2023 AAM Compensation Survey Report
September 2023 – Prepared by Erica Dollhopf, Ph.D.
Download a PDF version of the report
Study Overview
The 2023 AAM Compensation Survey report was developed as a replacement for the AAM Salary Guidelines (which were last updated in 2020). Dr. Erica Dollhopf was commissioned by the AAM Board to conduct this survey, since she had already completed the 2020 Vision Survey for the Association. The data contained in this survey is for informational purposes only. While AAM always hopes that its members will be fairly and adequately compensated for their work, AAM makes no specific recommendations to any hiring institution regarding compensation and the results of the survey in no way bind or commit AAM members or their employers in reaching agreements regarding compensation and benefits.
If you aren’t already a member of AAM, please consider joining us in our work or supporting our mission by becoming a Friend of AAM.
Notes on the Study
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- Members of AAM were sent the salary survey link via email in January 2023
- Responses were collected through the end of February 2023
- Participation was anonymous and completely voluntary
- A total of 314 usable responses were received
- 32.0% of current AAM membership
- Respondents asked to only report on their primary employment if employed in multiple settings
- 258 responses were used in analysis
- Regular or Retired AAM members currently working primarily as a musician in a U.S. Episcopal Church
- Limited to make answers as directly comparable as possible
- To protect the privacy of respondents, only median values are reported and only for categories including 5 or more respondents
- Categories with fewer than 5 respondents are listed as NR (not reported)
- 25th and 75th percentiles reported for categories with 15 or more respondents (median represents the 50th percentile)
- Salary medians and percentiles reported by time category of work (quarter, half, three quarters, and full time) and are rounded to the nearest hundred dollars
- Note: Some percentages do not add to 100% due to rounding
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Notes on Comparing Salaries by City
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- Members of AAM may wish to compare job offers in different cities through a cost-of-living adjustment tool
- While the data in this study is not directly comparable through a cost-of-living tool since there is insufficient data to compare salary results by city, the medians and interquartile ranges provided can give a sense of where an offer may fall given specific job characteristics
- Cost-of-living adjustment tools are freely and widely available online; two examples are as follows:
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Pay and Benefits Summary
Pay Overview
| Category | Respondents |
| Salary* |
25th Percentile = $32,000 Median = $60,000 75th Percentile = $80,700 |
| Special Services (annual) |
25th Percentile = $900 Median = $1,500 75th Percentile = $2,500 |
| Payment Type for Special Services | |
| W-2 | 38.0% |
| 1099 | 51.2% |
| Employer Agreement in Writing | |
| Yes | 76.1% |
| No | 19.2% |
| Unsure | 4.7% |
*All categories of work and time levels worked
Benefits Overview
| Category | Respondents |
| Benefits Received | |
| Medical | 51.9% |
| Dental | 45.3% |
| Retirement | 64.0% |
| Housing | 1.9% |
| Housing allowance | 0.0% |
| Continuing Education Time | 64.7% |
| Continuing Education Money | 62.4% |
| Money to Attend AAM Conferences | 35.7% |
| Money to Attend non-AAM Conferences | 27.9% |
| Periodic Sabbaticals | 31.0% |
| Vacation Time | 84.5% |
| Weeks |
25th Percentile = 4 Median = 4 75th Percentile = 4 |
| Sundays |
25th Percentile = 4 Median = 4 75th Percentile = 5 |
Salary by Respondent Demographics
Gender
Responses by Gender
| Category | Respondents |
| Gender Identity | |
| Female | 18.7% |
| Male | 79.8% |
| Non-binary or gender non-conforming | 0.4% |
| Other | 0.0% |
| Prefer not to answer | 1.2% |
| Cisgender | 96.3% |
| Transgender | 0.8% |
| Prefer not to answer | 2.9% |
Salary by Gender
| Gender | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Female | ||||
| Full Time | $64,000 | $70,000 | $80,000 | 17 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Half Time | NR | $45,000 | NR | 7 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $15,600 | NR | 11 |
| Male | ||||
| Full Time | $70,000 | $81,800 | $93,000 | 100 |
| Three Quarters Time | $42,000 | $59,500 | $65,500 | 18 |
| Half Time | $29,000 | $35,700 | $42,500 | 36 |
| One Quarter Time | $15,000 | $22,000 | $27,500 | 33 |
Note: Only enough responses to analyze by female and male
Race and Ethnicity
Responses by Racial Background and Ethnicity
| Category | Respondents |
| Racial Background | |
| White or Caucasian | 93.8% |
| Black or African American | 2.7% |
| Asian or Asian American | 2.3% |
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 1.2% |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | 0.0% |
| Other | 1.2% |
| Prefer not to answer | 1.2% |
| Ethnicity | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.2% |
Note: Note enough responses to analyze salary by race and ethnicity
Age
Responses by Age
| Category | Respondents |
| Age |
