Musicians and Singers

Musicians and Singers (SOC 27-2042) earn a median $47.80 an hour in the United States, with 36,180 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Nevada.

What musicians and singers do

Musicians and singers play instruments or sing, and their performances may be on stage, broadcast, or recorded as sound or video. They perform for live audiences at concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and similar events, sing a cappella or with accompaniment, and play as soloists or join orchestras, ensembles, or bands as members or guests. They interpret or modify music by applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production, memorize selections and routines or follow printed text and musical notation, and watch choral leaders or prompters for cues. Some specialize in one family of instruments or one type of music. Alternate titles include accompanist, bass player, bassoonist, and bugler. Music directors and composers, who lead groups or write music, and disc jockeys, who play recorded music, are separate occupations.

Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported level of education for this occupation is a bachelor's degree.

Also called: Accompanist, Bandperson, Baritone, Bass Player, Bassoonist.

National wage percentiles, May 2025

Musicians and Singers: US hourly and annual wage percentiles, mean and employment, May 2025
Area	Basis	Percentile wage					Mean	Employment
Area	Basis	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th	Mean	Employment
United States	Hourly	$20.35	$27.57	$47.80	$75.33	$132.56	$60.46	36,180
United States	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	36,180

Hourly wage at the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th and 90th percentiles. The same numbers are in the table above.

Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.

Where musicians and singers earn and work most

Five highest-paying states

Musicians and Singers: the five states with the highest median wage, May 2025
Area	Basis	Percentile wage					Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
Area	Basis	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th	Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
Nevada	Hourly	$24.64	$26.53	$65.46	$92.00	$174.87	$71.62	260	0.17	0.72
Nevada	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	260	0.17	0.72
North Carolina	Hourly	$12.50	$27.86	$57.96	$63.43	$83.45	$50.44	750	0.15	0.65
North Carolina	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	750	0.15	0.65
Minnesota	Hourly	$15.23	$31.16	$53.64	$132.05	$134.16	$73.24	540	0.18	0.79
Minnesota	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	540	0.18	0.79
Illinois	Hourly	$17.53	$21.82	$53.12	$77.59	$125.95	$57.50	1,300	0.21	0.92
Illinois	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,300	0.21	0.92
Hawaii	Hourly	$25.59	$32.73	$52.59	$64.44	$140.00	$66.65	740	1.18	5.08
Hawaii	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	740	1.18	5.08

Five states with the most jobs

Musicians and Singers: the five states with the highest employment, May 2025
Area	Basis	Percentile wage					Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
Area	Basis	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th	Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
California	Hourly	$21.61	$28.23	$43.83	$75.32	$123.63	$61.30	6,840	0.38	1.61
California	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	6,840	0.38	1.61
New York	Hourly	*	*	*	*	*	*	5,470	0.56	2.42
New York	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	5,470	0.56	2.42
Florida	Hourly	$22.28	$27.00	$50.47	$106.46	$197.46	$77.63	2,130	0.21	0.92
Florida	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	2,130	0.21	0.92
Tennessee	Hourly	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,860	0.57	2.44
Tennessee	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,860	0.57	2.44
Ohio	Hourly	$18.59	$24.98	$33.36	$60.79	$75.90	$46.27	1,760	0.32	1.36
Ohio	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,760	0.32	1.36

Five highest-paying metropolitan areas

Musicians and Singers: the five metropolitan areas with the highest median wage, May 2025
Area	Basis	Percentile wage					Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
Area	Basis	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th	Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	Hourly	$24.48	$48.28	$85.80	$99.96	$132.99	$78.57	30	0.21	0.90
Waterbury-Shelton, CT	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	30	0.21	0.90
Medford, OR	Hourly	$21.67	$25.86	$85.45	$85.45	$105.39	$67.23	90	1.03	4.41
Medford, OR	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	90	1.03	4.41
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	Hourly	$29.75	$36.98	$75.75	$100.00	$176.51	$82.72	970	0.41	1.76
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	970	0.41	1.76
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	Hourly	$29.12	$45.77	$66.29	$102.45	$133.33	$72.71	4,410	0.47	2.00
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	4,410	0.47	2.00
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	Hourly	$25.00	$26.53	$65.46	$92.00	$160.73	$71.63	240	0.21	0.89
Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	240	0.21	0.89

Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs

Musicians and Singers: the five metropolitan areas with the highest employment, May 2025
Area	Basis	Percentile wage					Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
Area	Basis	10th	25th	Median	75th	90th	Mean	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	Hourly	$29.12	$45.77	$66.29	$102.45	$133.33	$72.71	4,410	0.47	2.00
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	4,410	0.47	2.00
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	Hourly	$23.30	$29.66	$53.16	$75.32	$155.15	$66.60	3,230	0.52	2.21
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	3,230	0.52	2.21
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	Hourly	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,280	1.16	5.00
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,280	1.16	5.00
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	Hourly	$17.08	$22.00	$53.16	$82.08	$131.40	$59.93	1,050	0.23	1.00
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	1,050	0.23	1.00
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	Hourly	$29.75	$36.98	$75.75	$100.00	$176.51	$82.72	970	0.41	1.76
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	Annual	*	*	*	*	*	*	970	0.41	1.76

Top industries employing musicians and singers

Performing Arts Companies employ 51.9% of musicians and singers nationally (18,790 jobs) at a median $50.37 an hour, followed by Religious Organizations (21.1%) and Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (5.0%).

