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Music Professionals

ANZSCO ID 2112

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Overview

Snapshot

Employed
8,500
Future Growth
8.7%
Weekly Earnings
$1,799
Full-Time Share
34%
Female Share
29%
Average age
40
About this data

Summary

Music Professionals write, arrange, orchestrate, conduct and perform musical compositions.

Tasks

  • creating melodic, harmonic and rhythmic structures to express ideas and emotions in musical form

  • translating ideas and concepts into standard musical signs and symbols for reproduction and performance

  • undertaking research and liaising with clients when composing musical backing for television commercials, popular recordings, and radio, television and film productions

  • auditioning and selecting musicians and Singers

  • selecting music for performances and assigning instrumental parts to musicians

  • directing musical groups at rehearsals and performances to achieve desired effects such as tonal and harmonic balance, rhythm and tempo

  • studying and rehearsing repertoire and musical scores prior to performances

  • playing music in recital, as an accompanist, or as a member of an orchestra, band or other musical group, from score and by memory

  • performing music and songs according to interpretation, direction and style of presentation, using highly developed aural skills to reproduce music

Characteristics

Job Type
Professionals
Skill Level
Very high skill
ANZSCO Occupation group
2112 Music Professionals This occupation is Current selected
Unemployment Rate
Above average
Industries
Pathway(s)
  • University
  • Vocational Education and Training (VET)
  • Informal or on-the-job
Interests
  • Creative
  • Enterprising
Physical Demand
  • Sedentary
  • Light
  • Medium

Outlook

Employment Outlook

JSA produces employment projections to show where likely future job opportunities may be. The latest data are for the five years from November 2021 to November 2026. Over this period, the number of workers:

  • is expected to grow strongly
  • is likely to reach 27,100 by 2026.

    • Source: Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

    Notes: The number employed includes people who work in this occupation as their main job. People who work in more than one job are counted against the occupation they work the most hours in.

    Employment projections figures are rounded to the nearest 100. Calculations based on these rounded figures may result in differences to the numbers that are displayed on this page. Employment projections data (including occupations) can be downloaded from the Employment Projections page.

Projected Change
8.7%
(or 2,200 jobs)
From
24,900
in 2021
To
27,100
in 2026

Number of Workers

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.
Year Employment
2011 12,400
2012 8,500
2013 9,900
2014 12,800
2015 14,700
2016 11,200
2017 8,100
2018 12,600
2019 10,100
2020 8,700
2021 24,900
2026 27,100

Source: ABS Labour Force Survey, ABS seasonally adjusted data to November 2021 and Jobs and Skills Australia Employment Projections to 2026.

Earnings and hours

Working arrangements

  • Around 33% of people employed as Music Professionals work full-time hours, in all their jobs combined. This is 33 percentage points below the all jobs average (66%).

    Full-time workers work an average of 46 hours per week in their main job. This is similar to the all jobs average (44 hours per week).

    Median full-time earnings are $1,799 per week, this is much higher than the all jobs median ($1,593):

    • 3 in 4 workers earn more than $1,636
    • 1 in 4 earn more than $1,946

    Median hourly earnings are $51, this is more than the all jobs median ($41 per hour).

    Sources: Full-time share and full-time hours: ABS, 2016 Census, customised report. Compared to the all jobs average. Full-time median earnings and median hourly earnings: ABS, Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021. Compared to all jobs median.

Weekly Earnings (Before Tax)

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.
Earnings Music Professionals All Jobs Average
Full-Time Earnings 1,799 1,593
Total Earnings 0 0

Source: Based on ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours, May 2021, Customised Report. Median weekly total cash earnings for full-time non-managerial employees paid at the adult rate. Earnings are before tax and include amounts salary sacrificed. Earnings can vary greatly depending on the skills and experience of the worker and the demands of the role. These figures should be used as a guide only, not to determine a wage rate.

