Career change as a music teacher

Career change paths

• Choir director

  Also: Ensemble director

  With on-the-job training

  As a choir or ensemble director, you lead the choirs, orchestras or bands of clubs, church congregations and schools.

  What you bring:

  You can structure rehearsals, assess voices and instruments and lead amateurs to a good result.

  How to get there:

  Clubs and congregations mostly employ choir directors part-time or on a freelance basis, and music associations and academies offer courses in choir directing. For church music positions, the churches set their own requirements, for example the church music C exam (C-Prüfung).*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €5,961gross per monthMedian salary

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• Head of a music school

  Also: Department head at a music school

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  As music school director or department head, you plan lessons and staff, organize concerts and work with schools, the municipality and funders.

  What you bring:

  You know everyday teaching, instruments, ensembles and parents and know what holds a music school together.

  How to get there:

  Municipal and private music schools usually fill management positions with experienced teachers, often first through a department head role. Music school associations and academies offer further training in management and leadership.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €5,151gross per monthMedian salary

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• Cultural manager

  Also: Head of a cultural center

  With on-the-job training

  In cultural management, you plan programs, apply for funding, look after artists and organize events for cultural offices, festivals or cultural centers.

  What you bring:

  You know concert operations, rehearsals, artists and audiences from your own experience.

  How to get there:

  Cultural offices and institutions hire musicians with organizational experience, and part-time courses or a continuing education degree in cultural management help. Some positions are fixed-term or project-based.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people
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• Concert promoter

  Also: Event manager in the cultural sector

  With on-the-job training

  At concert halls, agencies or festivals, you plan events, book artists and rooms, and take care of the schedule and invoicing.

  What you bring:

  You have organized concerts and recitals and know what artists, technology and audiences need.

  How to get there:

  Promoters train career changers with music experience on the job, often first in assistance or production. Evening and weekend work remains usual.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Often at weekends

  €4,165gross per monthMedian salary

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• Editor at a music publisher

  Also: Editor for music teaching materials

  With on-the-job training

  At a music publisher, you look after printed music editions, teaching materials and authors and check manuscripts.

  What you bring:

  You read music confidently, know the repertoire for teaching and ensembles, and know what teachers need.

  How to get there:

  Music publishers hire musicians with teaching experience, often through a traineeship (Volontariat) or first on a project basis. The number of positions is small. Knowledge of music engraving (Notensatz) is an advantage.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an office

  €4,237gross per monthMedian salary

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• Product specialist for musical instruments

  Also: Field sales representative for musical instruments

  With on-the-job training

  At manufacturers or wholesalers, you advise music shops and schools, present instruments at trade fairs and give product training.

  What you bring:

  You play confidently and know instruments, accessories and what learners and teachers want.

  How to get there:

  Manufacturers and distributors hire musicians with expertise and train them in products and sales. Travel and trade fair work are part of the job.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people
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• In-company trainer

  Also: Learning and development specialist

  With on-the-job training

  In companies or at training providers, you plan training sessions, develop learning programs and support employees in their development.

  What you bring:

  You can structure content well, lead groups and assess learning progress.

  How to get there:

  Companies and education providers also hire teachers and train them on the job in adult education and HR development, and a trainer or coaching certificate can help you get started. If you are a civil servant (verbeamtet), first clarify what leaving the civil service means for your pension.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €4,462gross per monthMedian salary

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• E-learning author

  Also: Instructional designer

  With on-the-job training

  As an e-learning author or instructional designer, you develop digital courses, learning videos and training programs for companies, publishers or education providers.

  What you bring:

  You know how to prepare learning material, set tasks and check learning results.

  How to get there:

  Companies and agencies train teachers on authoring tools and learning platforms. Courses on these usually take a few days to a few weeks. Some positions allow working from home.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLittle customer contactIn an officeHome office possible

  €5,254gross per monthMedian salary

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• Specialist advisor in school supervision

  Also: Policy advisor at a state institute for school quality

  With on-the-job trainingPromotion

  In school supervision, a school office or a state institute, you advise schools, help develop curricula and further training, and support quality development.

  What you bring:

  You know teaching, curricula and school development from many years of practice.

  How to get there:

  Such positions are usually advertised internally for experienced teachers, often first as a secondment. The school administration of your state makes the selection. You then teach little or not at all.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically light

  €7,050gross per monthMedian salary

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• Career advisor

  Also: Study advisor

  With on-the-job training

  As a career or study advisor at the Federal Employment Agency or a university, you advise young people and adults on decisions about training, study and career.

  What you bring:

  You have supported young people in choosing a career and know school qualifications, training paths and degree programs.

  How to get there:

  The Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) also hires university graduates with counseling experience as career changers and qualifies them in-house for career guidance. Universities usually advertise positions in study counseling publicly.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €4,521gross per monthMedian salary

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• Museum educator

  Also: Education officer at a memorial site

  With on-the-job training

  In museums, memorial sites or science centers, you develop tours, workshops and materials for schools and families.

  What you bring:

  You can present content to school classes and groups in a lively way and know the curricula exactly.

  How to get there:

  Museums and memorial sites often hire teachers with a suitable subject, such as history, art or biology, or first commission them on a freelance basis. When you apply, ask whether the position is fixed-term.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Fixed daytime hoursLots of contact with people
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• Music therapist

  Also: Music therapist in geriatrics

  With further training

  As a music therapist, you work with people with mental illness, disabilities or dementia in clinics, homes and support centers.

  What you bring:

  You can make contact through music and sense how people react to sound and rhythm.

  How to get there:

  Clinics usually expect a degree or a recognized part-time further training in music therapy that takes several years. The title is not legally protected. In your own practice, you usually also need a Heilpraktiker permit (Heilpraktikererlaubnis) for therapeutic work.*

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Physically lightLots of contact with people
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• Teacher in integration courses

  Also: Teacher of German as a second language

  With further training

  In integration and vocational language courses, you teach adults who learn German for everyday life and work.

  What you bring:

  You can teach language systematically and lead learning groups with very different prior knowledge.

  How to get there:

  For integration courses, you need approval from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge). Without a degree in German as a foreign or second language, you usually only get it after an additional qualification that takes a few weeks to a few months. You work on a freelance basis or as an employee of a course provider.*Regulated by law (Integration Course Ordinance (IntV) § 15).

  * No guarantee of accuracy.

  Mostly no weekendsFixed daytime hoursPhysically lightLots of contact with people

  €3,890gross per monthMedian salary

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Salary: median of all full-time employees in the job, gross per month excluding special payments, as of April 2025. Half earn more, half earn less. Source: Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Destatis), table 62361-0030, license dl-de/by-2-0. Assigned to the jobs by quereinsteiger.de. No guarantee of accuracy.