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Music instructor salary
Average music instructor salary
$57,930
Understanding Music Instructor Salaries
The average salary for a Music Instructor is approximately $57,930 per year. Factors influencing this figure include the instructor's experience, geographic location, and the type of educational institution. For example, instructors at universities may earn higher salaries compared to those teaching in primary schools or private lessons.
Salaries Across Different States
In states like California and New York, salaries tend to be higher due to the cost of living and demand for music education. Music Instructors in metropolitan areas often enjoy additional opportunities for higher pay and specialized positions.
Career Growth and Opportunities
With experience, Music Instructors can advance into administrative roles or specialized areas such as music therapy or curriculum development. Continuous professional development and networking within the music education community can further enhance earning potential.
Job Outlook
The demand for music instructors is projected to grow, driven by increasing recognition of the importance of music education in schools. This expansion presents numerous job opportunities for aspiring instructors across various settings.
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Where can a Music Instructor earn more?
Average music instructor salary by state
The average music instructor salary in New York, Massachusetts, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average music instructor salary states are Montana, Oklahoma, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for music instructors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $76,108 | $36.59 |
| 2 | Michigan | $65,518 | $31.50 |
| 3 | Oregon | $63,663 | $30.61 |
| 4 | California | $70,818 | $34.05 |
| 5 | North Carolina | $60,730 | $29.20 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $73,870 | $35.51 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $68,308 | $32.84 |
| 8 | Virginia | $60,182 | $28.93 |
| 9 | Delaware | $58,577 | $28.16 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $75,921 | $36.50 |
| 11 | Maryland | $62,646 | $30.12 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $71,598 | $34.42 |
| 13 | Rhode Island | $58,691 | $28.22 |
| 14 | New Jersey | $58,605 | $28.18 |
| 15 | Ohio | $55,199 | $26.54 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $58,149 | $27.96 |
| 17 | Florida | $54,852 | $26.37 |
| 18 | Georgia | $52,169 | $25.08 |
| 19 | Idaho | $57,144 | $27.47 |
| 20 | Arizona | $53,989 | $25.96 |
| 21 | Vermont | $53,702 | $25.82 |
| 22 | Alabama | $53,391 | $25.67 |
| 23 | Alaska | $54,436 | $26.17 |
| 24 | Utah | $52,700 | $25.34 |
| 25 | Minnesota | $54,584 | $26.24 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $52,217 | $25.10 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $53,120 | $25.54 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $52,583 | $25.28 |
| 29 | Louisiana | $51,916 | $24.96 |
| 30 | Iowa | $50,783 | $24.41 |
| 31 | Mississippi | $51,105 | $24.57 |
| 32 | Washington | $56,621 | $27.22 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $47,637 | $22.90 |
| 34 | Tennessee | $49,237 | $23.67 |
| 35 | Indiana | $51,525 | $24.77 |
| 36 | Arkansas | $50,897 | $24.47 |
| 37 | Wisconsin | $50,109 | $24.09 |
| 38 | Illinois | $50,184 | $24.13 |
| 39 | Montana | $44,078 | $21.19 |
| 40 | Texas | $47,823 | $22.99 |
| 41 | Nevada | $45,395 | $21.82 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $47,768 | $22.97 |
| 43 | Maine | $49,898 | $23.99 |
| 44 | Wyoming | $37,142 | $17.86 |
| 45 | Missouri | $49,440 | $23.77 |
| 46 | Colorado | $37,196 | $17.88 |
| 47 | New Mexico | $45,871 | $22.05 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $45,326 | $21.79 |
| 49 | Kansas | $40,332 | $19.39 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $41,560 | $19.98 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $35,779 | $17.20 |
Highest paying cities for music instructors
The highest-paying cities for music instructors are New York, NY, Washington, DC, and Fremont, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $76,286 | $36.68 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $75,859 | $36.47 |
| 3 | Fremont, CA | $74,262 | $35.70 |
| 4 | Worcester, MA | $74,085 | $35.62 |
| 5 | Gaithersburg, MD | $62,289 | $29.95 |
| 6 | Chesapeake, VA | $59,333 | $28.53 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $56,970 | $27.39 |
| 8 | Pensacola, FL | $55,820 | $26.84 |
| 9 | Glendale, AZ | $54,062 | $25.99 |
| 10 | Austin, MN | $53,717 | $25.83 |
| 11 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $52,572 | $25.27 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $52,297 | $25.14 |
| 13 | Cincinnati, OH | $51,993 | $25.00 |
