Music Therapists
Plan, organize, direct, or assess clinical and evidenced-based music therapy interventions to positively influence individuals' physical, psychological, cognitive, or behavioral status.
Also called: Activity Therapist, Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), Certified Music Therapist, Community Music Therapist, Creative Arts Music Therapist, Creative Music 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 to stay at 40 hours a week or less?
- 2.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 3.Do you want a job with little physical risk?
- 4.Do you want variety, with new tasks often?
- 5.Do you prefer a steady pace without constant deadlines?
- 6.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
Music 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 music therapists do
- 01Design or provide music therapy experiences to address client needs, such as using music for self-care, adjusting to life changes, improving cognitive functioning, raising self-esteem, communicating, or controlling impulses.
- 02Design music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives.
- 03Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments.
- 04Communicate with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences.
- 05Customize treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy, such as intellectual or developmental disabilities, educational settings, geriatrics, medical settings, mental health, physical disabilities, or wellness.
- 06Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Learning Strategies
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- Fine Arts
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Integrity
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
- Related work experience: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- 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 music therapists
- Marriage and Family Therapists82% · —
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool77% · —
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers76% · —
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education76% · —
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School76% · —
Change into music therapists
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Marriage and Family Therapists77% · $66,940
- Special Education Teachers, Preschool77% · $64,830
- Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education76% · $62,680
- Special Education Teachers, Secondary School76% · $74,260
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers75% · $59,550
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.