The average wage for a lyricist in the United States is around $12.32 per hour.
Avg Wage
Lyricists earn an average hourly wage of $12.32.
Salaries typically start from $9.45 per hour and go up to $26.32 per hour.
46% below national average Updated in 2018
Lyricist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level lyricist earnings begin at:
$26.32 per hour
$54,751 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level lyricist earnings begin at:
$16.86 per hour
$35,079 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level lyricist earnings begin at:
$12.32 per hour
$25,627 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level lyricist earnings begin at:
$10.26 per hour
$21,335 per year
10th percentile
Starting level lyricist earnings begin at:
$9.45 per hour
$19,657 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Lyricist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $17,900 |
| Texas | $17,000 |
How do lyricist salaries compare to similar careers?
Lyricists earn 14% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than music therapists but more than DJs.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Music therapist salary | $48K |
| Music producer salary | $34K |
| Recording engineer salary | $34K |
| Music promoter salary | $31K |
| Piano tuner salary | $36K |
| Lyricist salary | $26K |
| DJ salary | $27K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)