Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2003

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)
50,600 4.5 % (4) $51,580 3.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Annual Wage (2) $13,110 $20,130 $37,380 $62,300 $110,930
  (4)

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Performing arts companies 27,860 (4) $56,740 1 7
Religious organizations 6,820 (4) $35,370 2 14
Full-service restaurants 1,090 (4) $31,540 3 15
Sound recording industries 880 (4) $74,650 4 2
Colleges and universities 660 (4) $30,750 5 17

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Employment rank Wage rank
Motion picture and video industries 110 (4) $98,790 15 1
Sound recording industries 880 (4) $74,650 4 2
Independent artists, writers, and performers 300 (4) $64,260 11 3
Promoters of performing arts and sports 590 (4) $61,210 6 4
Radio and television broadcasting 250 (4) $59,280 12 5

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 Wage rank within State
Hawaii 1,210 (4) $40,190 0.219% 219
New York 10,060 (4) $38,220 0.122% 390
Montana 310 (4) $36,170 0.078% 210
California 9,930 (4) $76,880 0.068% 70
Tennessee 1,680 (4) $51,920 0.064% 119

Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of State employment Wage rank within State
Colorado 700 (4) $90,180 0.033% 18
Minnesota 670 (4) $82,460 0.026% 40
California 9,930 (4) $76,880 0.068% 70
Nevada 680 (4) $74,860 0.064% 36
New Hampshire (6) (4) $64,760 (6) 55

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
Honolulu, HI MSA 940 (4) $42,520 0.234%
Nashville, TN MSA 1,070 (4) $53,900 0.162%
Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA PMSA 4,870 (4) $76,530 0.121%
Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA 260 (4) $26,230 0.105%
Reno, NV MSA 200 (4) $34,580 0.102%

Top paying Metropolitan areas for this occupation:

MSA Employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage Percent of MSA employment
Denver, CO PMSA 560 (4) $106,850 0.049%
Oakland, CA PMSA 1,000 (4) $106,300 0.098%
Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI MSA 530 (4) $90,640 0.031%
Las Vegas, NV-AZ MSA 450 (4) $90,120 0.056%
Sacramento, CA PMSA 220 (4) $84,570 0.029%

About May 2003 National, State, and Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

To see profiles of other occupations, select from the major groups below:

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.

(4) Hourly wage rates for occupations where workers typically work fewer than 2,080 hours per year are not available.

(6) Estimates not released.

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

2003 May National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May Metropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

2003 May National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2003 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped Excel files

Technical notes

 

Last Modified Date: May 7, 2004