Secondary School Teacher
Median wage · national
$72,040
Range: $60K – $93K
Employed
1.1M
Openings/yr
66K
Typically: bachelor's degree
HUMANITIES
Musician & Singer
Explore what Musician & Singer professionals do, what they earn, how to get there, and which degree programs lead to this career.
About Musician & Singer
Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.
- Employed Nationally
- 36K
- Openings / Year
- 19,400
- Entry Education
- No formal educational credential
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Accompanist
Bandperson
Baritone
Bass Player
Bassoonist
What Do Musicians & Singers Do?
O*NET data identifies 5 core activities and 5 measurable skills for Musician & Singer roles. Use this section to judge whether the day-to-day reality aligns with what you actually want to spend time doing.
What You'll Do
- Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
- Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
- Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.
- Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
- Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Speaking
Monitoring
Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Reading Comprehension
Who Thrives Here
A
Artistic
Creative and original thinking matters in this field, where fresh approaches, design sensibility, or expressive work drives real outcomes.
E
Enterprising
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Where Do Musicians & Singers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Musicians & Singers?
The BLS projects +1.1% employment change for Musician & Singer through 2034, below the national average of +5%. About 19,400 openings per year keep the field accessible to new entrants.
↗ +1.1%
10-Year Growth (2024–2034)
Slower than average.
19,400
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
36K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2024.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Musician & Singer professionals. Local wages and demand vary considerably from national figures.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 6,070 | — |
| 2 | Illinois | 2,140 | — |
| 3 | Tennessee | 1,980 | — |
| 4 | Florida | 1,880 | — |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 1,400 | — |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
Most Musician & Singer positions require a no formal educational credential to qualify. The 2 programs below are the most common academic pathways into this field, ranked by how many graduates they produce each year.
Typical Entry Education
No formal educational credential
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Music | 26,167 | $42,892 | 1,387 |
| 2 | Drama & Theatre | 16,853 | $39,775 | 1,116 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Musicians & Singers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Princeton University Princeton, NJ | 94 | $6,128 | $110,066 |
| 2 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 4 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 6 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Musician & Singer, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Musician & Singer pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Musician & Singer Pros & Cons
The data on Musician & Singer shows 0 measurable strengths and 2 real trade-offs. All points are drawn from BLS wage data, employment projections, and IPEDS program completions.
CONS
- Slow job growth At +1.1% projected growth, this career lags the national average. Limited expansion means stiffer competition for openings that do appear.
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the national median while building the experience employers require.
Musician & Singer Frequently Asked Questions
Is Musician & Singer a good career?
Musician & Singer involves trade-offs worth understanding before committing. Job growth is projected at +1.1% through 2034. Genuine interest in the work, not just the salary, matters most here.
How long does it take to become a Musician & Singer?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A no formal educational credential is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Music are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the national national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Musician & Singer?
The BLS projects +1.1% employment change for Musician & Singer through 2034, slower than average compared to all occupations. About 19,400 job openings per year are projected, including new positions and replacements for workers who retire or change careers. 36K people currently work in this occupation nationwide (BLS May 2024).
What skills do Musician & Singer professionals need?
O*NET data identifies the core skills employers consistently prioritize for Musician & Singer roles: Speaking, Monitoring, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, and Reading Comprehension. These develop through formal education and hands-on work. Programs with internship or co-op requirements give you a meaningful head start on the ones that take time to build.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 95 of 385 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Colleges
Discover 3,811 verified US colleges and universities. Compare admissions, costs, outcomes, and earnings across every accredited institution nationwide.
Majors
Explore 38 fields of study spanning STEM, health, business, and the humanities. See earnings, top programs, and demand.
Programs
Browse 375 specific degree programs. See completion counts, earnings outcomes, and the colleges awarding the most graduates each year.
Careers
Look up 395 BLS occupations. Get median wages, growth projections, education requirements, and the majors leading to each career.