Money · 1 of 5
What musicians make
Reported median
$33,000
Most working musicians
$33,000
Salaried orchestra or steady touring
$75,000
Read this one carefully. Job Bank reports about $32,867 as both the low and the median, which is the census floor figure it falls back on when there is not enough wage data. The honest picture: music income for most people is a pile of small payments, many musicians earn less than that from music alone, and the $75,000 end means a salaried orchestra chair or steady touring work.