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Lydia
Student
Elk River, Minnesota
4
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What are average salaries for careers in the musical field?
I'm interested in doing something in the musical field, but am worried about not having a stable salary to support me/a family.
1 answer
Dr H
Dr. H's Research
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Australia
Updated
Dr’s Answer
Alright, Lydia
I totally get it, wanting to live that music dream and pay the bills. We'll it's Totally doable. There’s a bunch of music-related gigs that can keep the cash flowing while you chase your big moment. Here’s the lowdown on different music careers, what they pay, and the good (and not-so-good) stuff about each.
Music Teacher (School or Private)
💰 Salary: Around $40k – $80k a year (private lessons can boost this big time)
✅ Pros: Super steady paycheck, you’re surrounded by music all day, and you get to shape future rockstars. Plus, private tutoring on weekends? Easy extra cash.
❌ Cons: If you’re in a school, there’s a lot of admin work and not just jamming. And, um…kids. Enough said.
Session Musician (Freelance Performer)
💰 Salary: $100 – $500 per gig (or $40k – $70k a year if you stay booked)
✅ Pros: Play with different artists, super flexible schedule, and if you’re good, you’re in demand. You get paid just to play—what’s not to love?
❌ Cons: Feast-or-famine vibes. One month you’re drowning in gigs, the next you’re eating cereal for dinner. Hustling for new work is part of the game.
Audio Engineer (Recording, Mixing, Mastering)
💰 Salary: $45k – $80k a year (more if you land major artists)
✅ Pros: You’re the magic behind every track. Work in studios, on movie sets, or for live concerts. Plus, gear geeks thrive here.
❌ Cons: Long hours and weird schedules—like, say goodbye to weekends if you’re working live shows. And no one notices you unless something goes wrong.
Music Therapist (Healing Through Music)
💰 Salary: $50k – $80k a year
✅ Pros: Using music to help people? Total heart-warmer. It’s a growing field, so job security is solid, and the pay isn’t too shabby.
❌ Cons: You’ll need extra schooling and certification. Plus, heavy emotional days—helping people heal ain’t always light work.
Composer (Film, TV, Video Games)
💰 Salary: $50k – $100k+ a year if you’re landing solid gigs
✅ Pros: Your music gets immortalized on screen. Plus, royalties—aka getting paid forever when your work is used.
❌ Cons: CRAZY competitive. And you’ll probably start with random indie films before Netflix comes calling.
Independent Artist/Band
💰 Salary: Literally anywhere from $0 to $100k+ depending on gigs, merch, and streams
✅ Pros: Total creative freedom. You run the show, and if you blow up? Life-changing money. Merch and live gigs can be goldmines.
❌ Cons: Streaming pays peanuts unless you’re pulling millions. Building a fanbase takes time, and you gotta be your own manager, marketer, and roadie.
Music Journalist or Critic
💰 Salary: $40k – $70k a year (freelance articles pay $50 – $500 per piece)
✅ Pros: Get paid to nerd out about music. Interview your fave artists, go to concerts for free, and flex your opinions.
❌ Cons: Media is competitive, and stable jobs are rare. Freelancing can be unpredictable, and no one likes a critic—until they do.
Music Licensing (Sync & Publishing)
💰 Salary: $60k – $120k a year if you work for a big company, or passive income if you license your own stuff
✅ Pros: Every time your music plays on a TV show, ad, or movie, you get paid. Do the work once, and the money keeps flowing.
❌ Cons: Super technical contracts. It’s also a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and getting your first placements takes patience.
So, Music’s got a ton of paths, and you don’t have to starve while following your passion. But Alright, let’s get real real about the music life, no fluffy dreams. Can a career in music actually pay the bills and support you (and a future family)? Short answer is, YES… but it’s not a walk in the park. Long answer? We'll, I am just gonna get into it in little tiny details too for you.
💸 Now can it pay well? It can, but you gotta be smart and flexible. If you think you’ll just drop an album and wake up rich, nah—this ain’t a Disney movie. But there are plenty of musicians paying their mortgage and raising kids just by working the system. The trick? Multiple streams of income and treating music like a business instead of a passion project.
Here’s the vibe:
Successful indie artists: Can earn anywhere from $40k to $100k+ a year through a mix of streaming, live shows, merch, and licensing. It’s a grind at first, but once you build momentum, the money becomes more stable.
Music-related jobs: Audio engineers, music teachers, producers, and music therapists all earn $50k – $100k+—solid, steady jobs that keep you in the music world. I have already given you deeper understanding of each above you can see which you like to go for and take it as a side hustle you know. Until the music business begins to cover you up!
If you blow up? Different ballgame. Touring artists, successful songwriters, and producers can bring in six figures or more but it takes time and luck.
