals who know how to teach diverse learners are invaluable in all sectors of our society. As more corporations integrate learning goals as essential components to achieve their strategic goals, more opportunities are available for those who are expert educators, trainers, and facilitators. So education programs are transferrable across many types of leadership roles and are generating higher levels of compensation.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. William Raynovich: Make sure to keep contact with your peers and, perhaps more importantly, with your faculty mentors. These contacts are valuable resources for you finding a job. Most of the students I have known who are fulfilled by their careers had a good relationship with their peers and faculty. Students, who worked with me through their matriculation, will reach out to me at times for advice in navigating their first jobs. As a music educator assuredly went to an institution of higher learning, the music educator should capitalize on the relationships built during their education.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. William Raynovich: As technology continues to be a strong component of our society, music educators need to consider innovation when teaching music. The schooling I had may become less relevant and the schooling even the students of ten years ago may be less relevant to the public school education of the next 3-5 years. We have accelerated the changes in music over the past 100 years with startling changes. From the radio to the walkman to the iPod to the streaming and the use of electronics to create music has changed music to the point that the band, choir, or orchestra of even twenty years ago may not be the music-making in a public school in 2025.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. William Raynovich: Well, I would recommend one does not think of maximizing a salary when thinking of a career as a music educator. One should maximize life-design when being a music educator. One should ask oneself: Are you going to be happy teaching music in a public school setting? Do you enjoy two months off in the summer? Are you fulfilled in life? There are opportunities to advance in the public school system, but often, I believe, the music educator has to become an administrator which requires attaining graduate degrees in Education Leadership to become an administrator. However, all music educators probably know this, but it is standard for public school systems to expect and encourage teachers to receive additional education through at least a master’s degree. With the master’s degree, the teacher should receive salary increase. The process for salary increases is often clearly scheduled via the contract the music educator’s teacher’s union negotiated with the school district.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dianne Goldman Ph.D.: Being a Music Educator requires a person to wear many different 'hats' during a given week - instructor/teacher, recruiter, fundraiser, performer, therapist, promoter, conductor, etc. All of these roles are needed to make sure a program is successful.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dianne Goldman Ph.D.: This is a good time to enter the field of Music Education as people with this degree are more likely to land a teaching position than they were even a few years ago. In addition, such educators are needed to address some of the challenges students have recently faced.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dianne Goldman Ph.D.: People entering the field often find this a rewarding job because they have a lot of input to what happens to their program and can directly affect student outcomes. Student musicians are often sensitive souls that need nurturing and support and find it in the figure of their music teacher.
Darryl Coan
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Music
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Darryl Coan: Being a music educator means long days and much dedication to the growth of your students while safeguarding from the usual school budget problems, so it really is a career and not just a job. That level of involvement isn’t for everyone and they leave the field but for most, the great rewards that come both daily and yearly in the musical growth and gratitude of your students keep that dedication strong and growing.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Darryl Coan: First, there is a shortage of music educators in several states including the one I live in, so there is demand and not enough supply. We’re getting multiple emails and calls from schools asking if we have a graduating student to fill music teacher openings. Second, we’re in a period of growing economic uncertainty. For young musicians who are finishing High School and thinking about a career, a way to engage in their love for music that makes a regular paycheck with benefits is appealing. Finally, thanks to societal factors, a lot in the field is changing right now in terms of diversifying school music programs by adding small alternative kinds ensembles and embracing more kinds of music such as rock and music of different cultures. This is exciting and long overdue.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Darryl Coan: Right away, a music educator becomes the musical mentor of all the students in their care. Effective music educators engage their students at every level in all aspects of musical activity—singing, playing, listening, creating and critiquing. In the big picture, this means intentionally improving their ability to do these independently. On a daily basis, this involves planning, creating and assessing musical experience through the various school opportunities such as band, choir, guitar class, and other contexts.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Chris Halter: My best advice for any new professional is to find yourself a mentor. Even better, have several mentors. Depending on the areas that you want to grow or excel, there may be a different mentor who could guide you towards those goals. We should also acknowledge that education is a social field. We are in service of others and should always strive to recognize the communities that we serve. Learn, be curious, and understand the values, goals, and strengths that can be found in our communities.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Bradley Dawson: If it is in music education, they need to be careful of what their responsibilities will be. Many smaller schools are requiring one person to do all the music, K-12. This may or may not be what the new graduate wants. If their degree is in performance, then they need to locate to large city and begin making connections with other musicians that are already performing in the area they are interested in. Classical players will want to apply for orchestra auditions and be prepared to go to many before finally winning a job. The competition is tremendous and will require much preparation and tenacity.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bradley Dawson: Students studying music should be diverse in what they can play and teach. The narrower that you focus the harder it will be to find a job with no teaching experience. Go to a school where you can define yourself. Play and sing in as many different ensembles as you can and find out what are your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing this and developing your best skills will help you determine what job is best for you.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Bradley Dawson: If you are going into education, it is best to get a master’s degree. When to get it is an important decision. If you teach for a while and start a family it becomes more difficult to go back to school so there is an advantage to getting that degree right after your bachelor’s degree.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Bailey McAlister PhD: I think that any skills rooted in confident experimentation will be increasingly valuable in the near future. For example, you don’t need to be an AI expert, but you should be curious about AI innovations and open to experimenting with AI in your work. Technical knowledge can be learned. But there's real value in being confident to experiment, make mistakes, learn, practice, reflect.
