How much does a musician in an orchestra earn?
Daniel Santos
Published Jan 17, 2026
Major orchestra salaries range by the orchestra from a little over $100,000 to a little over $150,000. Principals, the ranking member of each orchestra section, can make a great deal more, in some instances more than $400,000. And most major orchestras play for a season lasting only about nine- months a year.
How much money does a violinist in an orchestra make?
Violinists in the United States make an average salary of $65,962 per year or $31.71 per hour. In terms of salary range, an entry level violinist salary is roughly $27,000 a year, while the top 10% makes $160,000.
What’s the difference between a philharmonic and an orchestra?
An orchestra is a group of musicians with a variety of instruments, which usually includes the violin family. And philharmonic just means “music-loving” and is often used to differentiate between two orchestras in the same city (e.g. the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra).
How much money do orchestra musicians make per year?
Salaries for musicians in the Pasadena Philharmonic average a little over $4,000 per year. Many musicians in community orchestras are not paid at all. There are over 1,200 symphony orchestras in the U.S. At the top are the traditional “big five:” Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Cleveland.
How much does a musician make in the United States?
How much does a Musician make in the United States? Data source tooltip for average base salary. The average salary for a musician is $48,110 per year in the United States. Was the salaries overview information useful?
What kind of jobs do orchestral musicians have?
Many musicians who obtain a job performing in any orchestra supplement their income with teaching, performing, studio session work, and other music-related jobs. Varies widely, depending on the economics, location, and popularity of each orchestra.
How much does a bassoon player make in an orchestra?
The orchestra consists of 64 full-time members plus four players in rotation. However, when the current third bassoon player retires, his position is not renewed. Instead, an additional player is added to increase the percussion section to three members. Performance salaries run $1,896 per week, or $61,731 per year.