Suggested Fees
The following fee ranges are suggested by the American Guild of Organists. In general, the higher the expectations of the church and/or the more complicated the service, the higher in the suggested range the actual fee should fall.
These fees are not binding either for the musician or hiring party. They are provided here as a reference only.
| Service/ Rehearsal Type | Organist or Organist/Director | Suggested Fee Range Guidelines | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singlechurch/temple service | Organist only,or Director only | $100-$350 | One service only with brief warm-up; includes accompaniments |
| $50-$150/hour* | Separate rehearsal, depending on amount of preparation required | ||
| Organist/Director combination | $150-$500 | Service only | |
| $75-$100/hour* | Separate rehearsal, depending on amount of preparation required | ||
| Extra service(s)(contiguous in time) | Organist only,or Director only | $75-$150 each | Assumes identical servicesrequiring no additional preparation/rehearsals |
| Organist/Director combination | $75-$200 each | ||
| Weddings | Organist | $150-$500 | Service only (late fees apply hourly) |
| $50-$200/hour* | Rehearsal with bridal party (late fees apply hourly) | ||
| $30-$150/hour* | Additional rehearsals or in-person consultations | ||
| Funerals | Organist | $100-$400 | Service – standard repertoire – assumes minimal score/repertoire research |
| $50-$100/hour* | Rehearsal – Depending on difficulty of music and amount of coordination with choir, soloists, etc. | ||
| Mileage | If the round trip travel for a service or rehearsal exceeds 30 miles, the musician may choose to charge 44.5 cents per mile in addition to the normal fees. | ||
* Hourly rates have a one-half hour minimum fee