Professional Musician Demographics and Statistics In The US
Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for professional 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 9,276 professional musicians currently employed in the United States.
- 17.8% of all professional musicians are women, while 82.2% are men.
- The average age of an employed professional musician is 44 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of professional musicians is White (66.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12.9%), Black or African American (9.9%) and Asian (5.5%).
- In 2021, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 9% of all professional musicians are LGBT.
- Professional musicians are 67% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to education companies.
Professional Musician Statistics By Gender
17.8% of professional musicians are women and 82.2% of professional musicians are men.
- Male, 82.2%
- Female, 17.8%
Professional Musicians By Gender
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 82.2% |
| Female | 17.8% |
Gender Pay Gap For Professional Musician
Women Earn 95ยข For Every $1 Earned By Men
Professional Musician Gender Over Time
This data shows how men and women predominate in the professional musician position over time.
Professional Musician Gender By Year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 78.34% | 21.66% |
| 2011 | 77.44% | 22.56% |
| 2012 | 77.94% | 22.06% |
| 2013 | 79.41% | 20.59% |
| 2014 | 79.71% | 20.29% |
| 2015 | 79.53% | 20.47% |
| 2016 | 80.90% | 19.10% |
| 2017 | 78.95% | 21.05% |
| 2018 | 81.76% | 18.24% |
| 2019 | 83.51% | 16.49% |
| 2020 | 78.16% | 21.84% |
| 2021 | 82.25% | 17.75% |
Professional 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% |
| Professional Musician | 82% | 18% |
| Assistant Varsity Football Coach | 98% | 2% |
| Baseball Player | 98% | 2% |
| 19D Cavalry Scout | 99% | 1% |
Professional Musician Statistics By Race
The most common ethnicity among professional musicians is White, which makes up 66.5% of all professional musicians. Comparatively, there are 12.9% of the Hispanic or Latino ethnicity and 9.9% of the Black or African American ethnicity.
- White, 66.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.9%
- Black or African American, 9.9%
- Asian, 5.5%
- Unknown, 5.1%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
Professional Musician Race
| Professional Musician Race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 66.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.9% |
| Black or African American | 9.9% |
| Asian | 5.5% |
| Unknown | 5.1% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.1% |
Professional 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 professional musicians.
- White
- Asian
- Hispanic or Latino
- Black or African American
Professional Musician Race By Year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 71.42% | 10.59% | 4.92% | 10.74% |
| 2011 | 70.01% | 11.95% | 4.23% | 10.92% |
| 2012 | 70.32% | 11.28% | 4.09% | 11.07% |
| 2013 | 72.55% | 8.71% | 4.51% | 11.12% |
| 2014 | 68.51% | 10.97% | 5.21% | 12.35% |
| 2015 | 71.80% | 9.10% | 4.83% | 11.61% |
| 2016 | 71.85% | 9.62% | 4.72% | 11.11% |
| 2017 | 70.85% | 9.94% | 4.64% | 11.79% |
| 2018 | 67.93% | 10.46% | 5.94% | 12.26% |
| 2019 | 70.93% | 9.08% | 5.28% | 11.73% |
| 2020 | 65.98% | 9.14% | 6.03% | 13.69% |
| 2021 | 66.48% | 9.86% | 5.46% | 12.94% |
Professional Musician Wage Gap By Race
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $57,965 |
| White | $58,572 |
| Black or African American | $54,039 |
| Asian | $58,133 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $57,241 |
Professional Musician JOBS
Average Age of a Professional Musician
We determined the average age of professional musicians based on ethnicity and gender.
Professional 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 |
Professional Musician Age Breakdown
This chart breaks down the ages of professional musician employees. Interestingly enough, the average age of professional musicians is 40+ years old, which represents 55% of the population.
Professional Musician Age
| Professional Musician Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 55% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Types of Professional Musician Degree Levels
The most common degree for professional musicians is bachelor's degree 67% of professional musicians earn that degree. A close second is associate degree with 11% and rounding it off is master's degree with 10%.
- Bachelors, 67%
- Associate, 11%
- Masters, 10%
- High School Diploma, 8%
- Other Degrees, 4%
Professional Musicians By Education
| Professional Musician Degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelors | 67% |
| Associate | 11% |
| Masters | 10% |
| High School Diploma | 8% |
| Other Degrees | 4% |
Professional Musician Jobs You Might Like
Professional Musician Wage Gap By Education
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $51,138 |
| Master's Degree | $65,501 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $52,898 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $58,617 |
Professional Musician Employment Statistics
This section highlights information about where professional musicians work. We found most professional musicians work for a private company. In addition, the industry that employs the most professional musicians is the media industry.
Company Size
We created this chart to show you the average size of companies that typically hire professional musicians.
Professional Musician Jobs By Employer Size
| Company Size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 25% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 25% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 13% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 14% |
| > 10,000 employees | 11% |
The Types Of Companies Professional Musician Work In
Employees with the professional musician job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most professional musicians prefer to work at private companies over education companies.
