Almost every school, college, and university has at least one full time musician on staff and some part timers (if not several of both).

Almost every church with more than 500 attending each week (or 2+ services a week) has a full time musician and likely some part timers (or contractors) as well (and many are paid surprisingly well).

Those big cruise ships? Loaded with full time musicians.

The headlining shows in Vegas, NYC, and elsewhere? Most of those folks are making bank.

Hospitals, assisted living facilities, and other big medical places sometimes have a Music Therapist (full time when they have them) or even a part time Thanatologist on hand.

The majestic symphony orchestras? Also loaded with well compensated musicians.

The countless academic journals, music magazines, print music publishers, music book publishers, and the like also generally employ musicians.

Piano tuners? Some of the best musicians I know, and most of them make a decent full time living at their craft. Organ builders, luthiers, even the sales people at music stores; they're musicians too.

The numerous recording studios and their sound engineers? Those guys count as well.

The small, private music schools out there (where you take li'l Slappy to go learn flugelhorn)? Yes, they too have at least one full time musician on staff, as well as numerous contractor teachers.

All that music you hear in tv, movies, and video games? It's not created by a computer. Some composer somewhere made it, and maybe even other live musicians helped to record it.

From the stadium filling bands, to the bands backing up big names, to the touring cult-following hipster bands? They too make money (though I don't envy their lifestyles).

You may be shocked to learn that there's a lot of music out there that people are getting paid for that you would never even consider. I know guys in polka bands (POLKA! SERIOUSLY!) who tour non-stop and make great money.

Music Management? They go on to manage orchestras, theaters, choirs, recording studios, print music publishers, online music ventures, touring companies, and much more.

Many musicians have incredible, busy careers. I work all the time because:

1. There are tons of opportunities for musicians.
2. It's fun!

I work an incredible full time job in music and am paid extremely well for it. I also teach a couple of music classes at a local university, not out of need, but because I love teaching this class. I also have a few private students (I don't take many, just the motivated ones), and work as a director in local theaters too. My schedule though it may seem loaded, is actually very manageable with lots of downtime and tremendous flexibility (even with the college I teach at) though there are some "crunch times" for sure. Overall, I make six figures a year making music. It's nice.

Most professional musicians I know work full time; mostly in schools, universities, and churches. Others I know gig (some tour pretty extensively), have some students, perhaps direct a choir / orchestra / band / etc., maybe play pt in a church, and maybe teach a few classes here and there. They generally make a decent full time living at it. I also know others who are just very talented, yet for whatever reason, didn't go into music full time, but still gig actively as part time players in orchestras, bands, etc.

There's quite a bit of work in music out there for the talented and motivated. Sometimes, it's a great full time job. Other times, you have to be an entrepreneur. More often than both, it's a combination. I, however, wouldn't change what I do for all the test tubes and protractors in the world...

...I couldn't afford the pay cut.

(jk science-types, you know I love you)