How much do flute players make when your in a professional orchestra?

depends on the country and the length of the contract, many orchestras in the USA are part-time so they per service, if you get your hands on the AFM (American Federation of Musicians) monthly paper, they list the salaries, most full time jobs pay $75,000, more or less.

I used to work in Germany where it is on a scale from A to D, meaning A paid more than D, etc...

omg thats not alot.

Alieannie is correct, actually, there is some very good money in the music biz, but you may have to play many times for little or no money before you make it, not unlike any other business...

If you want a safe life, don't be a musician, stay an amateur...

If you want a safe life, don't be a musician, stay an amateur...

Or.... marry a guy with good money and play for money on the side for fun! *Grin* You don't have to go to college for this either, just work hard and practice for what you want. There is a lot of money to be had just by playing at church events alone.

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PS. I should add that my hubby was super poor when we first got married, so I didn't do that route, that just came later.

i remember talking to my band director at the end of my junior year, asking him what one could do with a music performance degree. he told me to get an MRS degree.

Marry a Rich Son of a...

yeah, you get the point.

well i love music but i dont want to end up on the streets poor!! i want to be a flute professor or something.do you get good money doing that? lol

some flute profs make good money, for some it is mediocre..private teaching can be lucrative once you are established...

But Kevin, don't waste your time going into music if you want a big payoff, keep playing, enjoy yourself, but don't count on this life to give you the big $$$...

Happiness is relative...I have had good years and so-so years, but each day I play and teach music, so I am happy....

75,000 a year? That's a lot but not a lot. That's just me.

Unfortunately, flutes are REALLY competitve - that's why although it's harder to find jobs in them nowadays, I'd rather teach music than perform...plus I'm not as good as a lot of flutes...so...yeah.

being a pro musician is somewhat like other unusual careers, rarely is it "entry level". Doctors generally make way more than musicians, but their careers start in their mid 30's and they usually have a heavy debt load...

It can take quite a while to get started as a musician, that's why large cities are good, more turnaround and activity...

Patrick's numbers are about right but we have to remember a few things.

1) They can be considered starting salaries for section jobs. (Ie: 2nd chair)

2)Most orchestral jobs aren't going to be with the major symphonies. Those major symphonies may pay a bit higher than the average position. Cle. Ohio Orch for example has a 'minimum' annual salary of over $100K.

3)There are certain perks that generally come with the job such as increased private teaching salaries, gigs or university positions that can as a whole maybe double the yearly income of the player.

So as an "Ideal" income example,
Take Josh Smith from that Cle. Orchestra.:
First chair since the age of 20 in 1990. That salary is probably a titch over $150K with benefits of course.
Head flute professor at Cle. Institute of music. Probably at least another $100K for that position.
Private lessons to fill in his spare time at about $150 an hour.
Master classes and public reciatls as soloist or chamber musician (anyone's guess) but look as his bio from an income perspective:
http://www.soloflute.com/biography.html


On the other hand, qualifications that are very extrardinary are needed for that kind of income. 99.5% of most high school first chair band flutists won't have it. You are talking about a person who was first chair in the best of the 3 HS band in their school when they were in 8th grade kind of talent.

Generally, for many regional or small town symphonies who don't pay very much at all, you may want to have a second job to pay the monthly expenses in spite of the fact that the local cost of living isn't nearly as high. As already mentioned, if your primary motivation is the money, you need to look elsewhere for the big bucks.

If teaching is the goal, then go for the doctorate in music so that you can get a univeristy position. They can easily pay in or above the $75K range.

well said...

All I know is, playing the flute in a small orchestra for a theatrical production is the most rewarding thing in the world. This is coming from someone who lives for the stage but I don't even mind being shoved out of sight in the orchestra pit. As long as I get a bunch of impressive solos