Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for musicians in the United States. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- There are over 9,603 musicians currently employed in the United States.
- 19.6% of all musicians are women, while 80.4% are men.
- The average age of an employed musician is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of musicians is White (65.4%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.9%), Black or African American (10.9%) and Asian (5.4%).
- Musicians are most in-demand in Quantico, VA.
- The media industry is the highest-paying for musicians.
- New York, NY pays an annual average wage of $88,795, the highest in the US.
- In 2021, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 9% of all musicians are LGBT.
- New York is the best state for musicians to live.
- Musicians are 60% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
Musician Statistics By Gender
19.6% of musicians are women and 80.4% of musicians are men.
- Male, 80.4%
- Female, 19.6%
Musicians By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 80.4% |
| Female | 19.6% |
Gender Pay Gap For Musician
Women Earn 95¢ For Every $1 Earned By Men
Musician Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the musician position over time.
Musician Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 76.22% | 23.78% |
| 2011 | 75.26% | 24.74% |
| 2012 | 75.79% | 24.21% |
| 2013 | 77.37% | 22.63% |
| 2014 | 77.68% | 22.32% |
| 2015 | 77.49% | 22.51% |
| 2016 | 78.96% | 21.04% |
| 2017 | 76.87% | 23.13% |
| 2018 | 79.89% | 20.11% |
| 2019 | 81.78% | 18.22% |
| 2020 | 76.03% | 23.97% |
| 2021 | 80.41% | 19.59% |
Musician Male to Female Ratio
We compared this job title with other job titles to see how gender percentages varied. As you can see, 19d cavalry scout and baseball player have the biggest difference in gender.
| Job Title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Harpist | 8% | 92% |
| Actress | 8% | 92% |
| Modern Dancer | 8% | 92% |
| Musician | 80% | 20% |
| Assistant Varsity Football Coach | 98% | 2% |
| Baseball Player | 98% | 2% |
| 19D Cavalry Scout | 99% | 1% |
Musician Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among musicians is White, which makes up 65.4% of all musicians. Comparatively, there are 12.9% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 10.9% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 65.4%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.9%
- Black or African American, 10.9%
- Asian, 5.4%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Musician Race
| Musician Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 65.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.9% |
| Black or African American | 10.9% |
| Asian | 5.4% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Musician Race And Ethnicity Over Time
Using the Census Bureau data, we found out how the percentage of each ethnic category trended between 2010-2019 among musicians.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Musician Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 70.38% | 11.67% | 4.92% | 10.71% |
| 2011 | 68.97% | 13.03% | 4.23% | 10.89% |
| 2012 | 69.28% | 12.36% | 4.08% | 11.04% |
| 2013 | 71.51% | 9.79% | 4.50% | 11.10% |
| 2014 | 67.47% | 12.04% | 5.21% | 12.32% |
| 2015 | 70.76% | 10.18% | 4.82% | 11.59% |
| 2016 | 70.81% | 10.69% | 4.71% | 11.08% |
| 2017 | 69.81% | 11.01% | 4.64% | 11.77% |
| 2018 | 66.89% | 11.54% | 5.93% | 12.24% |
| 2019 | 69.89% | 10.15% | 5.27% | 11.71% |
| 2020 | 64.94% | 10.22% | 6.02% | 13.67% |
| 2021 | 65.44% | 10.94% | 5.45% | 12.91% |
Musician Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $59,862 |
| White | $60,500 |
| Black or African American | $55,743 |
| Asian | $60,038 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $59,102 |
Average Age of a Musician
We determined the average age of musicians based on ethnicity and gender.
Musician Age By Race
| Race | Male Age | Female Age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 43 | |
| White | 43.5 | 55 |
| Black or African American | 35 | |
| Asian | 35 | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 31 |
Musician Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of musician employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of musicians is 40+ years old, which represents 55% of the population.
Musician Age
| Musician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 55% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Types of Musician Degree Levels
The most common degree for musicians is bachelor's degree 61% of musicians earn that degree. A close second is high school diploma with 13% and rounding it off is associate degree with 13%.
- Bachelors, 61%
- High School Diploma, 13%
- Associate, 13%
- Masters, 8%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Musicians By Education
| Musician Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 61% |
| High School Diploma | 13% |
| Associate | 13% |
| Masters | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Musician Jobs You Might Like
Musician Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $52,701 |
| Master's Degree | $67,782 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $54,545 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $60,547 |
Musician Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where musicians work. We found most musicians work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most musicians is the non profits industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire musicians.
Musician Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 11% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 33% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 27% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 15% |
| > 10,000 employees | 8% |
The Types Of Companies Musician Work In
Employees with the musician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most musicians prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Musician Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 22% |
| Public | 12% |
| Private | 60% |
| Government | 6% |
Top Industries Hiring Musicians
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ musicians. Those industries include non profits, education and media.
Musician Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Non Profits | 34% |
| Education | 14% |
| Media | 11% |
| Hospitality | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Government | 4% |
| Retail | 4% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Technology | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Insurance | 1% |
| Fortune 500 | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Agriculture | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Musician Turnover And Employment Statistics
Musician Unemployment Rate Over Time
The Bureau of Labor Statistics came in clutch when it came down to figuring out how the unemployment rate has changed over time. Between 2008 and 2018, this is how the number of musicians changed.
- Unemployment rate
Musician Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Musician Unemployment Rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.36% |
| 2011 | 8.26% |
| 2012 | 8.21% |
| 2013 | 6.42% |
| 2014 | 6.38% |
| 2015 | 6.59% |
| 2016 | 4.13% |
| 2017 | 4.83% |
| 2018 | 5.95% |
| 2019 | 4.11% |
| 2020 | 14.74% |
| 2021 | 18.25% |
The Average Number of Years That Musician Stay in a Job
By looking over 10,656 musicians resumes, we figured out that the average musician enjoys staying at their job for 11+ years for a percentage of 38%.
Musician Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 8% |
| 1-2 years | 16% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 10% |
| 11+ years | 38% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Musicians with Other Job Titles
After finding the gender ratio, we wondered if the percentages of LGBT persons were different as well. Using the data below, you can see how other job titles compare to musicians.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Softball Umpire | 5.42% | 308 |
| Horseman | 6.54% | 67 |
| Baseball Instructor | 7.62% | 30,396 |
| Musician | 8.54% | - |
| Stuntman | 13.74% | 140 |
| Radio Producer | 14.31% | 11,453 |
| Band Director | 30.45% | 5,378 |
Musician LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Softball Umpire | 5.42% | 308 |
| Horseman | 6.54% | 67 |
| Baseball Instructor | 7.62% | 30,396 |
| Stuntman | 13.74% | 140 |
| Radio Producer | 14.31% | 11,453 |
| Band Director | 30.45% | 5,378 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Musicians
The most common foreign language among musicians is Spanish at 49.5%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 16.9% and German is the third-most popular at 8.1%.
- Spanish, 49.5%
- French, 16.9%
- German, 8.1%
- Portuguese, 3.7%
- Italian, 3.2%
- Other, 18.6%
Musician Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 49.5% |
| French | 16.9% |
| German | 8.1% |
| Portuguese | 3.7% |
| Italian | 3.2% |
| Other | 18.6% |
