Most music directors and composers are paid by commission for specific pieces. Commissions may vary depending on the number of musicians and the length of the piece. A piece for a solo instrument may pay up to $4,000. A full-length opera may pay as much as $150,000. Sometimes composers receive royalty payments each time a piece is performed.

Film scores sometimes pay as high as ten percent of the total film budget. This can add up to over $200,000 on a film from a major studio. Composers for television shows may be paid as much as $8,000 per episode. Composers in advertising usually earn a flat fee of 10 to 20 percent of a commercial's budget.