Some of you reading this may be in college right now with hopes of getting into the music business, which may seem like such a fun place to work, until you actually start working in it.
I worked at a small record label (that has since went out of business) and the whole scenario scarred me so much I decided to never pursue another job in the music business, other than my own ventures (such as Metal Injection). I got a "real" job working a web agency until Metal Injection picked up enough where I Could live off of it.
Now, Berklee University is hoping to help students get a grasp on how much money they can expect to make when working in any facet of the music industry.
This PDF document goes to great lengths to describe the pay scale for not just aspiring musicians, but people who want to work in audio engineering, record labels, journalism, even blogging. Based on the small survey of people I asked, the numbers seem relatively accurate, but again, it's all based on the deal you manage to work out for yourself.
Here are some salaries for positions in the music business:
Orchestral Musician
Starting base: $28,000 – $143,000
Example: $36,594 – Alabama Symphony (starting)
$132,028 – Boston Symphony Orchestra (starting)Studio Musician
• Union scale – pay rate varies according to the situation
• Generally there is an hourly fee ($80 – $127+/hour)
• Fee may be higher if you double (play two different instruments) or are the group leader.Video Game Composer
$30,000 – $75,000+ for Creative Fee deal – interactive game (30 min. of music)
$30,000 – $60,000+ for Package Fee deal – interactive game (30 min. of music) – covers composing and all expenses
$300 – $600 per minute of finished music for casual games (creative fee only)A & R Representative
$27,000 – $85,000+Concert Promoter
$0 – $1,000,000
Needless to say there are a wide range of salaries, but don't expect to get rich overnight. There are very few positions available in the music business and more than likely, the only opportunity out there is one you create for yourself.
See the whole guide here.
