Education:
30%
Bachelor's Degree
25%
Some College Courses
Choreographers
This is a sub-career of
Dancer or Choreographer
More sub-careers
Select a specialized sub-career for more details.
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Job Outlook:
Faster than average
Education:
High school diploma or equivalent
Salary
High:
$100,420.00
Average:
$58,740.00
Hourly
Average:
$28.24
What they do:
Create new dance routines. Rehearse performance of routines. May direct and stage presentations.
On the job, you would:
- Direct rehearsals to instruct dancers in dance steps and in techniques to achieve desired effects.
- Teach students, dancers, and other performers about rhythm and interpretive movement.
- Choose the music, sound effects, or spoken narrative to accompany a dance.
Important Qualities
Athleticism. Successful dancers must have excellent balance, physical strength, and physical dexterity so that they can move their bodies without falling or losing their sense of rhythm.
Creativity. Dancers need artistic ability and creativity to express ideas through movement. Choreographers also must have artistic ability and innovative ideas, to create new and interesting dance routines.
Leadership skills. Choreographers must be able to direct a group of dancers to perform the routines that they have created.
Persistence. Dancers must commit to years of intense practice. They need to be able to accept rejection after auditions and to continue to practice for future performances. Choreographers must keep studying and creating new routines.
Physical stamina. Dancers are often physically active for long periods, so they must be able to rehearse for many hours without getting tired.
Teamwork. Most dance routines involve a group or pairs, so dancers must be able to work together to be successful.
Personality
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Characteristics of this Career |
|---|---|---|---|
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97% | Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
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94% | Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
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93% | Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
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93% | Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
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93% | Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
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92% | Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
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91% | Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
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89% | Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
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89% | Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
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85% | Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
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83% | Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
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82% | Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
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81% | Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
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75% | Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
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75% | Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
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74% | Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|
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100% | Artistic - Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art. | |
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67% | Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities. | |
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61% | Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law. |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Values of the Work Environment |
|---|---|---|---|
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83% | Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement. | |
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78% | Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. | |
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78% | Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy. | |
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72% | Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status. |
Aptitude
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Abilities | Cognitive, Physical, Personality |
|---|---|---|---|
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85% | Gross Body Coordination - The ability to coordinate the movement of your arms, legs, and torso together when the whole body is in motion. | |
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78% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. | |
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75% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. | |
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75% | Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). | |
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75% | Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem. | |
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72% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. | |
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72% | Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion. | |
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72% | Gross Body Equilibrium - The ability to keep or regain your body balance or stay upright when in an unstable position. | |
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69% | Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing. | |
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69% | Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. | |
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69% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. | |
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69% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. | |
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69% | Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. | |
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66% | Extent Flexibility - The ability to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. |
Job Details
Responsibilities
Train others on performance techniques.
Study scripts to determine project requirements.
Choreograph dances.
Determine presentation subjects or content.
Train others on performance techniques.
Coordinate artistic activities.
Audition or interview potential performers or staff members.
Coordinate artistic activities.
Choreograph dances.
Practice athletic or artistic skills.
Train others on performance techniques.
Evaluate skills of athletes or performers.
Choreograph dances.
Monitor current trends.
Develop artistic or design concepts for decoration, exhibition, or commercial purposes.
Choreograph dances.
Choreograph dances.
Manage operations of artistic or entertainment departments or organizations.
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent |
|---|---|---|---|
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100% | Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? | |
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94% | Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job? | |
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93% | Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures? | |
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93% | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? | |
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91% | Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? | |
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89% | Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? | |
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87% | Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? | |
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85% | Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing? | |
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83% | Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? | |
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82% | Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body? | |
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81% | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions? | |
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80% | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? | |
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80% | Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance - How much does this job require keeping or regaining your balance? | |
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75% | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? | |
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74% | Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? | |
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74% | Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? | |
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73% | Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? | |
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73% | Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? | |
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73% | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? |
| A3 | Your Strengths | Importance |
Tasks & Values |
|---|---|---|---|
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99% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. | |
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98% | Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials. | |
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93% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. | |
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89% | Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance. | |
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83% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. | |
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82% | Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills. | |
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81% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. | |
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81% | Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members. | |
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81% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. | |
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81% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. | |
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81% | Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks. | |
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78% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. | |
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77% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. | |
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74% | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. | |
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73% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. | |
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70% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. | |
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69% | Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. | |
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69% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. | |
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67% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. | |
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65% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
What Dancers and Choreographers Do
Some dancers perform in theater productions.
Dancers and choreographers use dance performances to express ideas and stories. There are many types of dance, such as ballet, tango, modern dance, tap, and jazz.
Duties
Dancers typically do the following:
- Audition for a part in a show or for a job within a dance company
- Learn complex dance movements that entertain an audience
- Rehearse several hours each day to prepare for their performance
- Study new and emerging types of dance
- Work closely with instructors, choreographers, or other dancers to interpret or modify their routines
- Attend promotional events, such as photography sessions, for the production in which they are appearing
Dancers spend years learning dances and perfecting their skills. They usually perform as part of a group and know a variety of dance styles, including ballet, tap, and modern dance. In addition to traditional performances in front of a live audience, many perform on TV, in videos on the Internet, and in music videos, in which they also may sing or act. Many dancers perform in shows at casinos, in theme parks, and on cruise ships.
Choreographers typically do the following:
- Put together moves in a sequence to create new dances or interpretations of existing dances
- Choose the music that will accompany a dance routine
- Audition dancers for a role in a show or within a dance company
- Assist with costume design, lighting, and other artistic aspects of a show
- Teach complex dance movements
- Study new and emerging types of dance to design more creative dance routines
- Help with the administrative duties of a dance company, such as budgeting
Choreographers create original dances and develop new interpretations of existing dances. They work in dance schools, theaters, dance companies, and movie studios. During rehearsals, they typically demonstrate dance moves, to instruct dancers in the proper technique. Many choreographers also perform the dance routines they create. Some choreographers work with performers who are not trained dancers. For example, the complex martial arts scenes performed by actors in movies are arranged by choreographers who specialize in martial arts.
Some dancers and choreographers hold other jobs between roles to make a living.
Work Environment
Choreographers held about 6,900 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of choreographers were as follows:
| Educational services; state, local, and private | 51% |
| Self-employed workers | 19 |
| Performing arts companies | 18 |
Dancers held about 11,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of dancers were as follows:
| Performing arts companies | 30% |
| Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries | 29 |
| Self-employed workers | 19 |
| Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | 13 |
| Spectator sports | 2 |
Injuries and Illnesses
Dance takes a toll on a person’s body, so on-the-job injuries are common in dancers. In fact, dancers have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses of all occupations.
Many dancers stop performing by the time they reach their late thirties because of the physical demands of their work. Nonperforming dancers may continue to work as choreographers, directors, or dance teachers.
Work Schedules
Schedules for dancers and choreographers vary with where they work. During tours, dancers and choreographers have long workdays, rehearsing most of the day and performing at night.
Choreographers who work in dance schools may have a standard workweek when they are instructing students. They also spend hours working independently to create new dance routines.
Getting Started
How to Become a Dancer or Choreographer
Most dancers begin training at a young age.
Education and training requirements vary with the type of dancer; however, all dancers need many years of formal training. Nearly all choreographers began their careers as dancers.
Education and Training
Many dancers begin training when they are young and continue to learn throughout their careers. Ballet dancers begin training the earliest, usually between the ages of 5 and 8 for girls and a few years later for boys. Their training becomes more serious as they enter their teens, and most ballet dancers begin their professional careers by the time they are 18.
Leading professional dance companies sometimes have intensive summer training programs from which they might select candidates for admission to their regular full-time training programs.
Modern dancers normally begin formal training while they are in high school. They attend afterschool dance programs and summer training programs to prepare for their career or for a college dance program.
Some dancers and choreographers pursue postsecondary education. Many colleges and universities offer bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees in dance, typically through departments of theater or fine arts. As of March 2016, there were about 75 dance programs accredited by the National Association of Schools of Dance. Most programs include coursework in a variety of dance styles, including modern dance, jazz, ballet, and hip-hop. Most entrants into college dance programs have previous formal training.
Some choreographers work as dance teachers. Teaching dance in a college, high school, or elementary school requires a college degree. Some dance studios and conservatories prefer instructors who have a degree; however, they may accept previous work in lieu of a degree.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Nearly all choreographers begin their careers as dancers. While working as dancers, they study different types of dance and learn how to choreograph routines.
Advancement
Some dancers take on more responsibility if they are promoted to dance captain in musical theater companies. They lead rehearsals or work with less experienced dancers when the choreographer is not present.
Some dancers become choreographers. Dancers and choreographers also may become theater, film, or television producers and directors.
Job Outlook
Overall employment of dancers and choreographers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations.
About 3,000 openings for dancers and choreographers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment
Employment growth in these relatively small occupations is closely tied to the demand for performing arts. Social media, which allows dancers and choreographers to reach a larger and more diverse audience, is expected to generate some interest in dance performances. New jobs may be concentrated in specific markets, such as cities with strong arts culture, or with certain employers, such as private dance studios. However, funding constraints may offset demand for these workers.
Contacts for More Information
For more information about dancers and choreographers, visit
National Endowment for the Arts
National Association of Schools of Dance
Similar Occupations
This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of dancers and choreographers.
| Occupation | Job Duties | Entry-Level Education | Median Annual Pay, May 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Actors |
Actors express ideas and portray characters in theater, film, television, and other performing arts media. |
Some college, no degree | The annual wage is not available. |
|
Art Directors |
Art directors are responsible for the visual style and images in magazines, newspapers, product packaging, and movie and television productions. |
Bachelor's degree | $105,180 |
|
Music Directors and Composers |
Music directors lead musical groups during performances and recording sessions. Composers write and arrange original music in a variety of musical styles. |
Bachelor's degree | $62,940 |
|
Musicians and Singers |
Musicians and singers play instruments or sing for live audiences and in recording studios. |
No formal educational credential | The annual wage is not available. |
|
Postsecondary Teachers |
Postsecondary teachers instruct students in a variety of academic subjects beyond the high school level. |
See How to Become One | $80,840 |
|
Producers and Directors |
Producers and directors make business and creative decisions about film, television, stage, and other productions. |
Bachelor's degree | $85,320 |