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.
Associate Professor | Program CoordinatorAuburn University Main Campus
Education
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.: Hi Alex, I’d be happy to chat with you — my area is in labor markets for educators—so recruitment, hiring, retention, etc.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. Sarah Donovan: A career in education begins during an accredited teacher preparation program as you cultivate a network of colleagues among peers, professors, and state and national professional organizations. Becoming a teacher is about building content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge, so accredited programs offer opportunities to observe and practice teacher in classrooms with the support of qualified, experienced mentors and faculty members.
The first year on the job, it is essential to keep open lines of communication with the colleagues and faculty with whom you've developed professional relationships so that they can offer you support and critical conversations as you navigate the new teaching context. This is also when your connections to professional networks will be vital as you will have many sites, people, and resources to draw on to support your practice.
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Jeffrey Doebler Ph.D.: The arts are a basic human need. Especially during this time of turmoil in our world, we need musicians and other artists to help us create and share beauty. Also, many jobs in the music industry are entrepreneurial; musicians with initiative can create their own paths.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jeffrey Doebler Ph.D.: LIKE As musicians, we have the privilege of creating and sharing beauty every day! We love to share music with the general public in the many ways I described in question #1. DISLIKE Some people don't understand the value of music and the other arts. If that happens, musicians can be overlooked and underpaid.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Jeffrey Doebler Ph.D.: The music field is much more broad than many people realize. Music graduates of Valparaiso University are doing these things... a. music teacher in K-12 school (band, orchestra, choir, general music, handbell choir) b. music therapist c. church musician (organ, choir, soloist, chamber musician) d. university professor (music education, music theory, music performance, music history, administration) e. private lessons teacher f. professional performer (military band, symphony orchestra, professional chorus, soloist, chamber musician, jazz). g. music industry (retail, sales, repairs) h. music industry (concert management, concert hall management, performance planning, music travel planning) i. law (copyright and more) j. community volunteer musician k. recording engineer l. composer (schools, churches, professional organizations, movies, television, video games)
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. Troy Bennefield: Getting the first job is always the toughest. Whether you're looking for a job in teaching, performing, producing, etc., you'll likely need to be patient and positive as you get turned down, and search for opportunities that aren't necessarily as attractive as you would like. Everyone wants experience. That doesn't mean you take a job that is toxic or offensive in how they compensate your time, of course. In these first years as you navigate the job mark, and for the rest of your career, utilize your network. Your teachers and former colleagues will typically be more than happy to help you in your search.
Once you have that first job, two important items will help you in the current position and set you up for your next. 1) Work your butt off. Be on time (early), be professional (in dress, language), and give excellent results. You're not only gaining experience, but your building a reputation in your industry. And of course, any job worth doing, is worth doing well. 2) Find a mentor and ask questions. You can be in year 1 or year 30 and there is always something to learn about what you're doing!
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Troy Bennefield: The need to have multiple skill sets will continue to grow as our fields become more complicated and competitive. The use of digital media will be a huge benefit no matter your music career. Your comfort level in music/recording/production technology, multimedia, social media, websites, and even AI will allow you to accomplish the multitude of things that might be asked of you. That being said, I am a firm believer that traditional piano and aural skills will make always every part of your job easier! And finally, be ready to teach. I apologize I don’t know the exact statistics, but something like 90% of music school graduates teach in some form during a normal week.
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Troy Bennefield: Getting the first job is always the toughest. Whether you’re looking for a job in teaching, performing, producing, etc., you’ll likely need to be patient and positive as you get turned down, and search for opportunities that aren’t necessarily as attractive as you would like. Everyone wants experience. That doesn’t mean you take a job that is toxic or offensive in how they compensate your time, of course. In these first years as you navigate the job mark, and for the rest of your career, utilize your network. Your teachers and former colleagues will typically be more than happy to help you in your search.
Once you have that first job, two important items will help you in the current position and set you up for your next. 1) Work your butt off. Be on time (early), be professional (in dress, language), and give excellent results. You’re not only gaining experience, but your building a reputation in your industry. And of course, any job worth doing, is worth doing well. 2) Find a mentor and ask questions. You can be in year 1 or year 30 and there is always something to learn about what you’re doing!
What general advice would you give to a Music Educator?
Dr. Mary Thornton: For music industry majors, be sure to take advantage of software certifications that are available. In teaching it can also be beneficial to have something like Suzuki, Kodaly, or Orff certifications. As a performer, have your materials together, a good press kit, good video samples, trailers of what you offer as a performer. Don’t be afraid to ask for what you are worth, but be prepared to make your case.
