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The differences between pianists and accompanists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a pianist and an accompanist. Additionally, a pianist has an average salary of $53,479, which is higher than the $52,645 average annual salary of an accompanist.
The top three skills for a pianist include piano performance, chamber music and classical music. The most important skills for an accompanist are music theory, sight-read, and piano performance.
| Pianist | Accompanist | |
| Yearly salary | $53,479 | $52,645 |
| Hourly rate | $25.71 | $25.31 |
| Growth rate | 4% | 4% |
| Number of jobs | 99 | 197 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Pianist accompanies symphonies and orchestras, and plays piano music for theater productions, church services, and for special events and locations. They must be able to read, write, and edit musical notation quickly and correctly.
An Accompanist is a person who provides musical accompaniment to another musician or to a singer. They generally play keyboard instruments, such as piano, pipe organ, or synthesizer.
Pianists and accompanists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pianist | Accompanist | |
| Average salary | $53,479 | $52,645 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $113,000 | Between $24,000 And $111,000 |
| Highest paying City | Buena Park, CA | Hempstead, NY |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | New York |
| Best paying company | SUNY Geneseo | Kern Community College District |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Education |
There are a few differences between a pianist and an accompanist in terms of educational background:
| Pianist | Accompanist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 64% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Music | Music |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between pianists' and accompanists' demographics:
| Pianist | Accompanist | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 50.5% Female, 49.5% | Male, 38.6% Female, 61.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% Asian, 5.5% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 9.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.6% White, 67.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |