What are the main factors that influence a Music Therapy's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change a Music Therapy's salary?

A Music Therapy's salary grows with experience: starting around $64,677 for beginners, reaching about $68,034 at mid-level, and approach $70,904 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Music Therapy?

Music Therapy salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Music Therapy roles are District of Columbia $73,177, California $72,899, Massachusetts $71,928. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Music Therapy roles make?

Salaries for Music Therapy level roles vary by specialization: Music Professor: $99,701; Professor - Music: $99,668; Director of Recreational Therapy: $91,900; Recreational Therapy Director: $91,812; Music Editor: $86,010.

How do different companies affect a Music Therapy's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Music Therapy roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Music Therapy Salary in the United States

How much does a Music Therapy make in the United States?

As of January 01, 2026, the average salary for a Music Therapy in the United States is $66,092 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $32.

However, a Music Therapy's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $77,612
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $57,604 to $72,122
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,877

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Music Therapy Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$72,122	$6,010	$1,387	$35
Average	$66,092	$5,508	$1,271	$32
25th Percentile	$57,604	$4,800	$1,108	$28

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Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant

Cottonwood Healthcare - CARSON CITY, NV

Licensed Physical Therapy Assistant

Cottonwood Healthcare - COLUMBUS, MT

PRN

Hamilton Memorial Hospital District - MC LEANSBORO, IL

Physical Therapy Assistant Licensed

Lower Umpqua Hospital District - REEDSPORT, OR

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Key Factors That Influence Music Therapy Salaries

A Music Therapy's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Music Therapy Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Music Therapy's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $64,677
Early Career (1-2 years): $65,267
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $68,034
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $70,469
Expert (over 8 years): $70,904

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Music Therapy	$64,677
Intermediate Level Music Therapy	$65,267
Senior Level Music Therapy	$68,034
Specialist Level Music Therapy	$70,469
Expert Level Music Therapy	$70,904

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Music Therapy Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Music Therapies. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $73,177.
California: $72,899.
Massachusetts: $71,928.

District of Columbia $73,177 California $72,899 Massachusetts $71,928 Washington $71,663 New Jersey $71,637 Alaska $71,544 Connecticut $70,632 New York $70,262

Hawaii $69,079 Rhode Island $68,524 Maryland $68,147 Minnesota $67,632 Colorado $67,433 Illinois $67,367 Oregon $67,116 Delaware $66,931

New Hampshire $66,815 Virginia $66,554 Pennsylvania $65,794 Nevada $65,411 North Dakota $65,285 Michigan $65,087 Wisconsin $65,014 Vermont $64,869

Texas $64,466 Maine $64,439 Arizona $64,400 Ohio $64,353 Georgia $63,745 Indiana $63,441 Wyoming $63,382 Utah $63,289

Iowa $63,250 Kansas $62,933 Louisiana $62,840 North Carolina $62,807 Missouri $62,794 Florida $62,536 Montana $62,397 Nebraska $62,265

Kentucky $62,192 South Carolina $61,928 Tennessee $61,763 Idaho $61,697 New Mexico $61,214 Oklahoma $61,108 Alabama $60,718 South Dakota $60,064

Arkansas $59,707 West Virginia $59,516 Mississippi $58,941

Top Paying Cities for Music Therapies

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $83,361
San Francisco: $82,542
Oakland: $80,711

