The average salary for a composer in Virginia is around $59,050 per year.
Avg Salary
Composers earn an average yearly salary of $59,050.
Wages typically start from $42,910 and go up to $130,980.
6% above national average Updated in 2025
Composer earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level composer earnings begin at:
$62.97 per hour
$130,980 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level composer earnings begin at:
$44.31 per hour
$92,150 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level composer earnings begin at:
$28.39 per hour
$59,050 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level composer earnings begin at:
$23.32 per hour
$48,510 per year
10th percentile
Starting level composer earnings begin at:
$20.63 per hour
$42,910 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Composer salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $93,090 |
| Colorado | $88,460 |
| District of Columbia | $84,040 |
| New York | $82,930 |
| Utah | $82,570 |
| Tennessee | $79,640 |
| Wisconsin | $78,690 |
| Massachusetts | $78,620 |
| Indiana | $77,270 |
| Connecticut | $77,070 |
| Washington | $75,060 |
| Idaho | $74,690 |
| Hawaii | $74,570 |
| Georgia | $67,100 |
| Texas | $65,570 |
| Maryland | $64,300 |
| North Carolina | $63,380 |
| Mississippi | $62,240 |
| Iowa | $61,740 |
| Missouri | $61,670 |
| Ohio | $61,380 |
| Pennsylvania | $61,160 |
| Oregon | $60,800 |
| Arizona | $60,290 |
| Michigan | $59,400 |
| Virginia | $59,050 |
| South Carolina | $58,100 |
| Florida | $57,830 |
| Rhode Island | $56,980 |
| New Hampshire | $55,690 |
| Vermont | $55,160 |
| Oklahoma | $54,250 |
| Montana | $51,530 |
| Minnesota | $50,040 |
| Illinois | $49,270 |
| Arkansas | $49,110 |
| Kentucky | $47,673 |
| Louisiana | $46,420 |
| Nebraska | $44,240 |
| Kansas | $43,200 |
| Alabama | $42,250 |
| South Dakota | $30,690 |
| New Mexico | $21,840 |
| New Jersey | $122,750 |
How do composer salaries compare to similar careers?
Composers earn about the same as related careers in Virginia. On average, they make less than music artists but more than piano tuners.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music artist salary | $105K |
| Musician salary | $105K |
| Talent agent salary | $73K |
| Music teacher salary | $75K |
| Conductor salary | $59K |
| Composer salary | $59K |
| Casting director salary | $66K |
| Audio engineer salary | $50K |
| Piano tuner salary | $45K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)