Now to Actually Make Music a Sustainable Career. I got a few ides.
1. Diversify Your Income (Don’t Rely on Just One Thing)
One revenue stream? Risky. Three or four? Way safer. Successful musicians pull cash from:
Streaming & Digital Sales (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube)
Live Performances (gigs, weddings, corporate events—hey, those pay well)😱
Merch (t-shirts, vinyl, mugs, whatever your fans want)
Music Licensing (get your songs in shows, movies, commercials = long-term $$)
Teaching Music (private lessons, virtual coaching—steady and reliable)
2. Treat It Like a Business 😎
Music is art, but if you want it to feed your future kids, you gotta think like a CEO:
Budget: Reinvest in better gear, promo, and branding. Every dollar counts.
Marketing: Social media isn’t optional—TikTok, Instagram, YouTube. That’s where fans (and money) are.
Network: Connections open doors. Work with other musicians, engineers, and industry folks—people bring opportunities.
3. Build a Fanbase, Not Just Hits
A loyal fanbase > one viral song. Fans buy your merch, show up to gigs, and support you long-term. Engage with them. Make them feel like part of your journey.
4. Plan for the Long Game👏
Overnight success is rare. Be consistent—drop new music regularly, stay visible online, and keep improving your craft. Slow and steady wins this race.
👎 The Hard Truths
Unstable Income: Especially early on, it’s feast-or-famine. One year’s amazing, the next year? Dry spell. So you will face unstable incomes.
No Benefits: Unless you land a salaried gig (like teaching), you’re handling health insurance and retirement yourself, adulting is real.
Hustling multiple income streams takes a LOT of energy. Balance is tough, especially if you’re raising a family. So it will beTime-Consuming but not for ever.
Remember everyone and their cat is making music now. Standing out takes serious work, creativity, and consistency. So Competition is Cutthroat!
🔥 Now now don't ask me if you can make it because my answer is:
Absolutely—but it’s about being strategic not just talented. The people who succeed aren’t always the best musicians—they’re the ones who stick with it, treat it like a career, and keep evolving.
It’s not easy Lydia, but it’s so possible if you’re in it for the long haul. If you got the dedication, love and passion and wasn't to get into it then know nothing can stop you! You can totally make this dream work, and if you need anything just, Hit me up—I’m in your corner! Or away on the other side of the screen! 😉 Good luck Lydia all the best!
Be smart with your income sources
Build your audience steadily
Keep learning and adapting
Stay consistent—even when it’s slow
I totally get it, wanting to live that music dream and pay the bills. We'll it's Totally doable. There’s a bunch of music-related gigs that can keep the cash flowing while you chase your big moment. Here’s the lowdown on different music careers, what they pay, and the good (and not-so-good) stuff about each.
Music Teacher (School or Private)
💰 Salary: Around $40k – $80k a year (private lessons can boost this big time)
✅ Pros: Super steady paycheck, you’re surrounded by music all day, and you get to shape future rockstars. Plus, private tutoring on weekends? Easy extra cash.
❌ Cons: If you’re in a school, there’s a lot of admin work and not just jamming. And, um…kids. Enough said.
Session Musician (Freelance Performer)
💰 Salary: $100 – $500 per gig (or $40k – $70k a year if you stay booked)
✅ Pros: Play with different artists, super flexible schedule, and if you’re good, you’re in demand. You get paid just to play—what’s not to love?
❌ Cons: Feast-or-famine vibes. One month you’re drowning in gigs, the next you’re eating cereal for dinner. Hustling for new work is part of the game.
Audio Engineer (Recording, Mixing, Mastering)
💰 Salary: $45k – $80k a year (more if you land major artists)
✅ Pros: You’re the magic behind every track. Work in studios, on movie sets, or for live concerts. Plus, gear geeks thrive here.
❌ Cons: Long hours and weird schedules—like, say goodbye to weekends if you’re working live shows. And no one notices you unless something goes wrong.
Music Therapist (Healing Through Music)
💰 Salary: $50k – $80k a year
✅ Pros: Using music to help people? Total heart-warmer. It’s a growing field, so job security is solid, and the pay isn’t too shabby.
❌ Cons: You’ll need extra schooling and certification. Plus, heavy emotional days—helping people heal ain’t always light work.
Composer (Film, TV, Video Games)
💰 Salary: $50k – $100k+ a year if you’re landing solid gigs
✅ Pros: Your music gets immortalized on screen. Plus, royalties—aka getting paid forever when your work is used.
❌ Cons: CRAZY competitive. And you’ll probably start with random indie films before Netflix comes calling.
