Best states for a music professor

Q: What is the best state for music professors?

The best state to be a music professor is Oregon based on music professor salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for music professors?

The highest paying state for music professors is West Virginia based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for music professors?

The worst state for music professors is Missouri, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like music professors are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for music professors aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Pay, benefits, and opportunities vary greatly by state, and it's no different for music professors. We found that Oregon is the best state in the nation for music professors, and people in Falmouth earn the most in the field.

We figured that the best places for music professor jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that the Midwest is best for music professors, and the Northeast is the worst. Los Angeles, CA is the best city in the country for music professor jobs, where as Oregon is the best state in the country.

10 best states for music professors in 2025

1. Oregon
Total music professor jobs: 221
Average annual salary: $69,446
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000
Location Quotient:
1.94
Music professor jobs in Oregon
2. New York
Total music professor jobs: 833
Average annual salary: $59,381
Lowest 10 percent earn: $32,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
2.36
Music professor jobs in New York
3. Alaska
Total music professor jobs: 32
Average annual salary: $63,237
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000
Location Quotient:
1.39
Music professor jobs in Alaska
4. Michigan
Total music professor jobs: 220
Average annual salary: $60,626
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $107,000
Location Quotient:
1.03
Music professor jobs in Michigan
5. Massachusetts
Total music professor jobs: 172
Average annual salary: $70,174
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $124,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Music professor jobs in Massachusetts
6. Utah
Total music professor jobs: 140
Average annual salary: $51,571
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000
Location Quotient:
1.59
Music professor jobs in Utah
7. Connecticut
Total music professor jobs: 63
Average annual salary: $61,947
Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Music professor jobs in Connecticut
8. Virginia
Total music professor jobs: 388
Average annual salary: $52,843
Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000
Location Quotient:
1.49
Music professor jobs in Virginia
9. California
Total music professor jobs: 444
Average annual salary: $68,493
Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000
Location Quotient:
0.55
Music professor jobs in California
10. Texas
Total music professor jobs: 816
Average annual salary: $48,862
Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
1.46
Music professor jobs in Texas

Music professor jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a music professor

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a music professor

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Oregon	$69,446	$40,000	4,142,776	221
2	New York	$59,381	$32,000	19,849,399	833
3	Alaska	$63,237	$45,000	739,795	32
4	Michigan	$60,626	$34,000	9,962,311	220
5	Massachusetts	$70,174	$39,000	6,859,819	172
6	Utah	$51,571	$29,000	3,101,833	140
7	Connecticut	$61,947	$34,000	3,588,184	63
8	Virginia	$52,843	$29,000	8,470,020	388
9	California	$68,493	$40,000	39,536,653	444
10	Texas	$48,862	$28,000	28,304,596	816
11	Washington	$61,246	$36,000	7,405,743	126
12	Idaho	$60,603	$35,000	1,716,943	18
13	Pennsylvania	$46,281	$25,000	12,805,537	433
14	Rhode Island	$47,199	$26,000	1,059,639	39
15	Minnesota	$49,830	$29,000	5,576,606	145
16	Alabama	$44,696	$26,000	4,874,747	155
17	Vermont	$44,219	$25,000	623,657	52
18	New Jersey	$48,488	$26,000	9,005,644	271
19	Arizona	$52,106	$30,000	7,016,270	69
20	Montana	$45,805	$27,000	1,050,493	33
21	North Dakota	$49,457	$30,000	755,393	12
22	Nebraska	$43,506	$26,000	1,920,076	88
23	Maryland	$49,829	$27,000	6,052,177	120
24	District of Columbia	$47,019	$25,000	693,972	77
25	Louisiana	$42,796	$24,000	4,684,333	143
26	Colorado	$43,589	$25,000	5,607,154	304
27	New Hampshire	$48,089	$27,000	1,342,795	14
28	Nevada	$46,754	$26,000	2,998,039	23
29	Delaware	$47,384	$25,000	961,939	13
30	Arkansas	$42,964	$25,000	3,004,279	43
31	South Dakota	$39,122	$23,000	869,666	46
32	Maine	$41,394	$24,000	1,335,907	42
33	Indiana	$42,113	$24,000	6,666,818	122
34	New Mexico	$42,901	$24,000	2,088,070	35
35	Florida	$42,642	$25,000	20,984,400	268
36	Illinois	$41,418	$24,000	12,802,023	234
37	Kentucky	$35,853	$20,000	4,454,189	155
38	Hawaii	$48,417	$41,000	1,427,538	10
39	Tennessee	$40,364	$23,000	6,715,984	102
40	Ohio	$39,442	$22,000	11,658,609	182
41	Oklahoma	$36,953	$21,000	3,930,864	64
42	Mississippi	$32,734	$19,000	2,984,100	121
43	South Carolina	$36,143	$21,000	5,024,369	113
44	Wisconsin	$35,145	$20,000	5,795,483	177
45	West Virginia	$27,105	$15,000	1,815,857	103
46	Georgia	$40,267	$23,000	10,429,379	116
47	Iowa	$34,672	$20,000	3,145,711	101
48	North Carolina	$34,264	$19,000	10,273,419	192
49	Wyoming	$35,511	$20,000	579,315	9
50	Kansas	$33,427	$19,000	2,913,123	70
51	Missouri	$35,195	$20,000	6,113,532	101

Highest paying states for music professors

Rank	State	Avg. Music Professor Salary
1	Oregon	$69,446
2	New York	$59,381
3	Alaska	$63,237
4	Michigan	$60,626
5	Massachusetts	$70,174
6	Utah	$51,571
7	Connecticut	$61,947
8	Virginia	$52,843
9	California	$68,493
10	Texas	$48,862
11	Washington	$61,246
12	Idaho	$60,603
13	Pennsylvania	$46,281
14	Rhode Island	$47,199
15	Minnesota	$49,830
16	Alabama	$44,696
17	Vermont	$44,219
18	New Jersey	$48,488
19	Arizona	$52,106
20	Montana	$45,805
21	North Dakota	$49,457
22	Nebraska	$43,506
23	Maryland	$49,829
24	District of Columbia	$47,019
25	Louisiana	$42,796
26	Colorado	$43,589
27	New Hampshire	$48,089
28	Nevada	$46,754
29	Delaware	$47,384
30	Arkansas	$42,964
31	South Dakota	$39,122
32	Maine	$41,394
33	Indiana	$42,113
34	New Mexico	$42,901
35	Florida	$42,642
36	Illinois	$41,418
37	Kentucky	$35,853
38	Hawaii	$48,417
39	Tennessee	$40,364
40	Ohio	$39,442
41	Oklahoma	$36,953
42	Mississippi	$32,734
43	South Carolina	$36,143
44	Wisconsin	$35,145
45	West Virginia	$27,105
46	Georgia	$40,267
47	Iowa	$34,672
48	North Carolina	$34,264
49	Wyoming	$35,511
50	Kansas	$33,427
51	Missouri	$35,195

Music professor best states FAQs

What is the best state for music professors?

What is the highest paying state for music professors?

What is the worst state for music professors?

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Best states for Music Professors

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total music professor jobs:	221
Average annual salary:	$69,446
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$40,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$119,000
Location Quotient:	1.94

Best states for a music professor

10 best states for music professors in 2025

1. Oregon

2. New York

3. Alaska

4. Michigan

5. Massachusetts

6. Utah

7. Connecticut

8. Virginia

9. California

10. Texas