Industries

Main industries

1
Arts and Recreation Services
71.2%
2
Education and Training
15.1%
3
Other Services
5.8%
4
Information Media and Telecommunications
2.9%
5
Other industries
5.0%

Regions

Employment across Australia

NSW

38.1% All occupations: 31.6%

VIC

26.2% All occupations: 25.6%

QLD

17.9% All occupations: 20.0%

SA

6.2% All occupations: 7.0%

WA

7.5% All occupations: 10.8%

TAS

2.1% All occupations: 2.0%

NT

0.4% All occupations: 1.0%

ACT

1.6% All occupations: 1.9%

Employment by State and Territory (% Share)

State Music Professionals All Jobs Average
NSW 38.1 31.6
VIC 26.2 25.6
QLD 17.9 20.0
SA 6.2 7.0
WA 7.5 10.8
TAS 2.1 2.0
NT 0.4 1.0
ACT 1.6 1.9


  • Around 73% of Music Professionals live in capital cities, compared with the all jobs average of 62%.

    New South Wales has a large share of employment relative to its population size.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Share of workers across Australian states, territories and regions, in this job compared to the all jobs average.

Worker profile

Age and gender

Age In Years
40
All Jobs Average is 40
Female Share
29%
All Jobs Average is 48%

  • The median age of Music Professionals is 40 years. This is the same as the all jobs average.

    A large share of workers are aged 25 to 34 years.

    Females make up 29% of the workforce. This is 19 percentage points below the all jobs average of 48%.

    Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile and gender share compared to the all jobs average.

Age Profile (% Share)

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.
Age Bracket Music Professionals All Jobs Average
15-19 2.9 5.0
20-24 9.3 9.3
25-34 24.8 22.9
35-44 23.0 22.0
45-54 19.4 21.6
55-59 7.9 9.0
60-64 5.8 6.0
65 and Over 6.9 4.2
Median Age 40 40

Source: Based on ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Age profile of workers in this job compared to the all jobs average.

Employment Pathways

Education, training and experience

A formal qualification in music and a high level of musicianship is usually needed to work as a Music Professional. University and Vocational Education and Training (VET) are both common study pathways.

Visit

  • Course Seeker to search and compare higher education courses.
  • ComparED to compare undergraduate and postgraduate student experiences and outcomes.
  • My Skills to compare Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses, providers and student outcomes.
  • AAPathways website to explore Creative Arts and Culture VET training pathways.

Highest Level of Education (% Share)

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.
Type of Qualification Music Professionals All Jobs Average
Post Graduate/Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate 14.9 10.1
Bachelor degree 31.7 21.8
Advanced Diploma/Diploma 11.6 11.6
Certificate III/IV 7.9 21.1
Year 12 23.1 18.1
Year 11 3.6 4.8
Year 10 and below 7.1 12.5

Source: ABS Census 2016, Customised Report. Highest qualification completed by workers in this job (in any field of study). Qualifications needed by new workers might be different from the qualifications of workers already in the job.

Skills and Knowledge

Employers look for Music Professionals who have strong interpersonal skills, can communicate well with diverse audiences and work independently.

Skills

Skills can be improved through training or experience.

  • 52%

    Coordination with others

    Being adaptable and coordinating work with other people.

  • 48%

    Monitoring

    Keeping track of how well work is progressing so you can make changes or improvements.

  • 46%

    Social perceptiveness

    Understanding why people react the way they do.

  • 45%

    Active listening

    Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.

  • 45%

    Critical thinking

    Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.

  • 45%

    Reading comprehension

    Reading work related information.

  • 45%

    Speaking

    Talking to others.

  • 43%

    Active learning

    Being able to use what you have learnt to solve problems now and again in the future.

  • 43%

    Judgment and decision making

    Figuring out the pros and cons of different options and choosing the best one.

  • 43%

    Persuasion

    Talking people into changing their minds or their behaviour.

  • 43%

    Time management

    Managing your own and other peoples' time to get work done.

  • 43%

    Writing

    Writing things for co-workers or customers.

  • 43%

    Instructing

    Teaching people how to do something.

  • 41%

    Complex problem solving

    Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.

  • 41%

    Serving others

    Looking for ways to help people.

  • 41%

    Learning strategies

    Figuring out the best way to teach or learn something new.

  • 41%

    Negotiation

    Bringing people together and trying to sort out their differences.

  • 32%

    Management of personnel resources

    Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, and choosing the best people for the job.

  • 32%

    Systems analysis

    Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect it.

  • 32%

    Systems evaluation

    Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.

Knowledge

These are important topics, subjects or knowledge areas.

  • 90%

    Fine arts

    Compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.

