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Job outlook for song writers in the United States
Are song writer jobs in demand?
Song writer job and salary trends over time
Song writer jobs over time
Song writer job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 124 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 127 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 132 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 131 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 130 | 0.00% |
Average song writer salary over time
Song writer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $74,668 | $35.90 | +2.5% |
| 2025 | $72,868 | $35.03 | +1.4% |
| 2024 | $71,867 | $34.55 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $70,947 | $34.11 | +1.5% |
| 2022 | $69,867 | $33.59 | --0.6% |
Song writer jobs by state
Most common states for song writers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 136 | 20% |
| 2 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 284 | 5% |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 259 | 4% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 21 | 4% |
| 5 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 285 | 3% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 138 | 3% |
| 7 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 90 | 3% |
| 8 | Delaware | 961,939 | 25 | 3% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 20 | 3% |
| 10 | California | 39,536,653 | 762 | 2% |
| 11 | New York | 19,849,399 | 329 | 2% |
| 12 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 223 | 2% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 188 | 2% |
| 14 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 183 | 2% |
| 15 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 167 | 2% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 110 | 2% |
| 17 | Nevada | 2,998,039 | 51 | 2% |
| 18 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 25 | 2% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 25 | 2% |
| 20 | Alaska | 739,795 | 18 | 2% |
Song Writer job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of song writer experts
Kean University
Indiana University Northwest
University of South Florida
DePaul University
University of Kansas
Bates College
Bucknell University
University of San Francisco
Southern Utah University
Azusa Pacific University
Independence Community College
What Song Writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Frank Argote-Freyre: It is important to take part in a variety of internships prior to entering the workplace. You need to invest in yourself. Many of these internships might provide no pay or low pay but they are essential to gaining experience. This will allow a candidate to begin their career search with experience in the field. This makes them a more valuable asset to an employer. Language acquisition is also important. US society is diverse so the ability to reach more diverse language communities is a big plus.
Brian O'Camb Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Chair in EnglishIndiana University Northwest
English Department
What experience really stands out on Song Writer resumes?
Brian O'Camb Ph.D.: Honestly, I am not qualified to respond to that question because I don't hire recent graduates, so I don't see resumes from them. However, as a professor, I recommend that all my students get as much writing experience as possible, ideally through an internship, so they can lean on that experience in their job materials.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Song Writers?
Brian O'Camb Ph.D.: Without a doubt. As employers come to realize that many jobs can be done remotely, I imagine graduates can expect a significant shift in how they connect and collaborate with colleagues in the workplace. And, as industries adapt to non-contact models during the pandemic, there will be space for graduates trained in critical thinking and reading skills to reimagine how various services and suppliers connect with their clients.
What type of skills will young Song Writers need?
Dr. Wilma Davidson: According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), there are 20 skills listed to increase their value in the workplace. Yearly, NACE surveys employers and ranks these skills and, according to their latest survey, the top five skills new graduates should possess are the following:
Problem-solving
Ability to work on a team
Strong work ethic
Analytic/quantitative skill
Written communication skills
For several decades, the ability to write well has appeared near the top of NACE's list of skills valued by employees. And, I suspect, it will remain among the top for decades to come. Writing, so your ideas and plans are understandable and actionable, is the secret sauce of your workplace success. No matter how good your idea is, if you cannot communicate it easily to another, you won't receive the attention and accolades you deserve.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Song Writers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Wilma Davidson: All businesses need good writers. You can work remotely as a freelancer or an employee without concern about where your employer is located. Technology makes it easy for an excellent writer to write productively from anywhere. Naturally, if you wish to enter a field like PR or Advertising or Editing/Publishing, you might want to live in a large city where major firms are located. However, right that advice might have been a decade ago, it no longer applies. If you'd like to be a technical writer, there is an advantage to being close to the engineers you may be working with as you write their manuals, but that can be handled-and already is-being handled remotely.
What type of skills will young Song Writers need?
Ted Anton: They will need to know how to understand and communicate complex information, often contradictory, in a catchy and understandable way. They will have to read professional data online, in business, medicine, health, you name it and then create a sales or summary pitch for investors. So, reading, writing, communication skills will continue to be important. Math, of course, is a big plus, but up to the advanced algebra level... Statistical skills will be helpful. Overall, employers are seeking curious, adventurous, bold, and creative thinkers and communicators for an ever-changing world.
Dr. Tara Welch
ProfessorUniversity of Kansas
Department of Humanities - Classics
How do you envision technology impacting Song Writers in the next 5 years?
