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Assistant music director salary

Average assistant music director salary

$50,431

$24.25 hourly rate

Entry-level assistant music director salary
$28,000 yearly salary
Updated January 8, 2025

Understanding the Role of Assistant Music Directors

As an Assistant Music Director, you engage in various tasks that contribute to the success of musical productions. This includes conducting rehearsals, coordinating with musicians, and ensuring adherence to the creative vision. The average salary for this role is approximately $50,431 annually, with variations based on experience and location. For instance, states like California and New York often offer higher salaries due to the demand for skilled professionals.

Salary Breakdown by State

Assistant Music Directors in states such as Massachusetts and New Jersey report higher earnings, reflecting local market conditions. Additionally, years of experience greatly impact salary potential, with seasoned professionals earning significantly more. Entry-level positions may start lower, but with dedication and skill, one can expect a rewarding career progression.

Job Opportunities

Career paths for Assistant Music Directors are diverse, ranging from educational institutions to professional orchestras and theater companies. Networking and gaining experience in various musical settings can lead to better job prospects and salary increases. Utilize platforms like Zippia to stay updated on available positions and salary trends.

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Where can an Assistant Music Director earn more?

Compare salary by location
Vs
72k
52k
32k
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Columbus, OH$59,326
Lafayette, LA$42,474
Compare salary by company
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70k
50k
30k
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Georgetown University$56,305
Bear Creek$40,266

Assistant music director salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, Ziprecruiter and Comparably, the average salary for an assistant music director typically falls between $47,133 and $86,000.
zippia
$50,431yearly
glassdoor[1]
$47,133yearly
comparably[2]
$55,392yearly
ZipRecruiter[3]
$86,000yearly

Average assistant music director salary by state

The highest-paying states for assistant music directors are Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho. The lowest average assistant music director salary states are New Jersey, Alabama, and Wyoming.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for assistant music directors

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Nevada$63,596$30.57
2Oklahoma$57,752$27.77
3Arkansas$56,056$26.95
4Arizona$64,454$30.99
5Connecticut$60,150$28.92
6Tennessee$57,060$27.43
7Mississippi$55,179$26.53
8West Virginia$58,953$28.34
9Colorado$58,749$28.24
10New Mexico$59,024$28.38
11Texas$57,213$27.51
12Utah$59,337$28.53
13Rhode Island$59,241$28.48
14Idaho$62,195$29.90
15Florida$57,552$27.67
16Delaware$59,882$28.79
17California$59,907$28.80
18Georgia$57,318$27.56
19Virginia$57,070$27.44
20Maine$58,015$27.89
21District of Columbia$57,312$27.55
22Maryland$54,773$26.33
23Indiana$49,720$23.90
24New Hampshire$57,559$27.67
25Oregon$51,948$24.98
26Washington$59,702$28.70
27New York$49,735$23.91
28Hawaii$53,754$25.84
29South Carolina$48,276$23.21
30Montana$46,501$22.36
31Vermont$44,898$21.59
32Ohio$49,371$23.74
33Wisconsin$49,564$23.83
34Louisiana$42,257$20.32
35North Dakota$50,762$24.40
36Massachusetts$46,856$22.53
37Nebraska$47,811$22.99
38Alaska$43,114$20.73
39Missouri$45,333$21.79
40Michigan$43,530$20.93
41Kentucky$45,155$21.71
42Illinois$38,696$18.60
43South Dakota$46,607$22.41
44Alabama$35,933$17.28
45Iowa$34,269$16.48
46Minnesota$34,986$16.82
47Kansas$34,679$16.67
48Pennsylvania$38,865$18.69
49North Carolina$38,463$18.49
50New Jersey$36,516$17.56
51Wyoming$35,807$17.21

