How To Earn Money As A Composer: A Practical Guide for 2025

If you’re passionate about music and wondering how to turn your compositions into a sustainable career, you’re not alone.

Thousands of aspiring musicians search every day for ways to earn money as a composer and there are plenty of opportunities out there. You aren’t necessarily going to write the next Taylor Swift song or the next Hollywood smash hit but it is still possible to earn a decent living as composer whether you write symphonies, film scores, video game music, or catchy jingles.

1. Don’t just write music—treat your compositions and musical skills as valuable assets… Monetise your creativity.

This is isn’t necessarily a business idea but it took me a while to really find the right balance. I could sell my performance and teaching skills on saxophone and piano to fund recording equipment and sessions with players to allow me to create music that I could then license to libraries and publishers. Everyone will have different skills and abilities or even genre-specific niches that they can generate an income from.

2. Licensing Your Music for Film, TV, and Ads

One of the most lucrative ways to make money as a composer is by licensing your tracks for media projects. Directors, ad agencies, and production houses are constantly looking for original music to elevate their work. By submitting your compositions to music libraries and sync licensing platforms, you can earn both upfront fees and ongoing royalties every time your track is used. Keywords like “sync licensing for composers” and “music libraries for beginners” are worth researching to maximise visibility. Do not fall for the pay-to-submit sites as your return from them is unlikely to ever be worth your time but if you are willing to put the time in and accept a certain amount of rejection when applying to libraries then this is a very worthwhile industry to look at.

3. Composing for Video Games

The gaming industry is booming, and developers are willing to pay for engaging soundtracks that immerse players. If you enjoy cinematic or loop-based music, this could be a rewarding niche. Many indie developers search freelance platforms to hire composers, making it easier than ever to break in. Building a portfolio of game-ready compositions can help you land recurring projects.

4. Selling Sheet Music and Arrangements

If you compose for orchestras, choirs, or solo instruments, publishing and selling your sheet music online is a steady way to earn passive income. Platforms like Sheet Music Plus, MusicNotes, and even Etsy allow composers to sell directly to performers and educators. Optimizing product descriptions with keywords like “original sheet music” or “composer arrangements” improves discoverability. As in most musical endeavours, putting up one or two arrangements will likely not earn you much but if you have a few hundred then it will grow to a small but meaningful income.

5. Teaching and Coaching

Many composers supplement their income by teaching instruments, music theory, orchestration, or digital audio production. Whether you teach privately, create an online course, present YouTube tutorials (this is less reliable) or host workshops, your expertise can become a strong revenue stream. Highlighting yourself as a “composer for hire and music coach” helps capture both audiences.

6. Crowdfunding and Patronage

Services like Patreon and Ko-fi allow composers to connect directly with fans who want to support their art. By offering exclusive content—such as behind-the-scenes videos, early access to tracks, or custom compositions—you can build a loyal subscriber base. Combining this with social media promotion boosts visibility and long-term income potential. This will likely work better for certain types of music but definitely worth bearing in mind.

7. Freelance Platforms and Custom Compositions

Websites like Fiverr, Upwork, and SoundBetter make it easier than ever to market yourself as a freelance composer. Offering custom scores for podcasts, commercials, or indie films can open doors to repeat clients and word-of-mouth referrals. Composing work can come from the weirdest places so be open to meeting new people and odd jobs, even if they’re slightly outside of your ideal brief.

Final Thoughts

Learning how to earn money as a composer requires creativity both in your music and in your business approach. By diversifying income streams—licensing, teaching, freelancing, and selling sheet music—you increase your chances of long-term success. Whilst starting out as a composer and musician can be very challenging and quite daunting, balancing passive royalty income streams with upfront performances or composing fees will lead to stability in the long run. The more you focus on SEO-friendly promotion of your work (keywords like “composer income,” “how to sell music,” and “freelance composing”), the more visible you’ll be to potential clients.

With consistency, networking, and smart marketing, you can turn your passion into a profitable career.

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Explore More from Nick Pike

Nick Pike is a London-based composer, pianist, saxophonist, producer, and educator with over 15 years of professional experience. His music blends neoclassical piano with jazz, funk, and contemporary influences, drawing comparisons to Ludovico Einaudi, Yiruma, and Ólafur Arnalds. Alongside original compositions, Nick offers music services including scoring for film, TV, and advertising, piano and saxophone recording, arranging for strings and horns, and professional mixing and production.

Music & Albums – Original releases from solo piano to orchestral scores.

Services – Composition, recording, arranging, and production for artists, media, and brands.

Contact – Get in touch for lessons, commissions, or collaborations.