| 14 | Green Bay, WI | $51,204 | $24.62 |
| 15 | Fort Smith, AR | $50,622 | $24.34 |
| 16 | Jackson, MS | $50,609 | $24.33 |
| 17 | Chicago, IL | $50,581 | $24.32 |
| 18 | Midland, TX | $49,161 | $23.64 |
| 19 | Las Vegas, NV | $45,273 | $21.77 |
| 20 | Salina, KS | $40,053 | $19.26 |
Music instructor salary details
A music instructor's salary ranges from $34,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $96,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a music instructor's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $96,000 | $8,000 | $46 |
| 75th Percentile | $75,000 | $6,250 | $36 |
| Average | $57,930 | $4,828 | $28 |
| 25th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $34,000 | $2,833 | $16 |
Highest paying music instructor jobs
The highest paying types of music instructors are professor, visiting professor, and associate professor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piano Teacher | $52,799 | $4,400 | $25.38 | 52,993 |
| Teaching Artist | $66,565 | $5,547 | $32.00 | 4,493 |
| Professor | $157,570 | $13,131 | $75.75 | 21,861 |
| Art Coordinator | $50,508 | $4,209 | $24.28 | 18,099 |
| Visiting Professor | $116,217 | $9,685 | $55.87 | 27,139 |
| Art Educator | $40,421 | $3,368 | $19.43 | 42,617 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for music instructors, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Karina Skvirsky
Associate Professor, Lafayette College
Top companies hiring music instructors now:
Which companies pay music instructors the most?
Music instructor salaries at Kern Community College District and The New York Academy of Sciences are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average music instructor salary at companies like UMiami Health System and Loyola Marymount University are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kern Community College District | $124,370 | $59.79 |
| 2 | The New York Academy of Sciences | $86,007 | $41.35 |
| 3 | UMiami Health System | $84,182 | $40.47 |
| 4 | Loyola Marymount University | $73,420 | $35.30 |
| 5 | PSEA | $71,206 | $34.23 |
| 6 | The Chicago High School for the Arts | $67,203 | $32.31 |
| 7 | Hawaii Pacific University | $66,797 | $32.11 |
| 8 | SUNY Geneseo | $65,629 | $31.55 |
| 9 | Victoria College | $63,510 | $30.53 |
| 10 | College of the Holy Cross | $63,142 | $30.36 |
| 11 | Wayne Community College | $62,572 | $30.08 |
| 12 | Georgia State University | $62,170 | $29.89 |
| 13 | Ohlone College | $61,121 | $29.39 |
| 14 | Franklin & Marshall College | $60,444 | $29.06 |
| 15 | Texas Tech University | $59,000 | $28.37 |
| 16 | University of Indianapolis | $57,209 | $27.50 |
| 17 | Bethel College, Mishawaka | $55,370 | $26.62 |
| 18 | VVC Rams Bookstore | $53,035 | $25.50 |
| 19 | MacPhail Center for Music | $51,308 | $24.67 |
| 20 | The Hotchkiss School | $50,167 | $24.12 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Music instructor salary trends
The average music instructor salary has risen by $6,118 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average music instructor earned $51,812 annually, but today, they earn $57,930 a year. That works out to a 2% change in pay for music instructors over the last decade.
Compare music instructor salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average music instructor salary over time
Compare music instructor salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Music instructor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $57,900 | $27.85 | +0.2% |
| 2025 | $57,800 | $27.79 | -0.6% |
| 2024 | $58,200 | $27.96 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $55,600 | $26.75 | -2.6% |
| 2022 | $57,100 | $27.44 | +4.8% |
Recently added music instructor salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Arkansas | Instructor of Music-Piano | Campus, IL | 06/30/2025 | $37,000 |
| Lakewood Companies | Variable HCA Music Instructor | Lakewood, CO | 06/30/2025 | $41,740 |
| Old Town School of Folk Music | Music Moves Instructor-Youth Instructor | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $62,610 |
| Shoulak Music-Twin Cities | Weekend Music Instructor | Plymouth, MN | 06/29/2025 | $37,566 |
| My Local Music Lessons | Music Instructors Needed-Guitar, Piano, Voice and More! | Denver, CO | 06/29/2025 | $62,610 |
| Chicago Park District | Music Instructor | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $53,490 |
| 92Nd Street Y | Instructor, 92Ny Musical Theater | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $52,175 |
| Springfield School District 85 | Instrumental Music Instructor | Springfield, MN | 06/20/2025 | $47,000 |
| City of Roswell | Music Instructor | Roswell, GA | 06/16/2025 | $62,610 |
| Hill College | Instructor, Music | Hillsboro, TX | 06/16/2025 | $45,000 |
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