1

Singer Songwriter Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Macon Where Soul Lives! is home to the late legendary R&B singer/songwriter Otis Redding, and offers a historical walk through the birthplace of Southern Rock with museums, performances and festivals.

next page

Showing results 1-20

Singer Songwriter information

See salary details

$9

$16

$23

How much do singer songwriter jobs pay per hour?

As of Jul 14, 2026, the average hourly pay for singer songwriter in the United States is $16.49, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $12.98 and $19.23 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the salary of a singer-songwriter?

The salary of a singer-songwriter varies widely based on experience, popularity, and income sources such as royalties, live performances, and merchandise. On average, they may earn from $30,000 to over $100,000 annually, with top artists earning significantly more. Many singer-songwriters supplement their income through songwriting for others and digital streaming revenue.

How to start a singer-songwriter career?

Starting a singer-songwriter career involves developing strong songwriting and vocal skills, building a portfolio of original music, and performing at local venues or online platforms to gain exposure. Creating a professional demo, establishing an online presence, and networking within the music industry are also essential steps to advance in this field.

What are singer-songwriters?

Singer-songwriters are musicians who both write and perform their own songs. Unlike artists who perform songs written by others, singer-songwriters typically compose their own lyrics and melodies, often drawing from personal experiences. They may perform solo with an instrument or with a band, and their music spans many genres. Singer-songwriters are known for their authenticity, storytelling, and emotional connection with audiences.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Singer Songwriter, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Singer Songwriter, you need strong musical talent, songwriting ability, vocal proficiency, and often a basic understanding of music theory. Familiarity with digital audio workstations (DAWs), recording equipment, and sometimes music publishing or copyright systems is common in this field. Creativity, resilience, self-motivation, and networking skills help individuals stand out and navigate the competitive music industry. These skills and qualities are crucial for producing original music, building an audience, and sustaining a successful career.

How do Singer Songwriters typically balance creative work with the business side of their careers?

Singer Songwriters often juggle writing and performing music with tasks like self-promotion, networking, and handling contracts. Many manage their own schedules, social media, and bookings—especially early in their careers—making time management and organization essential skills. Collaborating with producers, other musicians, and sometimes managers or agents is also common, helping them navigate both creative and business responsibilities. As their careers grow, they may delegate more business tasks to professionals, allowing greater focus on music creation.

What is the 80 20 rule in songwriting?

The 80/20 rule in songwriting suggests that approximately 80% of a song's impact comes from 20% of its elements, such as a catchy chorus or hook. Songwriters often focus on refining these key parts to create memorable and effective songs efficiently.

What is the difference between Singer Songwriter vs Music Producer?

AspectSinger SongwriterMusic Producer
CredentialsMusic or performance-related education, songwriting experienceMusic production, engineering certifications, experience in mixing/mastering
Work EnvironmentRecording studios, live venues, songwriting sessionsRecording studios, post-production facilities, live event setups
Industry UsagePerforming, songwriting, recordingOverseeing recording projects, sound engineering, arranging

While both roles are integral to the music industry, a Singer Songwriter primarily focuses on creating and performing original songs, often handling lyrics and melodies. A Music Producer manages the technical and creative aspects of recording, shaping the sound of a track or album. Understanding these differences helps artists and industry professionals choose the right career path or collaboration.

What jobs can you get as a songwriter?

Songwriters can work in various roles such as composing music for artists, creating jingles for advertising, writing music for films and television, or collaborating with producers and artists in recording studios. Success often requires strong musical skills, knowledge of music theory, and familiarity with digital audio workstations. Many songwriters also work as freelancers or within music publishing companies.
More about Singer Songwriter jobs
What cities are hiring for Singer Songwriter jobs? Cities with the most Singer Songwriter job openings:
What states have the most Singer Songwriter jobs? States with the most job openings for Singer Songwriter jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Singer Songwriter jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Singer Songwriter jobs are:
Infographic showing various Singer Songwriter job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 60% Full Time, and 40% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $34,307 per year, or $16.5 per hour.
Part-time Faculty, Songwriting Focus

