What Does it Take to Be a Music Therapist?

Music Therapist Example Plan, organize, or direct medically prescribed music therapy activities designed to positively influence patients’ psychological or behavioral status.

List of Music Therapist Job Duties

• Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.
• 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.
• Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony.
• Apply selected research findings to practice.
• Integrate behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical, or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments.
• Assess the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients.

Qualities of a Music Therapist

Music Therapists state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.

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.

Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Related Job Titles for this Occupation:

• Music Therapist, Public School System
• Creative Arts Music Therapist
• Music Therapist, Primary Service Coordinator
• Music Therapy Specialist
• Community Music Therapist

Music Therapist Employment Estimates

In the United States, there were 19,200 jobs for Recreational Therapists in 2016.

New jobs are being produced at a rate of 6.5% which is lower than average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,300 new jobs for Music Therapists by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 1,200 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Recreational Therapists are New York, Texas, and California.

Watch out if you plan on working in Alabama, Wyoming, or Vermont. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Music Therapist Salary

The salary for Recreational Therapists ranges between about $29,590 and $77,050 a year. The median salary for this occupation is $47,860.

Below is a list of the median annual salaries for jobs of this type in different U.S. states.

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
California	$75,810
District of Columbia	$68,430
Washington	$59,860
Connecticut	$59,450
Nevada	$58,480
New Jersey	$58,220
Massachusetts	$55,570
Hawaii	$55,470
Oregon	$55,410
New York	$55,370
Minnesota	$54,660
Iowa	$52,470
Michigan	$51,280
South Dakota	$50,480
Wyoming	$50,170
Arkansas	$50,170
Arizona	$49,440
Maine	$49,390
Rhode Island	$49,310
Colorado	$49,300
Maryland	$48,690
Florida	$48,290
Utah	$48,230
North Carolina	$47,600
Virginia	$47,590
New Hampshire	$46,660
Illinois	$46,620
Delaware	$46,320
Missouri	$46,000
Pennsylvania	$45,900
Ohio	$45,750
Kentucky	$45,330
Wisconsin	$44,970
Montana	$44,730
Georgia	$43,950
North Dakota	$43,910
Vermont	$43,120
Texas	$43,070
Alabama	$42,860
Indiana	$42,280
South Carolina	$42,240
Tennessee	$41,660
Louisiana	$41,180
Idaho	$40,770
Nebraska	$39,420
New Mexico	$38,680
Mississippi	$38,470
Oklahoma	$37,760
Kansas	$35,850

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

Where do Music Therapists Work?

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons