Music Career Guide: Roles, Salary 2025 & Future Scope

Music Career is a fascinating and arduous path and there are several career avenues in the field of Music depending on the forms and styles. The Music courses fall under the domain of Arts and as a field of study falls under Humanities and Social Sciences. This career option is usually pursued by BPA graduates, though, the field is open to all. The graduates of Music courses can pursue professions such as Musician, Music Producer, Sound Designer, Music Teacher, Music Manager, Disc Jockey and Singer. The average salary of a graduate of Music courses is 5 LPA.

After completing graduation in Music, candidates can enhance their knowledge and credibility by pursuing courses such as MA Music, B.Ed, MBA and PhD in Music. Those who wish to serve the larger society by working for government organisations can seek those positions through competitive exams such as UPSC CSE, SBI PO, IBPS PO, UPPSC PCS, IBPS Clerk, SBI Clerk, SSC CGL and UPSC CAPF.

Saregama India Limited, Universal Music India, Star India Private Limited, Sony Music Entertainment India Pvt Ltd and Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd are some top recruiters of Music graduates. Students of Music courses are offered lucrative packages during campus placements in several colleges such as Delhi University, University of Mumbai, Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University and The True School of Music.

Candidates can refer to:

• Career After BFA
• BFA Applied Arts

Music Jobs in India: Facts

Here are some interesting facts related to the scope of Music in India:

• Some of the highest-paying musicians in India charge about 2-3 crores for a single performance.
• According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, about 22,600 openings for musicians and singers are projected each year.

Top Job Profiles in Music

With the expansion of the entertainment industry, the field of Music has witnessed an upsurge. A career in performing arts is different from other career options due to it volatile nature.

Government & Private Sector Jobs in Music

Given below are some of the top career options, available in the government and private sector of India, that a graduate of Music course can pursue:

Job Profiles	Job Description	Average Salary (in INR)
Musician	Musicians are creative professionals who orchestrate music in various forms. They can be independent musicians or could be working for a group, band or organisation.	2.8 LPA
Music Producer	A Music Producer is a professional who is responsible for arranging recording sessions and compositions. Though this is a more management-oriented job it is required for the professional to possess Music knowledge. It is a popular option among Music and Sound Production Course graduates.	4 LPA
Sound Designer	A Sound Designer is a technical professional who creates and edits sound effects for external sources. Students who have pursued Sound and Video Editing Courses prefer this career path.	4.2 LPA
Music Teacher	A Music Teacher educates students about music. Mostly, they are a part of organizations such as educational institutions, religious institutions etc. These organisations can be government-run or privately owned. It is one of the best options for those who wish to pursue a career in teaching.	3.7 LPA
Music Manager	A Music Manager is a professional who handles artists, especially musicians. S/he coordinates between vocalists, instrument players and technicians.	4.7 LPA
Disc Jockey	A Disc Jockey typically works in the entertainment industry. Disc Jockeys choose music appropriate for the occasion and audience.	4.1 LPA
Singer	A Singer is a professional typically in the entertainment industry who performs music.	8.5 LPA

Note: The salaries mentioned above may vary depending on the company offering the job.

Read More:

• Pros And Cons Of Doing Music Production And Sound Engineering

Emerging Trends in Music

Music is an ever-evolving field. Many trends have had an everlasting impact on the field while some lasted in a particular era. Here are some of the emerging trends in Music:

The fluidity of Genre: Earlier, each musical piece belonged to a particular genre and any kind of deviation would be considered to be a corruption of the genre. However, now multiple genres are combined doing justice to each one.

Involvement of AI: Perhaps, no field has escaped AI intervention and the field of Music is not an exception. Software and AI tools are used for the refinement of audio quality. AI also offers the opportunity to replace instruments with software tools. Over the years, specialized sound effects such as 3D Audio and spatial sound have been introduced in the field.

Personalised music consumption: Technological advancements have paved the way for users to search and listen to music as per their preference. They also receive music recommendations as per their previous choices.

Music Scope in India: Jobs, Salary and Further Education

The graduates of Music courses can be independent artists or work for a company or organisation. They can also work in the government sector though the nature of the job may be different. They can enhance their career options by acquiring advanced degrees as well. 