Part-time Faculty, Songwriting Focus

Berklee College of Music

Manhattan, NY • On-site

Part-time

Posted 29 days ago


Berklee College Of Music rating

7.1

Company rating: 7.1 out of 10

Based on 8 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

362nd of 553 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Job Description:
Berklee College of Music invites applications for a Part-Time Faculty position in the Songwriting and Production Department at BerkleeNYC, with a primary focus on teaching graduate-level songwriting courses in the Fall 2026 semester.
The Master of Arts in Creative Media and Technology: Songwriting and Production specialization explores contemporary songwriting as an integrated creative practice encompassing writing, collaboration, sonic identity, and artistic world-building. Through intensive creative development, critical analysis of contemporary music, and hands-on collaborative work, students refine their artistic voice while building the creative and professional skills necessary for today's evolving music landscape.
The program emphasizes practical, contemporary approaches to songwriting across a wide range of genres and creative practices, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, indie, alternative, and emerging hybrid forms. Students engage with adaptable creative frameworks, current songwriting aesthetics, and collaborative workflows while developing transferable artistic tools that can evolve alongside changing genres, technologies, and industry practices.
While the broader specialization incorporates music production and technology, this position is specifically focused on the teaching and mentorship of songwriting craft, including lyrics, melody, harmony, arrangement, artistic identity, collaboration, and creative process within contemporary music contexts..
Reporting to the Program Director of Songwriting and Production, the ideal candidate will combine professional creative experience with strong pedagogical practice and a student-centered approach to teaching. Candidates should be passionate about developing artists within a collaborative graduate environment and skilled at delivering rigorous, actionable, and artist-centered feedback that supports both creative growth and professional readiness.
Primary responsibilities for this position may include teaching Songwriting Techniques and related graduate songwriting coursework; guiding students through advanced songwriting practices across a variety of contemporary musical styles and creative workflows; mentoring students individually as they develop their Culminating Experience projects and transition into professional creative careers; and contributing to the ongoing evolution of curriculum in response to shifts in contemporary music, culture, and industry practices.
This is a 9-month part-time faculty position with a renewable contract, with an appointment beginning September 1, 2026. Compensation is commensurate with professional experience.
QUALIFICATIONS:
  • Professional experience as a songwriter, artist, producer, collaborator, or creative practitioner within contemporary music culture.
  • Experience teaching at the university level and mentoring emerging artists in collaborative, project-based creative environments.
  • Demonstrated ability to write commercially competitive and artistically compelling songs across a range of contemporary genres and creative contexts.
  • Strong understanding of contemporary songwriting, production, and artist development across a wide range of genres and creative practices, including pop, hip-hop, R&B, electronic, indie, alternative, singer-songwriter, and emerging hybrid forms.
  • Ability to teach songwriting through a flexible, tools-based approach that emphasizes practical techniques, transferable creative strategies, and actionable artistic development, while adapting methodologies to support different genres, creative workflows, and artistic identities.
  • Awareness of the relationship between songwriting, production, and sonic world-building in contemporary music, with the ability to contextualize songwriting within modern collaborative production workflows.
  • Demonstrated ability to analyze and articulate the compositional, lyrical, sonic, and cultural elements that define contemporary music and evolving industry trends.
  • Strong organizational skills, including the ability to manage detailed feedback, student development, curriculum materials, and project-based learning in a fast-paced graduate environment.
  • Exceptional communication and feedback skills, with the ability to give clear, actionable, artist-centered critique that supports both creative growth and professional standards.
  • Experience mentoring artists and collaborators with diverse creative identities, backgrounds, and workflows.
  • Commitment to fostering experimentation, artistic individuality, collaboration, and creative risk-taking while maintaining high professional expectations.
  • Command of technology to support professional work and advance teaching and learning.
  • Commitment to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion.

RESPONSIBILITIES:
  • Teach courses in Songwriting Techniques on campus at BerkleeNYC.
  • Teach songwriting concepts through frameworks that emphasize practical techniques, transferable creative strategies, and contemporary relevance across genres and workflows.
  • Provide highly detailed, constructive, and actionable feedback on songwriting, lyrics, melody, harmony, arrangement, artistic identity, and creative direction.
  • Help students develop fluency in contemporary songwriting aesthetics and practices, including an understanding of the stylistic, cultural, and collaborative nuances of genres such as hip-hop, pop, R&B, electronic, indie, and experimental music.
  • Submit syllabi and course materials for all assigned courses.
  • Attend department meetings and contribute to the faculty community of Songwriting and Production, BerkleeNYC, and Berklee.
  • Contribute to the ongoing development of curriculum and learning outcomes to reflect changes in contemporary music, technology, and creative culture.
  • Engage in professional development to maintain and continually advance teaching skills.

Submissions: Electronic applications only. Please submit the following application materials in PDF or Word format. All materials can be uploaded to the Resume/Cover letter application section.
Please send:
  • A letter of application
  • A current resume or CV
  • Three professional references & their contact information.
  • Links to websites or online resources with representative samples of your work
  • You may be asked to submit additional materials after your application has been reviewed by the search committee.

Deadline: Review of application materials will start on June 15th, and will continue until the position is filled.
Hiring Range: Part-time Faculty as of 9/1/26: $66.96-$138 per hour.
Salaries for faculty positions vary by academic rank; Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. Candidates are placed into a rank following the final completion of the interview process, based on qualifications, experience, and alignment with institutional needs.
Please visit the Berklee Total Rewards page for a complete listing of benefits.
This document does not create an employment contract, implied or otherwise, other than an "at will" employment relationship.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Equal Employment Opportunity at Berklee:
We support an inclusive workplace where everyone excels based on personal merit, qualifications, experience, ability, and job performance. Berklee affirms that inequality is detrimental to our faculty, staff, students, and the communities we serve. Our goal is to make lasting change through our actions. Berklee is committed to providing fair and equitable consideration of all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, age, national origin, place of birth, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, genetic information, or status as a member of the armed forces or veteran of the armed forces, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local law.
As part of this commitment, Berklee will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the Human Resources Team at hroperations@Berklee.edu or call 617-747-2375.
*Currently enrolled Berklee students are not permitted to apply for staff or faculty positions.*
Employee Type:
Faculty

What Berklee College Of Music employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom