Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2004

27-2042 Musicians and Singers

Play one or more musical instruments or entertain by singing songs in recital, in accompaniment, or as a member of an orchestra, band, or other musical group. Musical performers may entertain on-stage, radio, TV, film, video, or record in studios. Exclude "Dancers" (27-2031).

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
State profile for this occupation
Metropolitan area profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
52,000 4.4 % $24.96 (6) 3.8 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $6.47 $9.68 $17.85 $30.75 $53.59
  (6)

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Performing arts companies 29,530 $27.29 (6)
Religious organizations 7,200 $19.95 (6)
Promoters of performing arts and sports 1,250 $30.49 (6)
Full-service restaurants 750 $16.62 (6)
Other schools and instruction 740 $17.45 (6)

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage
Sound recording industries (7) $35.27 (6)
Promoters of performing arts and sports 1,250 $30.49 (6)
Management of companies and enterprises (7) $28.60 (6)
Performing arts companies 29,530 $27.29 (6)
Independent artists, writers, and performers 680 $25.29 (6)

State profile for this occupation: Top

States with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment
Hawaii 820 (7) (6) 0.145%
New York 11,660 $22.14 (6) 0.141%
Nevada 790 $30.80 (6) 0.071%
California 9,560 $37.66 (6) 0.066%
Tennessee 1,640 $22.78 (6) 0.062%

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment
Washington 1,150 $42.81 (6) 0.045%
Minnesota 640 $39.44 (6) 0.025%
California 9,560 $37.66 (6) 0.066%
Nevada 790 $30.80 (6) 0.071%
Oklahoma 210 $29.81 (6) 0.015%

Metropolitan area profile for this occupation: Top

Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of workers in this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
New York, NY PMSA 8,930 $23.61 (6) 0.224%
Honolulu, HI MSA 660 (7) (6) 0.161%
Nashville, TN MSA 1,000 $26.11 (6) 0.147%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA 4,730 $35.38 (6) 0.119%
Utica-Rome, NY MSA 140 $18.46 (6) 0.111%

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, WA PMSA 790 $52.99 (6) 0.061%
San Francisco, CA PMSA 1,020 $52.22 (6) 0.107%
Oakland, CA PMSA 920 $49.67 (6) 0.092%
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA PMSA 50 $47.44 (6) 0.056%
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA 470 $45.26 (6) 0.028%

About May 2004 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas in every State and the District of Columbia. The top five employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable Excel files(XLS).

Percentile wage estimates show the percentage of workers in an occupation that earn less than a given wage and the percentage that earn more. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(6) There is wide variation in the number of hours worked by those employed as actors, dancers, musicians, and singers. Many jobs are for a duration of 1 day or 1 week and it is extremely rare for a performer to have guaranteed employment for a period that exceeds 3 to 6 months.

(7) Estimates not released.

All Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

May 2004 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2004 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2004 Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2004 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2004 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: June 02, 2005