  • 49%

    English language

    English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

  • 46%

    Education and training

    Curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

  • 41%

    Customer and personal service

    Understanding customer needs, providing good quality service, and measuring customer satisfaction.

  • 37%

    Communications and media

    Media production, communication, and dissemination. Includes written, spoken, and visual media.

  • 35%

    Foreign language

    Foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.

  • 34%

    History and archeology

    Events of the past, their causes, how we learn about them, and how they influence the way we live today.

  • 32%

    Psychology

    Human behaviour; differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; research methods; assessing and treating disorders.

  • 32%

    Computers and electronics

    Circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

  • 31%

    Clerical

    Word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office work.

  • 31%

    Administration and management

    Business principles involved in strategic planning, leadership, and coordinating people and resources.

  • 31%

    Mathematics

    Arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics.

  • 30%

    Personnel and human resources

    Recruiting and training people, managing pay and other entitlements (like sick leave), and negotiating pay and conditions.

  • 29%

    Sales and marketing

    Showing, promoting, and selling including marketing strategy, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.

  • 28%

    Philosophy and theology

    Philosophical systems and religions, including their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and impact on society.

  • 28%

    Sociology and anthropology

    Group behaviour and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures and their history and origins.

  • 25%

    Production and processing

    Raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and ways of making and distributing goods.

  • 22%

    Therapy and counselling

    Diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and career counselling and guidance.

  • 18%

    Telecommunications

    Transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.

  • 17%

    Transportation

    Moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road.

Abilities

Workers use these physical and mental abilities..

  • 70%

    Hearing sensitivity

    Tell the difference between sounds.

  • 57%

    Auditory attention

    Pay attention to a certain sound when there are other distracting sounds.

  • 57%

    Oral comprehension

    Listen to and understand what people say.

  • 57%

    Multilimb coordination

    Use your arms and/or legs at the same time while sitting, standing, or lying down.

  • 57%

    Oral expression

    Communicate by speaking.

  • 54%

    Selective attention

    Pay attention to something without being distracted.

  • 52%

    Manual dexterity

    Quickly move your hand to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

  • 52%

    Finger dexterity

    Put together small parts with your fingers.

  • 52%

    Originality

    Come up with unusual or clever ideas, or creative ways to solve a problem.

  • 52%

    Sorting or ordering

    Order or arrange things in a pattern or sequence (e.g., numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

  • 50%

    Arm-hand steadiness

    Keep your hand or arm steady.

  • 50%

    Near vision

    See details that are up-close (within a few feet).

  • 46%

    Brainstorming

    Come up with a number of ideas about a topic, even if the ideas aren't very good.

  • 45%

    Problem spotting

    Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong, even if you can't solve the problem.

  • 45%

    Categorising

    Come up with different ways of grouping things.

  • 45%

    Deductive reasoning

    Use general rules to find answers or solve problems logically.

  • 45%

    Flexibility of closure

    See a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) hidden in other distracting material.

  • 45%

    Inductive reasoning

    Use lots of detailed information to come up with answers or make general rules.

  • 43%

    Speech clarity

    Speak clearly so others can understand you.

  • 43%

    Speech recognition

    Identify and understand the speech of another person.

Activities

These are kinds of activities workers regularly do in this job.

  • 81%

    Working with the public

    Greeting or serving customers, clients or guests, and public speaking or performing.

  • 72%

    Building good relationships

    Building good working relationships and keeping them over time.

  • 70%

    Planning and prioritising work

    Deciding on goals and putting together a detailed plan to get the work done.

  • 67%

    Making decisions and solving problems

    Using information to work out the best solution and solve problems.

  • 67%

    Collecting and organising information

    Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or checking information or data.

  • 66%

    Keeping your knowledge up-to-date

    Keeping up-to-date with technology and new ideas.

  • 66%

    Monitoring people, processes and things

    Checking objects, actions, or events, and keeping an eye out for problems.

  • 65%

    Thinking creatively

    Using your own ideas for developing, designing, or creating something new.

  • 64%

    Making sense of information and ideas

    Looking at, working with, and understanding data or information.

  • 64%

    Looking for changes over time

    Comparing objects, actions, or events. Looking for differences between them or changes over time.

  • 61%

    Communicating within a team

    Giving information to co-workers by telephone, in writing, or in person.