25th Percentile = 41.0 Median = 57.5 75th Percentile = 66.0 |
| Under 40 | 19.0% |
| 40-59 | 33.7% |
| 60+ | 47.3% |
Salary by Age
| Age Category | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Under 40 | ||||
| Full Time | $65,000 | $72,000 | $84,000 | 29 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Half Time | NR | $32,400 | NR | 6 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $24,000 | NR | 7 |
| 40-59 | ||||
| Full Time | $75,000 | $83,000 | $95,000 | 49 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $60,000 | NR | 11 |
| Half Time | NR | $42,000 | NR | 9 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $23,750 | NR | 12 |
| 60+ | ||||
| Full Time | $60,000 | $78,000 | $89,000 | 42 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $42,000 | NR | 7 |
| Half Time | $28,000 | $34,000 | $43,000 | 30 |
| One Quarter Time | $11,000 | $16,000 | $21,000 | 25 |
Education
Responses by Education
| Category | Respondents |
| Highest Level of Education | |
| Bachelor’s degree | 9.8% |
| Master’s degree | 58.6% |
| Doctoral degree | 31.6% |
| Completed Leadership Program for Musicians Courses (LPM) | 5.0% |
| Years of Private Study |
25th Percentile = 4.5 Median = 10.5 75th Percentile = 18.0 |
Salary by Education
| Highest Level of Education | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Bachelor’s Degree | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $69,000 | NR | 9 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $23,500 | NR | 6 |
| Master’s Degree | ||||
| Full Time | $67,000 | $80,000 | $92,000 | 67 |
| Three Quarters Time | $42,000 | $52,000 | $60,000 | 14 |
| Half Time | $28,000 | $37,000 | $45,000 | 24 |
| One Quarter Time | $12,700 | $20,000 | $24,500 | 20 |
| Doctoral Degree | ||||
| Full Time | $70,500 | $80,000 | $90,000 | 42 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Half Time | $32,400 | $40,000 | $44,500 | 16 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $16,000 | NR | 12 |
Salary by Job Characteristics
Position Time
Responses by Position Time
| Category | Respondents |
| Average weekly hours worked* |
25th Percentile = 20 Median = 37 75th Percentile = 40 |
| Position Classification | |
| Full Time | 51.9% |
| Three Quarters Time | 9.0% |
| Half Time | 19.7% |
| One Quarter Time or Less | 19.3% |
*as of January 1, 2023
Salary by Position Time
| Position Time | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Full Time | $68,500 | $80,000 | $89,875 | 120 |
| Three Quarters Time | $42,000 | $55,000 | $65,000 | 21 |
| Half Time | $30,000 | $36,500 | $44,000 | 45 |
| One Quarter Time | $14,470 | $20,500 | $25,500 | 44 |
Position Type
Responses by Position Type
| Category | Respondents |
| Position Type* | |
| Director of Music | 88.0% |
| Assistant Director of Music | 4.7% |
| Organist | 53.9% |
| Pianist | 7.8% |
| Accompanist | 5.8% |
| Adult Choir Conductor | 31.8% |
| Children’s/Youth Choral Conductor | 16.3% |
*could select more than one category
Salary by Position Type
| Position Type | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Director of Music | ||||
| Full Time | $70,000 | $80,000 | $90,000 | 113 |
| Three Quarters Time | $41,000 | $54,500 | $65,300 | 20 |
| Half Time | $28,000 | $36,950 | $45,000 | 42 |
| One Quarter Time | $15,300 | $21,000 | $26,800 | 32 |
| Assistant Director of Music | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $66,000 | NR | 8 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 0 |
| Organist | ||||
| Full Time | $67,000 | $77,000 | $90,000 | 70 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $42,000 | NR | 9 |
| Half Time | $28,000 | $33,000 | $40,000 | 23 |
| One Quarter Time | $14,500 | $21,920 | $27,500 | 24 |
| Pianist | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $84,000 | NR | 11 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Accompanist | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $83,000 | NR | 11 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 0 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 0 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Adult Choir Conductor | ||||
| Full Time | $69,500 | $80,300 | $90,700 | 40 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $42,200 | NR | 8 |
| Half Time | $21,300 | $31,400 | $38,900 | 16 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $24,000 | NR | 12 |
| Children’s/Youth Choral Conductor | ||||
| Full Time | $65,000 | $77,950 | $90,700 | 28 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $41,000 | NR | 6 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
Church Budget Category
Responses by Church Budget Category
| Category | Respondents |
| Church Budget | |
| Under $200,000 | 8.2% |
| $200,000-$499999 | 22.8% |
| $500,000-$749,999 | 16.1% |
| $750,000-$999,999 | 11.8% |
| $1 million or higher | 41.2% |
Salary by Church Budget Category
| Church Budget Level | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Under $200,000 | ||||
| Full Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $15,700 | NR | 12 |
| $200,000-$499,999 | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $55,000 | NR | 6 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Half Time | $25,000 | $31,000 | $35,700 | 20 |
| One Quarter Time | $15,400 | $20,000 | $24,000 | 21 |
