Peernovo
Private tutors (for music)

How to become a Music School Teacher

Teaches the basics of music and instruments to people who want to learn to play the piano, violin, flute, guitar or other instruments themselves.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start. However, to teach at a music school run by an instrument maker you must pass that company's own test, and as a guide you need the skill of a music university graduate. Music school teachers need not only knowledge of and ability in music as a whole but also the teaching skills to guide learners well. Increasingly they are also expected to teach popular music as well as classical, and to be able to play electronic instruments such as the electronic organ.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Music School Teacher?

No particular qualifications or level of education are needed to start. However, to teach at a music school run by an instrument maker you must pass that company's own test, and as a guide you need the skill of a music university graduate. Music school teachers need not only knowledge of and ability in music as a whole but also the teaching skills to guide learners well. Increasingly they are also expected to teach popular music as well as classical, and to be able to play electronic instruments such as the electronic organ.

How much does a Music School Teacher earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,420,400 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Private teachers and instructors, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Music School Teacher?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 58% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Education & Teaching degrees; Junior college (短期大学) programme; Vocational college (専門学校) course: Music.

Will AI change the work of a Music School Teacher?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026