Rates, 2026
What should a session musician charge in New York or LA?
About $700 a day for a session musician who is working and booked in New York or Los Angeles. $500 in the first years, $900 when senior. A session runs about $500. Also called: session vocalist, remote session.
Other markets: a major city · remote · a smaller market
First years
$500
a day · $65 an hour
Working, booked
$700
a day · $90 an hour
Senior, sought after
$900
a day · $125 an hour
The rate card, working level
- Day rate$700 per day
- Hourlyfor anything that does not fit a day$90 per hour
- A session$500 per project
Sold a project fee, by the day. The outcome is the unit; the day rate is for when a client wants your time instead.
What to charge for each thing
Ranges for New York or Los Angeles: the low end is the first years, the high end is senior. Working and booked sits in the middle.
- Remote part$150 to $500 per song
- Studio session$75 to $200 per hour
- Live show$250 to $1,000 per show
- Topline or songwriting split10 to 25% of the song
How the number is made
Session musicians at this level day at about $700 ($400 to $1,000 in New York and LA). Put in the year you actually want on the perfect price page and the number moves with it.
A session runs $200 to $800 and takes about 3 hours of your time; at your hourly that is $275. The number is the higher of the two, because the client is buying the outcome, not the hours.
Questions
- What is a fair day rate for a session musician in New York or LA?
- About $700 a day for someone working and booked, $500 in the first years, $900 when senior and sought after. Half days usually run 60% of the day.
- How much is a session?
- $500 at a working level in this market. The client is buying the outcome, so the price is the higher of what the market pays for it and what your hours in it are worth.
- Are these rates a rule?
- No. They are US 2026 ranges for the role, placed by level and moved for the market. What a client actually paid you beats all of it. The tool has a box for that, and it wins.
Your number, in five seconds.
Pick your level and market, get a card you can send the next client who asks. Then RostrLab quotes, papers, invoices and chases every job with it: free for 14 days, $29 a month, never a cut.