What You Need to Know About Music Therapist
Music Therapist Definition Plan, organize, or direct medically prescribed music therapy activities designed to positively influence patients’ psychological or behavioral status.
List of Music Therapist Job Duties
- Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client’s therapeutic needs.
- Compose, arrange, or adapt music for music therapy treatments.
- Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy.
- Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.
- Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives.
- Adapt existing or develop new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client’s needs.
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Music Therapist Required Skills
When polled, Music Therapists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Other Music Therapist Job Titles
- Creative Arts Music Therapist
- Director of Music Therapy
- Expressive Music Therapist
- Community Music Therapist
- Music Therapist, Public School System
Job Demand for Music Therapists
In the United States, there were 19,200 jobs for Music Therapist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.8% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,300 new jobs for Music Therapist by 2026. The BLS estimates 1,200 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Music Therapist are Alaska, Colorado, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Alabama, Wyoming, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Salary for a Music Therapist
The average yearly salary of a Music Therapist ranges between $29,590 and $77,050.
Music Therapists who work in California, District of Columbia, or Nevada, make the highest salaries.
How much do Music Therapists make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $42,860 |
| Arizona | $49,440 |
| Arkansas | $50,170 |
| California | $75,810 |
| Colorado | $49,300 |
| Connecticut | $59,450 |
| Delaware | $46,320 |
| District of Columbia | $68,430 |
| Florida | $48,290 |
| Georgia | $43,950 |
| Hawaii | $55,470 |
| Idaho | $40,770 |
| Illinois | $46,620 |
| Indiana | $42,280 |
| Iowa | $52,470 |
| Kansas | $35,850 |
| Kentucky | $45,330 |
| Louisiana | $41,180 |
| Maine | $49,390 |
| Maryland | $48,690 |
| Massachusetts | $55,570 |
| Michigan | $51,280 |
| Minnesota | $54,660 |
| Mississippi | $38,470 |
| Missouri | $46,000 |
| Montana | $44,730 |
| Nebraska | $39,420 |
| Nevada | $58,480 |
| New Hampshire | $46,660 |
| New Jersey | $58,220 |
| New Mexico | $38,680 |
| New York | $55,370 |
| North Carolina | $47,600 |
| North Dakota | $43,910 |
| Ohio | $45,750 |
| Oklahoma | $37,760 |
| Oregon | $55,410 |
| Pennsylvania | $45,900 |
| Rhode Island | $49,310 |
| South Carolina | $42,240 |
| South Dakota | $50,480 |
| Tennessee | $41,660 |
| Texas | $43,070 |
| Utah | $48,230 |
| Vermont | $43,120 |
| Virginia | $47,590 |
| Washington | $59,860 |
| Wisconsin | $44,970 |
| Wyoming | $50,170 |
What Tools & Technology do Music Therapists Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Music Therapists may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Electronic health record EHR software
- Avid Technology Pro Tools
- Musical instrument digital interface MIDI software
- Virtual instrument software
How to Become a Music Therapist
Individuals working as a Music Therapist have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Who Employs Music Therapists?
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
References:
Image Credit: Barbara E. Carver via Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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