Musicians and Singers: the 5 industries with the highest employment, United States, May 2025 (4-digit NAICS)
Industry	Employment	Share of occupation	Median annual	Median hourly
Performing Arts Companies NAICS 711100	18,790	51.9%	*	$50.37
Religious Organizations NAICS 813100	7,640	21.1%	*	$53.16
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300	1,820	5.0%	*	$30.80
Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers NAICS 711500	1,610	4.4%	*	$30.33
Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100	1,390	3.8%	*	$27.27

Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (36,180). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.

Every state, by median wage

41 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.

Rank	State	Median hourly	Median annual	10th pct (annual)	90th pct (annual)	Employment	Jobs per 1,000	Location quotient
1	Nevada profile	$65.46	*	*	*	260	0.17	0.72
2	North Carolina profile	$57.96	*	*	*	750	0.15	0.65
3	Minnesota profile	$53.64	*	*	*	540	0.18	0.79
4	Illinois profile	$53.12	*	*	*	1,300	0.21	0.92
5	Hawaii profile	$52.59	*	*	*	740	1.18	5.08
6	Connecticut profile	$50.75	*	*	*	520	0.31	1.31
7	Virginia profile	$50.60	*	*	*	400	0.10	0.42
8	Florida profile	$50.47	*	*	*	2,130	0.21	0.92
9	Montana profile	$46.84	*	*	*	260	0.51	2.17
10	Washington profile	$46.55	*	*	*	750	0.21	0.91
11	Colorado profile	$46.27	*	*	*	420	0.15	0.63
12	New Mexico profile	$45.14	*	*	*	60	0.07	0.28
13	California profile	$43.83	*	*	*	6,840	0.38	1.61
14	Indiana profile	$39.92	*	*	*	400	0.12	0.53
15	Missouri profile	$39.22	*	*	*	620	0.21	0.90
16	Maryland profile	$38.97	*	*	*	570	0.21	0.88
17	Massachusetts profile	$38.92	*	*	*	680	0.19	0.80
18	Michigan profile	$36.63	*	*	*	1,340	0.30	1.31
19	Wisconsin profile	$36.61	*	*	*	380	0.13	0.56
20	Maine profile	$35.76	*	*	*	30	0.05	0.23
21	Iowa profile	$35.65	*	*	*	250	0.16	0.70
22	Texas profile	$33.59	*	*	*	1,430	0.10	0.44
23	Ohio profile	$33.36	*	*	*	1,760	0.32	1.36
24	Kansas profile	$28.64	*	*	*	260	0.18	0.78
25	Alabama profile	$23.79	*	*	*	190	0.09	0.40
26	Utah profile	$21.98	*	*	*	230	0.14	0.58
27	Vermont profile	$21.82	*	*	*	30	0.11	0.47
28	South Carolina profile	$19.27	*	*	*	330	0.15	0.62
–	Arizona profile	*	*	*	*	410	0.13	0.54
–	Arkansas profile	*	*	*	*	110	0.08	0.36
–	District of Columbia profile	*	*	*	*	200	0.28	1.21
–	Georgia profile	*	*	*	*	540	0.11	0.47
–	Kentucky profile	*	*	*	*	130	0.07	0.28
–	Louisiana profile	*	*	*	*	150	0.08	0.34
–	Mississippi profile	*	*	*	*	80	0.07	0.30
–	New Jersey profile	*	*	*	*	570	0.13	0.58
–	New York profile	*	*	*	*	5,470	0.56	2.42
–	Oklahoma profile	*	*	*	*	280	0.16	0.70
–	Oregon profile	*	*	*	*	1,310	0.67	2.86
–	Pennsylvania profile	*	*	*	*	1,160	0.19	0.82
–	Tennessee profile	*	*	*	*	1,860	0.57	2.44

Occupations in the same SOC broad group (27-2040), with their national median annual wage.

Part of Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.

Source and notes

Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 27-2042 Musicians and Singers.

*: Wage estimate not available.

Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked. A withheld or top-coded median in that table shows the marker explained above.

Sources

BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 27-2042, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
O*NET 30.1 Database, 27-2042.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).

Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.