Best cities for a pianist
The best cities for pianists are San Francisco, CA, Oakland, CA, and San Jose, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for pianists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for pianists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a pianist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for pianists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for pianists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a pianist. While the absolute best city for pianists is San Francisco, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for pianists in 2024.
If you're looking for a pianist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for pianists in 2025
1. San Francisco, CA
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $75,338 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 0.00 2. Oakland, CA
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $75,134 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location quotient: 0.00 3. San Jose, CA
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $75,125 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Anchorage, AK
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $76,181 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $164,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Fremont, CA
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $75,063 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $170,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Jersey City, NJ
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $78,534 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Newark, NJ
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $78,496 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $171,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Hempstead, NY
Total pianist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $69,534 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $152,000 Location quotient: 190.94 9. Cleveland, OH
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $58,780 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Philadelphia, PA
Total pianist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $60,592 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $131,000 Location quotient: 0.00
Choose from 10+ customizable pianist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use pianist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your pianist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for pianists
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Anchorage, AK
- Fremont, CA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Newark, NJ
- Hempstead, NY
- Cleveland, OH
- Philadelphia, PA
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (1 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
- (0 pianist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a pianist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $75,338 | $33,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 2 | Oakland, CA | $75,134 | $33,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 3 | San Jose, CA | $75,125 | $33,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 4 | Anchorage, AK | $76,181 | $35,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 5 | Fremont, CA | $75,063 | $33,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $78,534 | $35,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $78,496 | $35,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 8 | Hempstead, NY | $69,534 | $31,000 | 759,757 | 1 |
| 9 | Cleveland, OH | $58,780 | $28,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $60,592 | $27,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 11 | Bakersfield, CA | $73,685 | $33,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $59,222 | $29,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 13 | Toledo, OH | $56,831 | $28,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 14 | Brookhaven, NY | $69,675 | $31,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 15 | Islip, NY | $69,658 | $31,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 16 | Los Angeles, CA | $73,097 | $33,000 | 3,976,322 | - |
| 17 | Oyster Bay, NY | $69,576 | $31,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 18 | Chicago, IL | $63,252 | $31,000 | 2,704,958 | 3 |
| 19 | Stockton, CA | $73,929 | $32,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 20 | Long Beach, CA | $72,809 | $33,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 21 | New York, NY | $69,426 | $31,000 | 8,537,673 | 4 |
| 22 | Anaheim, CA | $72,625 | $33,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 23 | Santa Ana, CA | $72,544 | $33,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 24 | Irvine, CA | $72,427 | $33,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 25 | Riverside, CA | $72,222 | $33,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 26 | Fresno, CA | $73,589 | $32,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 27 | San Diego, CA | $71,429 | $33,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 28 | Chula Vista, CA | $71,291 | $33,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 29 | Cincinnati, OH | $51,420 | $25,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 30 | Sacramento, CA | $72,508 | $32,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 31 | Columbus, OH | $54,723 | $26,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 32 | Fort Wayne, IN | $50,902 | $25,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 33 | Albuquerque, NM | $52,956 | $25,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 34 | Buffalo, NY | $67,056 | $31,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 35 | Milwaukee, WI | $50,660 | $25,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 36 | Lexington, KY | $50,024 | $24,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 37 | Pittsburgh, PA | $56,101 | $27,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 38 | Louisville, KY | $49,215 | $24,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 39 | Glendale, AZ | $52,858 | $24,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 40 | Phoenix, AZ | $52,809 | $24,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 41 | Wichita, KS | $53,564 | $26,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 42 | Chandler, AZ | $52,756 | $24,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 43 | Gilbert, AZ | $52,719 | $24,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 44 | Tucson, AZ | $52,713 | $25,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 45 | Mesa, AZ | $52,689 | $24,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 46 | Scottsdale, AZ | $52,688 | $24,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 47 | Nashville, TN | $47,418 | $23,000 | 660,388 | - |
| 48 | Madison, WI | $49,354 | $25,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 49 | Raleigh, NC | $49,917 | $23,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 50 | Durham, NC | $49,909 | $23,000 | 263,016 | - |
Highest paying cities for pianists
| Rank | City | Avg. pianist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buena Park, CA | $72,700 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $69,426 |
| 3 | Chicago, IL | $63,252 |
| 4 | Rochester Hills, MI | $59,528 |
| 5 | Baltimore, MD | $53,861 |
| 6 | Rock Hill, SC | $49,249 |
| 7 | Corpus Christi, TX | $48,654 |
| 8 | Bloomington, IN | $46,868 |
| 9 | Columbus, GA | $46,729 |
| 10 | Boca Raton, FL | $44,996 |
| 11 | Pocatello, ID | $40,102 |
| 12 | Fort Collins, CO | $33,935 |
Pianist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for pianist jobs
Updated January 8, 2025