Music therapist

About this occupation

Music therapists use music-therapeutic interventions to treat patients with behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions to prevent, mitigate or eliminate symptoms and to change behaviours and attitudes requiring treatment. They promote and maintain or restore the development, maturity and health of the patient/client by music-therapeutic interventions. Music therapy especially provides help for people with with emotional, somatic, intellectually or socially induced behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions, such as psychoses (schizophrenic disorders, bipolar disorders) and personality development disorders.  

A specialisation of recreational therapist.

• 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.

Typical education (US)

Bachelor's Degree

Preparation

Job Zone 4 of 5

Interests

Social, Artistic, Investigative

Top skills: Social Perceptiveness, Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Service Orientation

US median pay: US$77,930 a year (2025), 22,640 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.

Subjects this work relies on

How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).

• PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyExtremely important (4.9)
• Fine Art or Music or Drama and TheatreO*NET: Fine ArtsExtremely important (4.8)
• English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageVery important (4.1)
• SociologyO*NET: Sociology and AnthropologyVery important (3.9)

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

Preparation needed

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Most common education (US)

Bachelor's Degree

Education

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Training

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.