On average, marching band directors make $49,000 a year.
But that average is a bit misleading because of the vast disparity between the high and low ends.
Marching bands are most common at high schools and colleges. Some are smaller public high schools in economically challenged areas. Others are well-established private schools with a steady contingent of wealthy donors.
In other words, the range of salaries available to marching band directors can vary a lot.
Furthermore, related positions, such as “assistant band director,” can offer even greater compensation ranges. For example, a recent listing for an assistant band director position at a South Carolina high school offers a $5,800 monthly stipend.
If paid that rate for 12 months, the assistant band director would earn $69,600 a year, above the average band leader salary. However, this is likely a 9-month position at best, and subject to varying schedules.
First, and this cannot be understated, it is absolutely possible to make a good living as a marching band director.
The second lesson is this: it takes some planning to find the right spot for you. Because marching bands are so intrinsically tied to schools, they offer the same challenges and possibilities available to teachers, coaches, and administrators.
A lower-paying position likely has lower stakes and fewer responsibilities, which can be a great chance for someone new to the field to establish themselves. With a strong track record in hand, you can move up to better-paying positions at schools with greater resources.
As you go to these better-equipped schools, the responsibilities will be much greater, as will the financial reward.
What Type of Degree is Needed to Become a Marching Band Director?
A degree in music education, especially one from an excellent college, is almost universally expected.
In fact, most marching band directors have both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in music education.
As the above section indicates, the most important point on a marching band director’s career path is college.
While it is certainly possible that you could gain the skills needed to conduct music and instruct young musicians, most marching band directors work for school systems. As such, they are considered to be teachers, at least informally, if not explicitly stated in job ads.
While at college, future marching band directors should continue to hone their abilities in their primary instrument, but they should also begin branching out. Courses in composition and in conducting will help future directors gain a wider view of the music they’ll be working with.
Leadership skills and pedagogy classes will develop the strength to guide youngsters through complex and public performances.
In addition to taking coursework and learning teaching theories and methods, would-be directors should take advantage of any available volunteer opportunities. Some high schools will be willing to take on a college student as an assistant marching band director, even without much experience or a degree.
Also, keep in mind that marching bands are fundamentally performers, which means the director should have some experience playing in front of people.
Of course, it would be best to join your college’s marching band. However, there’s much to be gained from joining pep bands that play during sporting events or even jazz ensembles, where you can practice adaptation and work with others.
Finally, many higher-end marching band directors also have graduate degrees in music education. These degrees can often be obtained while on the job, but it’s important to look past your four-year degree while planning your education.
What Is the Career Pathway to Become a Marching Band Director?
As we just discussed, one doesn’t just decide to become a marching band director and then get a high-paying job. There’s a process, one that involves both gaining the skills and proving that you can apply them to demanding positions.
The first official step one takes is getting a degree, which I’ll detail in the next section. However, you can begin taking unofficial steps toward becoming a marching band director even in high school.
First and foremost, marching band directors are musicians. So high school students who want to become band directors should pick an instrument and practice constantly.
Second, marching band directors are teachers and leaders. Any chance to practice giving instructions, keeping organized, and encouraging learners will help.
These opportunities will not only help you build the soft skills expected of a marching band leader, but they’ll also look good on a college application!
After graduation, you should be prepared to move and to follow the jobs.
While there’s always demand for someone who can be a good marching band director, schools that don’t already have that position in place are unlikely to make a new one. For that reason, you will have to look for open positions around the country.
Furthermore, the first positions to open up tend to be those at the bottom, lower-paying jobs at high schools with fewer resources or part-time positions at smaller colleges.
As discussed earlier, however, that’s an excellent place for you to make your mark. In those positions, you’ll have more leeway to develop your skills and make connections.
As this description suggests, there isn’t one straight path.
One becomes a full-time marching band director by making the most of opportunities, developing contacts at various schools, and being ready to pounce when a full-time, high-paying job becomes available.
It’s a competitive field, but the jobs are there for the people who can claim them!
Should You Pursue a Career as a Marching Band Director?
If you have equal love for teaching, playing, and choreographing, then yes, you should absolutely be a marching band director! It’s a unique position that calls upon a rare combination of skills.
If you happen to be one of the people who possess those skills, then a marching band director is one of the few jobs that will allow you to utilize them.
That said, there are a limited number of marching band director positions available, and they’re scattered around the country.
That means that the field is incredibly competitive and that you’ll likely have to be flexible. Until you become settled in a full-time position, you’ll need to be prepared to follow the job openings, wherever they take you.
Those are unique challenges. But with them come unique benefits.
Even more so than a conductor, a marching band director is a performer and a leader. You would get to be on the field or in the parade, helping the group make music just as much as any other player.
Moreover, you would be helping them move, creating not just the music that audiences hear but the visuals they see. You would choreograph the steps the band takes, set the time of the band’s march, and lead the players through the process.
You would become a teacher, help young musicians master their instruments, and bring music to life.
Many jobs for musicians give you the chance to be one of those things. Only a marching band director’s job allows you to be all three.