  • 61%

    Doing physically active work

    Use your arms, legs and whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling objects.

  • 59%

    Assessing and evaluating things

    Working out the value, importance, or quality of things, services or people.

  • 58%

    Scheduling work and activities

    Working out the timing of events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

  • 55%

    Researching and investigating

    Looking for, getting and understanding different kinds of information.

  • 55%

    Checking compliance with standards

    Deciding whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

  • 53%

    Negotiating and resolving conflicts

    Handling complaints and disagreements, and negotiating with people.

  • 50%

    Coming up with systems and processes

    Deciding on goals and figuring out what you need to do to achieve them.

  • 49%

    Leading and encouraging a team

    Encouraging and building trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

  • 46%

    Explaining things to people

    Helping people to understand and use information.

Interests and demands

Learn about the daily activities, and physical and social demands faced by workers. Explore the values and work styles that workers rate as most important.

Interests

Interests are the style or type of work we prefer to do. All interest areas are shown below.

  • 95%

    Creative

    Working with forms, designs and patterns. Often need self-expression and can be done without following rules.

  • 57%

    Enterprising

    Starting up and carrying out projects. Leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes require risk taking and often deal with business.

  • 38%

    Practical

    Practical, hands-on work. Often with plants and animals, or materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

  • 29%

    Helping

    Working with people. Helping or providing service to others.

  • 19%

    Analytical

    Ideas and thinking. Searching for facts and figuring out problems in your head.

  • 14%

    Administrative

    Following set procedures and routines. Working with numbers and details more than with ideas, usually following rules.

Values

Work values are important to a person’s feeling of satisfaction. All six values are shown below.

  • 76%

    Achievement

    Results oriented. Workers are able to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment.

  • 76%

    Relationships

    Serve and work with others. Workers usually get along well with each other, do things to help other people, and are rarely pressured to do things that go against their sense of right and wrong.

  • 62%

    Recognition

    Advancement and the potential to lead. Workers are recognised for the work that they do, they may give directions and instructions to others, and they are looked up to in their company and their community.

  • 52%

    Working conditions

    Job security and good working conditions. There is usually a steady flow of interesting work, and the pay and conditions are generally good.

  • 38%

    Independence

    Work alone and make decisions. Workers are able to try out their own ideas, make decisions on their own, and work with little or no supervision.

  • 29%

    Support

    Supportive management that stands behind employees. Workers are treated fairly by their company, they are supported by management, and have supervisors who train them well.

Demands

The physical and social demands that workers face most often are shown below:

  • 97%

    Being exact or accurate

    Be very exact or highly accurate.

  • 94%

    Competition

    Compete with others, or be aware of competitive pressures.

  • 93%

    Teamwork

    Work with people in a group or team.

  • 91%

    Using your hands to handle, control, or feel

    Spend time using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls.

  • 90%

    Contact with people

    Have contact with people by telephone, face-to-face, or any other way.

  • 89%

    Spend time sitting

    Spend time sitting at work.

  • 86%

    Physically close to people

    Work physically close to other people.

  • 85%

    Indoors, heat controlled

    Work indoors with access to heating or cooling.

  • 84%

    Making repetitive motions

    Spend time making repetitive motions.

  • 80%

    Time pressure

    Work to strict deadlines.

  • 80%

    Repeating same tasks

    Repeat the same tasks or activities (e.g., key entry) over and over, without stopping.

  • 75%

    Loud or uncomfortable sounds

    Be exposed to noises and sounds that are distracting or uncomfortable.

  • 73%

    Electronic mail

    Use electronic mail.

  • 71%

    Face-to-face discussions

    Talk with people face-to-face.

  • 65%

    Lead or coordinate a team

    Lead others to do work activities.

  • 65%

    Freedom to make decisions

    Have freedom to make decision on your own.

  • 63%

    Contact with the public

    Work with customers or the public.

  • 62%

    Impact of decisions

    Make decisions that have a large impact on other people.

  • 60%

    Frequent decision making

    Frequently make decisions that impact other people.

  • 60%

    Unstructured work

    Have freedom to decide on tasks, priorities, and goals.

Occupational Information Network
O*NET is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
The skills and importance ratings on this page are derived from the US Department of Labor O*NET Database Version 21.2, 27-2042.02 - Musicians, Instrumental.

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