Healthcare Practitioners
Music Therapists
Also called: Board Certified Music Therapist (MT-BC), LCAT (Licensed Creative Arts Therapist), Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapist
US median pay
$77,930
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+12.6%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
3,600
56,100 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 4/5 · Considerable preparation
What this job is
Plan, organize, direct, or assess clinical and evidenced-based music therapy interventions to positively influence individuals' physical, psychological, cognitive, or behavioral status.
What they do day to day
- Design 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.
- Design music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives.
- Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments.
- Communicate with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences.
- Customize 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.
- Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.
- Document evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
- Assess client functioning levels, strengths, and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, physical, cognitive, social, spiritual, or other abilities.
- Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to music therapy.
- Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.2/5
- Service Orientation4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.8/5
- Persuasion3.2/5
- Negotiation3.2/5
- Instructing3.2/5
- Coordination3.2/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.2/5
Knowledge
- Therapy and Counseling4.9/5
- Psychology4.9/5
- Fine Arts4.8/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.9/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 4 of 5 — Considerable preparation. Usually a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Bachelor's degree73%
- Master's degree15%
- Post-baccalaureate certificate12%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Artistic
Creating, designing and self-expression
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.