Art Therapists
Plan or conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, cognitive, or emotional well-being.
Also called: Activity Therapist, Activity Therapy Specialist, Art Psychotherapist, Art Therapy Specialist, ATR (Registered Art Therapist), ATR-BC (Board Certified Art Therapist)
Median pay
$77,930
Pay for the broader BLS group “Therapists, All Other”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$46,540 – $152,530
People employed
22,640
Whole BLS group
Holland code
SAI
Social · Artistic · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Do you want to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 4.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 5.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
Art Therapists pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (40 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Therapists, All Other”.
What art therapists do
- 01Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
- 02Talk with clients during art or other therapy sessions to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to the artistic process.
- 03Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
- 04Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
- 05Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
- 06Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Monitoring
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Fine Arts
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from art therapists
- Marriage and Family Therapists89% · —
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers84% · —
- Healthcare Social Workers79% · —
- Rehabilitation Counselors78% · —
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary75% · —
Change into art therapists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Marriage and Family Therapists83% · $66,940
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers77% · $60,280
- Art, Drama, and Music Teachers, Postsecondary75% · $78,620
- Healthcare Social Workers75% · $67,880
- Rehabilitation Counselors74% · $46,850
Majors that lead here
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, General
- Art Therapy/Therapist
- Dance Therapy/Therapist
- Music Therapy/Therapist
- Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Drama Therapy/Therapist
- Horticulture Therapy/Therapist
- Play Therapy/Therapist
- Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other
- Movement Therapy and Movement Education
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.