Highest paying cities for assistant music directors

The highest-paying cities for assistant music directors are Seattle, WA, Fort Collins, CO, and Washington, DC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1Seattle, WA$59,326$28.52
2Fort Collins, CO$58,363$28.06
3Washington, DC$57,349$27.57
4Houston, TX$57,279$27.54
5Fort Wayne, IN$50,046$24.06
6New York, NY$49,834$23.96
7Waukesha, WI$49,652$23.87
8Cambridge, MA$46,725$22.46
9Lafayette, LA$42,474$20.42

Assistant music director salary details

An assistant music director's salary ranges from $28,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $88,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average assistant music director salary graph
Average assistant music director salary graph, trends, and summary

What is an assistant music director's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$88,000$7,333$42
75th Percentile$67,000$5,583$32
Average$50,431$4,203$24
25th Percentile$37,000$3,083$18
10th Percentile$28,000$2,333$13

Highest paying assistant music director jobs

The highest paying types of assistant music directors are phlebotomy director, orchestra leader, and orchestra director.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Director Of Music$48,096$4,008$23.127,394
Minister Of Music$50,311$4,193$24.192,661
Band Director$52,443$4,370$25.215,378

Top companies hiring assistant music directors now:

  1. Berklee College of Music jobs (2)
  2. Iowa State University jobs (1)
  3. Fredonia jobs (3)
  4. RCL jobs (2)
  5. Trinity College jobs (1)

Which companies pay assistant music directors the most?

Assistant music director salaries at Georgetown University and First United Church of Christ are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average assistant music director salary at companies like The Salvation Army and Carroll University are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Georgetown University$56,305$27.07
2First United Church of Christ$49,459$23.78
3The Salvation Army$49,179$23.64
4Carroll University$48,832$23.48
5Churches United In Ministry$41,176$19.80
6Bear Creek$40,266$19.36

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$53,000$52,400$51,800$51,200$50,600$50,000
MaleFemale

Assistant Music Director salary by industry

The average assistant music director salary varies across industries:

  • The average assistant music director salary in the media industry is $67,079, the highest of any industry.
  • The average assistant music director salary in the finance industry is $49,828.
  • Assistant music directors in the education industry earn an average salary of $47,275, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for assistant music directors

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Media$67,079$32.25
2Hospitality$49,828$23.96
3Manufacturing$49,455$23.78
4Education$47,275$22.73

High paying assistant music director jobs

Assistant music director salary trends

The average assistant music director salary has risen by $4,671 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average assistant music director earned $45,760 annually, but today, they earn $50,431 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for assistant music directors over the last decade.

Compare assistant music director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average assistant music director salary over time

Compare assistant music director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Assistant music director salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2025$50,400$24.25+1.1%
2024$49,900$23.98+3.9%
2023$47,900$23.03-1.9%
2022$48,800$23.48+0.9%
2021$48,400$23.25+0.6%

Recently added assistant music director salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
El Camino Real Charter High SchoolAssistant Music Directora WeekLos Angeles, CA06/23/2025$67,139
St. Michael-Albertville School DistrictAssistant Musical Director (September Start Date)Saint Michael, MN06/18/2025$32,016
Sacred Heart Cathedral PreparatoryAssistant Director of Choral Music 2025San Francisco, CA06/15/2025$52,500
St. Michael-Albertville Schools, ISD 885Assistant Musical Director (September Start Date)Saint Michael, MN06/08/2025$32,016
Upper Darby School DistrictSpring Musical Assistant ChoreographerDrexel Hill, PA03/09/2025$62,610
School of Rock, LLCAssistant Music DirectorSan Jose, CA12/11/2024$50,088
Savannah State UniversityLecturer of Music and Assistant Director of University BandsSavannah, GA12/10/2024$60,000
GlideAssistant Director of Music MinistriesSan Francisco, CA11/25/2024$80,000
Fitchburg School DistrictAsst. DIR. Musical Production (Choreographer)Fitchburg, MA11/25/2024$80,245
Play CVAssistant Musical Theater DirectorCastro Valley, CA10/03/2024$41,740

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