Competitive Exams after Music Courses

Several All-India and State-level competitive exams are conducted to select candidates for recruitment into government services. Graduates of Music course can apply for these exams provided they satisfy the eligibility criteria. Throughout the year several vacancies are released by various government organisations which are open to all graduates. Those who are interested can apply for these positions through competitive exams. Some of these exams are as follows:

Competitive Exams After Music Courses	Description
UPSC CSE	It is conducted to select candidates for Group A services under the Government of India. The UPSC career options are vast and extensive.
SBI PO	It is conducted for recruitment to Banking Services in the State Bank of India.
IBPS PO	It is conducted for recruitment to Banking Services in many government banks in India.
UPPSC PCS	It is a state-level exam conducted in Uttar Pradesh for recruitment to Group A and Group B services.
IBPS Clerk	It is conducted for recruitment to clerical-level posts in many government banks in India.
SBI Clerk	It is conducted for recruitment to clerical-level posts in the State Bank of India.
SSC CGL	It is a national-level exam that is conducted for recruitment to Group B and Group C services in various government organisations.
UPSC CAPF	It is a national-level exam that is conducted for recruitment to various posts as Gazetted Officers in the Central Armed Police Forces

Candidates can also refer to:

• Bank Exams: 10 Best Bank Exams To Gear Up For In 2024

Courses after Music Course

After completing Music courses, candidates can opt for a course in the same field or the management field. Music courses are offered as a specialization in Arts degrees and the candidates are advised to choose the courses based on their interests and career preferences.

Candidates can refer to the table below to learn about courses after Music:

Courses After Music Course	Description
MA Music	MA Music is a postgraduate-level course in Music. The course is open to all graduates. However, it is expected that a candidate will possess the fundamental concepts and skills of an undergraduate-level Music course. To apply for the course candidates have to qualify for CUET PG.
B.Ed	A B.Ed or Bachelor of Education degree is essential to pursue a career as a teacher. Those who wish to become primary and elementary school teachers can apply for the CTET exam.
MPA	MPA or Masters of Performing Arts is a popular option for graduates of BFA courses.
MBA	MBA is a master’s degree that candidates can pursue after an undergraduate degree in Music course. Candidates can apply for the course by qualifying for exams such as CAT, XAT, MAT, SNAP and NMAT.
PhD Music	PhD in Music is pursued by master’s degree holders. Acquiring a PhD can help candidates in securing a career in academia. Candidates can apply for the course through UGC NET.

Students also liked topics in Music courses:

• Top PhD in Music Universities in India
• CUET Performing Arts Syllabus
• Cultural Talent Search Scholarship

Top Recruiters for Music Graduates in India

Grates of Music courses are usually hired by radio industries, media firms, hotel industries, record industry and academia.

Given below are some top recruiters of Music graduates:

Top Music Course Recruiters
Saregama India Limited	Tips Industries Limited
Universal Music India	Times Music
Star India Private Limited	Radio Mirchi
Sony Music Entertainment India Pvt Ltd	T-Series Limited
Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.	Blue Frog Productions

Best Music Colleges for Placements (In India)

Given below are some of the top colleges which provide excellent placements to graduates of Music courses:

Music Colleges	Average Salary (in INR)
Delhi University (DU)	15.5 LPA
University of Mumbai [MU]	4.5 - 15 LPA
Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Solapur University	14.86 LPA
The True School of Music, Vijaybhoomi University	13.3 LPA
Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth	5.08 - 10.62 LPA
Universal AI University	10.42 LPA
Dibrugarh University	8 LPA
Hindu College, University of Delhi	7.88 LPA
School of Humanities and Social Sciences	7.26 LPA

Note: The salaries mentioned above may vary depending on the companies offering the jobs.

Also Read:

• Top 10 Music Colleges in India 2024

Following are the most popular Music Colleges in India. Learn more about these Music colleges (Courses, Reviews, Answers & more) by downloading the Brochure.

Following are the top exams for Music. Students interested in pursuing a career on Music, generally take these important exams.You can also download the exam guide to get more insights.

Following are the most popular Music Specializations . You can explore the top Colleges offering these Specializations by clicking the links below.

Following are the most popular Music courses, based on alumni reviews. Explore these reviews to choose the best course in Music.

Following are the most popular Music UG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these UG Courses by clicking the links below.

Following are the most popular Music PG Courses . You can explore the top Colleges offering these PG Courses by clicking the links below.