Careers and salaries in the music industry vary widely according to type and location.
America’s Career Infonet and the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook give detailed information about the skills, abilities, work activities and salary ranges for:
Local Career Information
According to Roy Machado, president of Dallas Audio Post Group, skilled freelance audio engineers in the Dallas area can earn between $75,000 and $80,000 a year.
The best source of information on performing and recording opportunities, salaries and work availability is to ask local musicians and recording artists, expertise widely held by all of Cedar Valley’s Commercial Music program faculty members.
National Career Statistics
According to America’s Career Infonet, salaries and projected career growth for selected music industry occupations include*:
| Job |
Hourly Rate |
Annual Salary |
Projected Growth Through 2014 |
| Audio and video equipment technicians |
$16.75 |
$34,800 |
+18% |
| Musicians and singers |
$19.72 |
varies |
+14% |
| Sound engineering technicians |
$20.68 |
$43,000 |
+18% |
*2006 data; nationwide statistics