While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $185,500 and as low as $47,000, the majority of Chicago Symphony Orchestra salaries currently range between $110,000 (25th percentile) to $174,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $185,000 annually across the United States.

These are played by the Concertmaster. In major symphony orchestras the concertmaster has an established violin soloist as well as an orchestra member. Therefore, the Concertmaster is usually the highest paid instrumentalist in the orchestra. Typically the Concertmaster, a violinist, gets paid most.

Even without unions, orchestra members will be paid different amounts depending on their experience and responsibilities (for example, a concert master or a first chair will be paid more than a regular musician). Many orchestras also use contract musicians who are hired for specific performances only.