What Music Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Mary Thornton: Music has highly specialized degree plans as well as more general paths of study. As a music education major, one of the most important things you can do is networking. Be sure that you know teachers out in the field doing the jobs you see yourself doing. Get to know these folks, visit their schools, participate in some of their campus activities. The more people you know, and the more teaching you have seen in action, the more prepared you will be to get started on your own career. It always helps to have people you can ask for advice.
For the music industry graduate, the internship semester is very important. Being placed in an environment where you can have some on the job learning experience is the best type of job resume addition. This is where I’ve been working and what I’ve been doing. In industry it is also essential to learn at least the basics with as many software applications as possible. There are standard recording/editing programs and you will want to know those. But don’t be afraid to look at the latest apps and freeware that is available. Being up to date with technology is a never ending process and you should be committed to keeping on top of new developments.
For performers, be always ready for any opportunity that may come your way. Stay in shape and be solid with your fundamentals, be ready to play with a great tone, solid and accurate rhythm, and with a tremendous understanding of appropriate style.
And remember, the best graduates in music combine all of the above!
What will help Music Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Mary Thornton: As in most things, technology will have a tremendous impact on music making in all aspects, from composition to performance. That said, nothing replaces live music performance and that connection with the audience. What music does for people in person must always be in mind. Communication is our most important skill, musically and in many other ways.
Dr. Deborah Smith
Professor of Teacher EducationSaginaw Valley State University
Department of Teacher Education - Middle/Secondary Education
What skills stand out on Music Educator resumes?
Dr. Deborah Smith: Actual classroom experience stands out, as do other interactions with students related to the position sought. So, for example, working with Special Olympics helps those seeking a SPED position. Coaching experience helps, especially if it's with students the same age as will be taught. Tutoring stands out, as do technological skills that can be highlighted with the portfolio submitted for the position.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Music Educators?
Dr. Deborah Smith: Technological skills have become highly prized, especially since the pandemic, but even before that, it was clear that a teacher who can seamlessly fuse technology into lessons is more likely to engage students. In addition, the ability to organize, analyze, and use data to improve student learning is respected as a skill worthy of developing. The more action-research-oriented a teacher, the better.
Ellen Baker
Director of Educator Licensure ProgramsThe University of Vermont
Education Department
What skills will help Music Educators earn the most?
Ellen Baker: If you are talking about money, the above skills will be crucial, and then each state and school has its own salary schedule. In general, however, if a student has a dual endorsement in special ed, ELL, coaching, then they will possibly earn more. If a candidate has a master's degree, then they will earn more.
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.
Associate Dean of EducationKing's College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Music Educator resumes?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: I find compassion, communication, collaboration, and accountability stand out the most for me on educator resumes.
What skills will help Music Educators earn the most?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: In my opinion, demonstrating mastery of the aforementioned skills in flexible and relevant ways will help educators earn the most.
Dr. Christopher Fashun
Assistant Professor of MusicHope College
Music Department
What skills stand out on Music Educator resumes?
Dr. Christopher Fashun: 1. Must have completed a doctorate in the specific field of the job they are applying for (e.g., Music Performance (a specific instrument), Conducting (Choral, Orchestral, Band), Musicology, Ethnomusicology, Music Education, Recording Arts, Music Theory, Music Composition, Music Therapy)
2. Must have teaching experience at the college/university level and preferably at the secondary level. For graduate students, having a teaching or research assistantship would be ideal for gaining college/university teaching experience.
3. Need good communication skills and know-how to work and collaborate with others.
4. Need to have an area of scholarship and creativity (e.g., writing a book, recording an album, guest conducting a professional orchestra or another musical group)
5. Need to understand Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, why it's important, and how to incorporate it into one's teaching.
6. Salaries vary from college/university and are set by years of experience and accomplishments. Salaries are negotiated upon receiving an offer and cannot be renegotiated after signing a contract.
7. Other skills include being innovative, having at least one other skill set in the broader field of music. Using myself as an example, my doctorate is in Orchestral Conducting, but I also am a nationally recognized Music Educator and Percussionist who has earned a Fulbright Award in the U.S. Scholar Program (a very prestigious award), where my other area of scholarship is Afro-Brazilian Music and Culture. In addition to conducting the orchestra at Hope College, I teach a World Music class for the general education program, music education methods courses, direct the Brazilian Drumming Ensemble, and teach applied percussion.
Dr. Thomas Kloss
Associate Professor & Associate Chair of the Department of Music, nterim Director of Bands, Coordinator for Music Education, President of the Idaho Music Educators AssociationIdaho State University
Department of Music
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Music Educator job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Thomas Kloss: In general, I work with Music Education students, who become future music teachers. Right now there is a severe shortage of music teachers throughout the United States, and particularly the Northwest. Pretty much all of my students (who seek a music teaching position) get one. I see a lot of older teachers getting out after the Covid year we are experiencing, which will give a lot of positions to new teachers.
What's a day at work look like for a Music Educator?
Dr. Thomas Kloss: I think next year will look quite the same as this year, with student (and teacher) safety still being the predominant issue. Can choirs sing without masks on? Can marching band exist in the fall? Can Idaho hold an in-person All-State and Teacher's Conference a year from now? We just don't know.