Dr. Tara Welch: Technology has already made the ancient world more available and accessible, and digital resources and research tools enable exciting new work to happen without the need to travel. Teachers are also becoming more effective at leading online and hybrid classes. Those are here to stay. In the present climate of social distancing and digital meetings, however, I see a craving for human interaction - those exchanges that remind us that we are spontaneous, creative, and responsive beings. No matter the technology, Classics (like all of the humanities) will always be about humans.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Song Writers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Daniel Sanford: What I've seen in college students during this period of intense upheaval is a stronger desire than ever to engage with the world in positive ways. More than ever, the world needs people to work to effect positive change. That happens in fields that are organized around the idea of impacting society and nature in positive ways (e.g., medicine, social advocacy, community organizing, conservation), and those fields are also growing and great places to start a career. But it also happens everywhere, and now more than ever, through writing. The ability to use effective rhetoric (the art of persuasion, built around understanding one's audience) in social media and web writing is incredibly important in engaging with the challenges the world is facing. It's also highly employable!
Sarah Bell
Senior Associate Director, CounselingBucknell University
Center for Career Advancement
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Song Writers to find work opportunities?
Sarah Bell: Majors in English successfully pursue work in all types of industries and career fields. Their skills in writing, critical thinking, verbal communication, analysis, working in groups, editing, and reading/research makes them quite marketable in a variety of occupations. There are some locations that are more known for certain industries, i.e., upper West Coast for technology, NYC metro area for finance, I-95 corridor for pharmaceuticals and biotech, but many corporations hire in locations all over the country. And with the pandemic, more employers have remote opportunities that don't require a move, at least not until the time we might move out of remote work when possible. We tell our students to talk to professionals in the industries in which they are interested to learn what areas are growing right now and what are not. For example, video and sharing software is growing, food manufacturing, shipping, and sales are growing, certain sectors of healthcare and medical research are growing, etc.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Song Writers?
Edith Borbon: I don't think so. The jobs will still be there, whether in-person or otherwise. Much of regular face-to-face teaching and interpreting has transitioned online. These fields will go back to face-to-face modality when conditions become safe once again. Of course, online learning has already been in existence, and so have the phone and video interpreting. And translation can always be done in the office or remotely.
Carlos Bertoglio
Assistant Professor, SpanishSouthern Utah University
Romance Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Song Writers?
Carlos Bertoglio: Every challenge brings opportunities, so I do believe this pandemic has forced us out of our comfort zones and has shown us new opportunities for professional growth and diversification. Those who can take advantage of these strange and confusing times will benefit the most. Another impact of the pandemic that graduate programs and universities in the US might start to see is the decreasing diversity of their students due to travel restrictions, immigration hurdles, and better opportunities in other countries. This will undoubtedly affect the competitiveness of said programs and institutions.
What general advice would you give to a Song Writer?
Emily Griesinger Ph.D.: I would say "don't give up" because your literacy gifts are especially needed right now. Those who have done excellent critical thinking and writing as English majors can make persuasive arguments and discern the credibility of arguments being consumed by others, who may not be so discerning. Based on years of reading and interpreting great literature, you can "read" characters, why people do what they do, and the capacity to imagine the joys and sorrows of other human beings. So, my general advice would be to consider how to market such skills in creative ways for the common good.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Song Writers?
Emily Griesinger Ph.D.: Graduates in the liberal arts and humanities will be challenged to keep the big questions in the foreground as they navigate a post-pandemic world. What matters? Who is my neighbor, and why should I care if he or she is vulnerable to this virus, now or in the future? If there are such things as beauty, goodness, and truth, how do I discern them and share them with others? To what end? Is there a purpose that obliges me to develop moral character, including civility, hospitality, tolerance, freedom of speech, equality, and justice? The coronavirus pandemic makes such questions more urgent. How we answer will surely have an enduring impact on the world.
Bridget Carson
Associate Professor of Developmental EnglishIndependence Community College
History
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Song Writers?
Bridget Carson: Yes. I think many of the economic markers are false idols that don't indicate the value of life, just when you bought a dishwasher. They may buy one later, but that isn't an indication of success. An enduring impact on this set of graduates, I think, will be in their planning and reaction to disappointment. I hope they embrace uncertainty. I hope they become people who prepare several variations of plans that can achieve the same outcomes by different means. I hope they are people who can mourn unfulfilled expectations and learn to release them like fall leaves, shed to be renewed.