If you are passionate about faith and playing an instrument, you may be interested in pursuing a career as a church musician.
Church musicians often have various responsibilities, such as providing musical accompaniment for worship services, choir rehearsals, and any other special events the church may host, like communion.
Some church musicians may also be responsible for conducting choirs, composing music for hymnals, and playing for wedding ceremonies.
Becoming a successful church musician requires many different skills.
For one, church performances may entail some amount of improvising, transposing scores, harmonizing with the choir on the fly, and all the other skills generally associated with performing for an audience.
A church musician may also be tasked with selecting pieces to play that best support the service, taking on a leadership role by teaching the congregation new hymnals and leading the group in song.
Being a church musician requires that you are well-versed in the relevant scripture for your church since playing music for services takes significant training and knowledge about the job’s religious aspects and the musical ones.
In addition, church musicians need to be comfortable performing for an audience, sight-reading new pieces as needed, and staying actively involved with church affairs and the greater community in general.
If these responsibilities and requirements sound like something you are not just willing, but eager, to take on, then becoming a church musician is a great career path for you to pursue.
Here, we have compiled some of the things you should know about what it is like to be a church musician. Read on to learn how much church musicians can expect to earn, what jobs are out there for you, what the best schools for studying to become a church musician are, and more.
Salary – How Much Do Church Musicians Make?
There are many jobs for aspiring church musicians, and how much you can make as a church musician depends on your particular position, skill level, years of prior experience, education, and more. In addition, some church musicians get salaries, while others are paid hourly or per service/event.
As with most professions, church musicians in administrative/leadership roles are paid more than others.
According to GlassDoor, the national average pay for church music directors is $103k a year.
The salaries range from $78k – $145k a year.
General church musicians can also be paid yearly, hourly, or per-event.
Most churches hire musicians to work part-time, depending on the number of services and other events they need a musician for.
For example, a musician who earns $100 per service at a church that offers five services a week will earn $26,000 annually.
The annual earnings for a general church musician in the US is about $81k.
Because most churches are heavily dependent on charitable contributions from church community members, the amount of donations they receive in a given year is one of the most significant factors influencing how much church musicians make.
What Jobs Can Church Musicians Get?
You can get many different types of jobs as a church musician, with varying expectations, skill requirements, and pay.
One possible career path is to become a church music director.
Sometimes also called choir directors, church music directors are professional musicians who churches hire to take charge of the church’s choir and all other music-related affairs.
The exact job description will vary according to the needs of the particular church.
Church music directors are responsible for planning choir rehearsals, finding potential new choir singers, running auditions, training choir members, hiring assistant conductors, and selecting choir members to be section leaders or sing solos.
Other duties can include selecting performance pieces for the choir and assisting with event planning. If the church has a separate organist, the music director may need to coordinate with the organist, play alongside them occasionally, or cover for them if they are absent.
Church musicians may also write and arrange music for hymns, so publishing or composing original pieces is another option for career paths in this field.
Another option is to become a church organist, which entails accompanying all of a church’s services and other events, including funerals and weddings.
Church organists are tasked with facilitating worship services through song and performance and supporting the choir as needed.
For those who plan to pursue a graduate degree, becoming a church music professor at a college that has a religious music degree program is another option.
Many schools offer doctorate programs, master’s degrees, and undergraduate majors/minors relating to church music.
In addition to all the other responsibilities associated with being a part of a college faculty, church music professors are expected to have a firm understanding of major concepts in theology, musicology, music theory, composition, performance, and more.
What Schools Offer Church Music Degrees?
To find out what schools offer church music degrees, look into which colleges have a religious affiliation. There are many different colleges with exceptional church music degree programs.
One of these is Azusa Pacific University. Located less than 30 miles from Los Angeles, APU is a Christian university that offers a bachelor of music in music and worship.
In this program, students are trained to become capable spiritual leaders through rigorous training and study in the areas of theology, performance, and biblical study.
APU also has a master of arts in music industry, which is intended to prepare student musicians for a future career in the music business.
The MA program at APU is an excellent way for aspiring professional church musicians to gain the knowledge and skills they will need to succeed.
Shenandoah University, a private institute in Winchester, VA, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, also has robust program options for aspiring church musicians with a Church Certificate option.
Located in Greenville, SC, Furman University is a private liberal arts school with a historical affiliation with the South Carolina Baptist Convention. The school offers a bachelor of music in church music degree.
Furman’s BM in church music prepares students for future careers as church musicians through participation in the school’s choral ensembles, attending guest lectures by nationally renowned church musicians, and completing several courses relating to the field.
The church music BM degree program culminates in senior year, with the practicum in church music.
Intended as a capstone experience, the practicum includes an internship at a church in the area, allowing students to get real-world practical experience.
One of the most prominent Christian universities in the world, Liberty University is a private evangelical school located in Lynchburg, VA.
LU’s School of Music offers many courses and degree programs in the area of church music and internship opportunities.
Located at the end of Nashville’s world-famous Music Row, Belmont University is a Christian college whose School of Music is internationally acclaimed. Belmont offers both bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in church music.
Should You Pursue a Career As a Church Musician?
If you are considering pursuing a career as a church musician, there are several factors to consider.
Becoming a successful church musician requires solid musical skills, expert knowledge of Christian music and hymns, leadership skills, and a passion for faith and music.
Outstanding church musicians will also have stellar education and communication skills to help congregation members feel enthusiastic about music and worship.
Church musicians are a part of the church community and play a unique role in supporting and enhancing worship and any other religious events they may play at.
For this reason, most church musicians are active members of the congregation who serve as music directors as a side gig.
Being a church musician is an excellent job for those who would like to have a part-time job to supplement their income while they pursue other work as a professional musician.
The career is also an excellent fit for anyone who simply wants to contribute to their church community and help make worship services more lively through the power of music.
If you love music and religion, you will likely have what it takes to become a fantastic church musician.