| $500,000-$749,999 | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $75,000 | NR | 13 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $51,000 | NR | 6 |
| Half Time | NR | $41,000 | NR | 14 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $22,920 | NR | 6 |
| $750,000-$999,999 | ||||
| Full Time | $60,000 | $69,000 | $74,400 | 20 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| 1 million or higher | ||||
| Full Time | $75,000 | $85,000 | $95,000 | 79 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $65,000 | NR | 7 |
| Half Time | NR | $45,000 | NR | 5 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
Average Sunday In-Person Attendance
Responses by Average Sunday In-Person Attendance
| Category | Respondents |
| Church Budget | |
| Under 99 | 22.6% |
| 100-199 | 38.9% |
| 200-399 | 17.9% |
| 300+ | 20.6% |
Salary by Average Sunday In-Person Attendance
| Average Sunday Attendance | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Under 99 | ||||
| Full Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $50,700 | NR | 6 |
| Half Time | $25,000 | $32,800 | $49,600 | 15 |
| One Quarter Time | $12,000 | $17,000 | $24,000 | 25 |
| 100-199 | ||||
| Full Time | $66,000 | $75,500 | $82,000 | 40 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $60,000 | NR | 11 |
| Half Time | $30,000 | $33,000 | $40,000 | 25 |
| One Quarter Time | $20,000 | $22,000 | $33,000 | 15 |
| 200-299 | ||||
| Full Time | $70,000 | $79,200 | $90,000 | 34 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Half Time | NR | $42,000 | NR | 5 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| 300+ | ||||
| Full Time | $73,000 | $85,000 | $95,000 | 43 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 0 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
Location Type
Responses by Location Type
| Category | Respondents |
| Location Type | |
| Rural Area or Small Town (population under 100,000) | 9.2% |
| Small City or Large Town (population 10,000-50,000) | 19.3% |
| Large City, Downtown (population over 50,000) | 36.1% |
| Large City, Suburb (population over 50,000) | 35.3% |
Salary by Location Type
| Location Type | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Rural Area or Small Town (population under 10,000) | ||||
| Full Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Half Time | NR | $32,750 | NR | 7 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $20,000 | NR | 6 |
| Small City or Large Town (population 10,000-50,000) | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $69,000 | NR | 13 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Half Time | NR | $29,000 | NR | 12 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $16,500 | NR | 14 |
| Large City, Downtown (population over 50,000) | ||||
| Full Time | $68,000 | $80,000 | $93,000 | 57 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $55,000 | NR | 7 |
| Half Time | NR | $38,700 | NR | 12 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $23,000 | NR | 9 |
| Large City, Suburb (population over 50,000) | ||||
| Full Time | $70,000 | $80,000 | $90,000 | 46 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $50,000 | NR | 7 |
| Half Time | NR | $35,711 | NR | 14 |
| One Quarter Time | $12,500 | $21,000 | $29,600 | 15 |
Region
Responses by Region
| Category | Respondents |
| Episcopal Church Province | |
| Province I | 11.9% |
| Province II | 6.4% |
| Province III | 23.0% |
| Province IV | 25.1% |
| Province V | 11.5% |
| Province VI | 3.4% |
| Province VII | 8.9% |
| Province VIII | 9.8% |
| Province IX | 0.0% |
Salary by Region
| Episcopal Church Province | 25th Percentile | Median | 75th Percentile | Respondents |
| Province I | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $75,000 | NR | 9 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | $55,000 | NR | 7 |
| Half Time | NR | $43,000 | NR | 5 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Province II | ||||
| Full Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| Half Time | NR | $25,000 | NR | 5 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| Province III | ||||
| Full Time | $71,900 | $80,000 | $90,000 | 24 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Half Time | NR | $37,150 | NR | 14 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $24,000 | NR | 11 |
| Province IV | ||||
| Full Time | $67,000 | $76,500 | $85,000 | 38 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| Half Time | NR | $34,922 | NR | 9 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $18,500 | NR | 10 |
| Province V | ||||
| Full Time | $65,000 | $78,000 | $95,000 | 17 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 0 |
| Half Time | NR | $30,000 | NR | 5 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Province VI | ||||
| Full Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 2 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| Province VII | ||||
| Full Time | $64,500 | $82,500 | $93,300 | 16 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 0 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 1 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Province VIII | ||||
| Full Time | NR | $78,520 | NR | 10 |
| Three Quarters Time | NR | NR | NR | 4 |
| Half Time | NR | NR | NR | 3 |
| One Quarter Time | NR | $19,500 | NR | 6 |
Note: Not enough responses to analyze Province IX