Professional Musician Jobs By Sector
| Company Type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 12% |
| Public | 9% |
| Private | 67% |
| Government | 12% |
Top Industries Hiring Professional Musicians
Just based on the number of employees within each industry, we were able to determine the most common industries that employ professional musicians. Those industries include media, government and education.
Professional Musician Industry Statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Media | 15% |
| Government | 10% |
| Education | 10% |
| Professional | 9% |
| Non Profits | 8% |
| Hospitality | 7% |
| Manufacturing | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Start-up | 4% |
| Transportation | 3% |
| Internet | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Energy | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
Professional Musician Turnover And Employment Statistics
Professional 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 professional musicians changed.
- Unemployment rate
Professional Musician Unemployment Rate By Year
| Year | Professional 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 Professional Musician Stay in a Job
By looking over 1,481 professional musicians resumes, we figured out that the average professional musician enjoys staying at their job for 11+ years for a percentage of 56%.
Professional Musician Tenure
| Number or Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 3% |
| 1-2 years | 10% |
| 3-4 years | 9% |
| 5-7 years | 14% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 56% |
Comparing The LGBT Ratio of Professional 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 professional musicians.
| Job Title | LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Intramural Supervisor | 5.42% | 1,053 |
| Minor League Baseball Player | 6.54% | 314 |
| Coach/Instructor | 7.62% | 40,986 |
| Professional Musician | 8.54% | - |
| Continuity Director | 13.74% | 4,903 |
| Music Video Producer | 14.31% | 13,188 |
| Copyist | 30.45% | 22 |
Professional Musician LGBT Demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Intramural Supervisor | 5.42% | 1,053 |
| Minor League Baseball Player | 6.54% | 314 |
| Coach/Instructor | 7.62% | 40,986 |
| Continuity Director | 13.74% | 4,903 |
| Music Video Producer | 14.31% | 13,188 |
| Copyist | 30.45% | 22 |
Foreign Languages Spoken By Professional Musicians
The most common foreign language among professional musicians is Spanish at 44.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 15.9% and Italian is the third-most popular at 8.0%.
- Spanish, 44.3%
- French, 15.9%
- Italian, 8.0%
- Chinese, 3.4%
- German, 3.4%
- Other, 25.0%
Professional Musician Languages Spoken
| Foreign Language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 44.3% |
| French | 15.9% |
| Italian | 8.0% |
| Chinese | 3.4% |
| German | 3.4% |
| Other | 25.0% |
Professional Musician Jobs
Recently Added Professional Musician Jobs
Professional Musician Heatmaps
Which State Has The Most Professional Musicians?
By looking through more than 1,481 resumes, we found that the most popular places for professional musicians are New York, NY and Los Angeles, CA.
Number Of Professional Musician Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 1,387 | $62,229 |
| 2 | New York | 979 | $84,574 |
| 3 | Texas | 846 | $54,320 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | 834 | $63,720 |
| 5 | Florida | 801 | $46,932 |
| 6 | Minnesota | 730 | $50,045 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | 719 | $73,392 |
| 8 | Illinois | 577 | $65,507 |
| 9 | Indiana | 575 | $50,528 |
| 10 | Ohio | 540 | $58,724 |
| 11 | Colorado | 488 | $44,334 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 475 | $53,163 |
| 13 | New Jersey | 462 | $82,032 |
| 14 | Georgia | 420 | $45,558 |
| 15 | North Carolina | 415 | $50,654 |
| 16 | Michigan | 366 | $62,614 |
| 17 | Maryland | 359 | $56,955 |
| 18 | Virginia | 356 | $57,993 |
| 19 | Washington | 326 | $44,324 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 323 | $49,192 |
| 21 | Iowa | 290 | $59,683 |
| 22 | Arizona | 290 | $55,666 |
| 23 | South Carolina | 287 | $50,158 |
| 24 | Missouri | 278 | $37,929 |
| 25 | Oregon | 217 | $45,818 |
| 26 | Kentucky | 204 | $51,229 |
| 27 | Connecticut | 199 | $75,114 |
| 28 | Utah | 178 | $44,986 |
| 29 | Kansas | 174 | $55,781 |
| 30 | Alabama | 166 | $45,412 |
| 31 | Louisiana | 156 | $45,174 |
| 32 | Delaware | 148 | $52,065 |
| 33 | West Virginia | 136 | $58,158 |
| 34 | Maine | 135 | $58,559 |
| 35 | Oklahoma | 134 | $44,462 |
| 36 | Arkansas | 122 | $47,842 |
| 37 | Mississippi | 109 | $39,008 |
| 38 | Nevada | 108 | $46,017 |
| 39 | Nebraska | 99 | $36,638 |
| 40 | North Dakota | 96 | $49,120 |
| 41 | New Mexico | 86 | $55,235 |
| 42 | District of Columbia | 84 | $49,992 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 79 | $53,049 |
| 44 | Idaho | 78 | $42,765 |
| 45 | South Dakota | 70 | $46,294 |
| 46 | Montana | 70 | $44,655 |
| 47 | Hawaii | 68 | $51,982 |
| 48 | New Hampshire | 63 | $71,906 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 58 | $40,756 |
| 50 | Alaska | 56 | $79,840 |
| 51 | Vermont | 49 | $69,099 |