Career Options
Careers for Music Majors
- Composer
- Arranger
- Music Director
- Conductor
- Teacher/Professor
- Writer/Editor
- Sound Mixer
- Church Music Minister
- Freelance Musician
- Film Scorer
- Band Director
- Symphony Conductor
- Choir Director
- Music Researcher
- Music Business Executive
- Musical Product Manager
- Producer
- Talent Agent
- Audiologist
- Accompanist
- Music Technology and Recording Technician
- Sound Effects Technician
- Music Therapist
- Instrument Repairer
- Music Librarian
Starting Salary*
A music major’s typical starting salary is $29,661. The typical salary after 10-19 years is $54,302.
*Note: Salary information is provided for general reference only. APU does not guarantee the accuracy of the figures listed, and cannot predict or promise a specific salary for any graduate. For the most current salary estimates, please visit www.payscale.com.
Job Titles Held by former Music Majors
- Conductor, London’s Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
- Curator, Keys to the Future concert series, Greenwich House’s Renee Weiler Concert Hall
- Director of Cathedral Music and Organist, Cathedral Church of St. John, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Composer, “The Fiery Furnace”, performed by The San Diego Symphony
- Music & media licensing for MTV Networks in London, England
- President, D’Addario and Company (guitar and bowed instrument string manufacturer)
- Vice President of A&R and Advertising, Warner/Chappell Music
- Music Business Columnist, The Performing Songwriter
- Artistic Director, Long Island Baroque Ensemble
- Coordinator of the Arts, Freeport School District
- Marketing Services Manager, Korg, USA
- Director of Bands, Duarte Unified School District
- Minister of Music, Southern Illinois Worship Center
- Artistic Director, Amherst Creative Jazz and Modern Music Concert Series
- Motion Picture Music Supervisor, Sony Pictures
Famous People with Music Degrees
- Leonard Bernstein (conductor, musician, composer)
- Charles Ives (composer)
- Marin Alsop (conductor, Baltimore symphony)
- Sir Andrew Davis (conductor, Music Advisor to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra)
- Valery Gergiev (conductor, London Symphony Orchestra)
- Fred (Mr.) Rogers (actor, writer)
Note: This information is current for the 2009-10 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for the most current and controlling information. For additional information, please contact the appropriate office.