Independent Artist/Band
💰 Salary: Literally anywhere from $0 to $100k+ depending on gigs, merch, and streams
✅ Pros: Total creative freedom. You run the show, and if you blow up? Life-changing money. Merch and live gigs can be goldmines.
❌ Cons: Streaming pays peanuts unless you’re pulling millions. Building a fanbase takes time, and you gotta be your own manager, marketer, and roadie.
Music Journalist or Critic
💰 Salary: $40k – $70k a year (freelance articles pay $50 – $500 per piece)
✅ Pros: Get paid to nerd out about music. Interview your fave artists, go to concerts for free, and flex your opinions.
❌ Cons: Media is competitive, and stable jobs are rare. Freelancing can be unpredictable, and no one likes a critic—until they do.
Music Licensing (Sync & Publishing)
💰 Salary: $60k – $120k a year if you work for a big company, or passive income if you license your own stuff
✅ Pros: Every time your music plays on a TV show, ad, or movie, you get paid. Do the work once, and the money keeps flowing.
❌ Cons: Super technical contracts. It’s also a lot of behind-the-scenes work, and getting your first placements takes patience.
So, Music’s got a ton of paths, and you don’t have to starve while following your passion. But Alright, let’s get real real about the music life, no fluffy dreams. Can a career in music actually pay the bills and support you (and a future family)? Short answer is, YES… but it’s not a walk in the park. Long answer? We'll, I am just gonna get into it in little tiny details too for you.
💸 Now can it pay well? It can, but you gotta be smart and flexible. If you think you’ll just drop an album and wake up rich, nah—this ain’t a Disney movie. But there are plenty of musicians paying their mortgage and raising kids just by working the system. The trick? Multiple streams of income and treating music like a business instead of a passion project.
Here’s the vibe:
Successful indie artists: Can earn anywhere from $40k to $100k+ a year through a mix of streaming, live shows, merch, and licensing. It’s a grind at first, but once you build momentum, the money becomes more stable.
Music-related jobs: Audio engineers, music teachers, producers, and music therapists all earn $50k – $100k+—solid, steady jobs that keep you in the music world. I have already given you deeper understanding of each above you can see which you like to go for and take it as a side hustle you know. Until the music business begins to cover you up!
If you blow up? Different ballgame. Touring artists, successful songwriters, and producers can bring in six figures or more but it takes time and luck.
Now to Actually Make Music a Sustainable Career. I got a few ides.
1. Diversify Your Income (Don’t Rely on Just One Thing)
One revenue stream? Risky. Three or four? Way safer. Successful musicians pull cash from:
Streaming & Digital Sales (Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube)
Live Performances (gigs, weddings, corporate events—hey, those pay well)😱
Merch (t-shirts, vinyl, mugs, whatever your fans want)
Music Licensing (get your songs in shows, movies, commercials = long-term $$)
Teaching Music (private lessons, virtual coaching—steady and reliable)
2. Treat It Like a Business 😎
Music is art, but if you want it to feed your future kids, you gotta think like a CEO:
Budget: Reinvest in better gear, promo, and branding. Every dollar counts.
Marketing: Social media isn’t optional—TikTok, Instagram, YouTube. That’s where fans (and money) are.
Network: Connections open doors. Work with other musicians, engineers, and industry folks—people bring opportunities.
3. Build a Fanbase, Not Just Hits
A loyal fanbase > one viral song. Fans buy your merch, show up to gigs, and support you long-term. Engage with them. Make them feel like part of your journey.
4. Plan for the Long Game👏
Overnight success is rare. Be consistent—drop new music regularly, stay visible online, and keep improving your craft. Slow and steady wins this race.
👎 The Hard Truths
Unstable Income: Especially early on, it’s feast-or-famine. One year’s amazing, the next year? Dry spell. So you will face unstable incomes.
No Benefits: Unless you land a salaried gig (like teaching), you’re handling health insurance and retirement yourself, adulting is real.
Hustling multiple income streams takes a LOT of energy. Balance is tough, especially if you’re raising a family. So it will beTime-Consuming but not for ever.
Remember everyone and their cat is making music now. Standing out takes serious work, creativity, and consistency. So Competition is Cutthroat!
🔥 Now now don't ask me if you can make it because my answer is:
Absolutely—but it’s about being strategic not just talented. The people who succeed aren’t always the best musicians—they’re the ones who stick with it, treat it like a career, and keep evolving.
It’s not easy Lydia, but it’s so possible if you’re in it for the long haul. If you got the dedication, love and passion and wasn't to get into it then know nothing can stop you! You can totally make this dream work, and if you need anything just, Hit me up—I’m in your corner! Or away on the other side of the screen! 😉 Good luck Lydia all the best!
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Thank you so much for this! This response is super helpful to me.
Lydia
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