San Jose, CA $83,361

San Francisco, CA $82,542

Oakland, CA $80,711

New York, NY $76,594

Queens Village, NY $76,098

Paramus, NJ $75,569

Passaic, NJ $75,503

Bergenfield, NJ $75,437

Stamford, CT $75,338

Huntington, NY $75,272

Newark, NJ $74,842

Bridgeport, CT $74,710

New Brunswick, NJ $74,492

Vallejo, CA $74,353

Middlesex, NJ $74,314

Somerset, NJ $74,254

Petaluma, CA $74,102

Santa Cruz, CA $73,844

Boston, MA $73,712

Monterey, CA $73,382

Fairbanks, AK $73,335

Los Angeles, CA $73,210

Washington, DC $73,177

Seattle, WA $73,058

Santa Rosa, CA $73,045

Juneau, AK $72,853

Orange, CA $72,635

Anchorage, AK $72,516

Anaheim, CA $72,470

Santa Ana, CA $72,370

Nassau, NY $72,331

Long Beach, CA $72,304

Danbury, CT $72,284

Santa Maria, CA $72,060

Everett, WA $72,047

Bremerton, WA $71,723

Trenton, NJ $71,597

Sacramento, CA $71,571

San Diego, CA $71,538

Brockton, MA $71,511

Tacoma, WA $71,485

Santa Barbara, CA $71,392

Lowell, MA $71,128

New Suffolk, NY $71,101

Nashua, NH $71,022

Lompoc, CA $70,916

Ventura, CA $70,850

Stockton, CA $70,830

New Haven, CT $70,698

Atlantic City, NJ $70,526

Hartford, CT $70,381

Modesto, CA $70,348

Poughkeepsie, NY $70,203

New Britain, CT $70,170

Olympia, WA $70,077

Kennewick, WA $70,077

New London, CT $70,064

Norwich, CT $70,044

Lawrence, MA $70,011

Bakersfield, CA $69,826

Riverside, CA $69,733

New Bedford, MA $69,733

Richland, WA $69,667

Portsmouth, NH $69,614

Vineland, NJ $69,601

San Bernardino, CA $69,548

Boulder, CO $69,363

Worcester, MA $69,310

Portland, OR $69,251

Saint Paul, MN $69,172

Minneapolis, MN $69,172

Philadelphia, PA $69,079

Honolulu, HI $68,729

Springfield, MA $68,497

Providence, RI $68,491

Chicago, IL $68,299

Bellingham, WA $68,220

Baltimore, MD $68,147

Chico, CA $67,982

Wilmington, DE $67,870

Pittsfield, MA $67,803

Manchester, NH $67,678

Spokane, WA $67,387

Denver, CO $67,380

Albany, NY $67,070

Troy, NY $67,043

Schenectady, NY $66,905

Burlington, VT $66,759

Portland, ME $66,528

Salem, OR $66,475

Yakima, WA $66,462

Ann Arbor, MI $66,442

Rochester, MN $66,257

Fresno, CA $66,224

Reno, NV $66,224

Milwaukee, WI $66,164

Detroit, MI $66,098

Allentown, PA $66,078

Carson City, NV $66,072

Houston, TX $65,973

Colorado Springs, CO $65,966

Syracuse, NY $65,933

Eugene, OR $65,808

Bismarck, ND $65,728

Gary, IN $65,728

Galveston, TX $65,728

Springfield, OR $65,675

Medford, OR $65,517

Fort Collins, CO $65,490

Austin, TX $65,437

Mesa, AZ $65,299

Phoenix, AZ $65,285

Dallas, TX $65,266

Reading, PA $65,226

Saint Cloud, MN $65,199

Concord, NH $65,140

Madison, WI $65,114

Utica, NY $64,935

Raleigh, NC $64,882

Las Vegas, NV $64,876

Rochester, NY $64,829

Des Moines, IA $64,823

Atlanta, GA $64,717

Battle Creek, MI $64,697

Salt Lake City, UT $64,677

Lancaster, PA $64,578

Champaign, IL $64,565

Harrisburg, PA $64,486

Durham, NC $64,426

Kansas City, MO $64,420

Kansas City, KS $64,406

Fort Worth, TX $64,400

Boca Raton, FL $64,373

Cleveland, OH $64,367

Columbus, OH $64,353

Pittsburgh, PA $64,347

Richmond, VA $64,320

Indianapolis, IN $64,307

Cincinnati, OH $64,221

Petersburg, VA $64,122

Billings, MT $63,977

Lansing, MI $63,977

Huntsville, AL $63,977

Lebanon, PA $63,970

Dayton, OH $63,964

Pueblo, CO $63,964

Appleton, WI $63,944

Buffalo, NY $63,917

Racine, WI $63,884

Charlotte, NC $63,878

Saint Louis, MO $63,858

Springfield, IL $63,831

Elkhart, IN $63,818

York, PA $63,818

Gastonia, NC $63,812

Benton Harbor, MI $63,812

Beaumont, TX $63,772

Lorain, OH $63,759

Toledo, OH $63,732

Binghamton, NY $63,699

Rock Hill, SC $63,693

Rockford, IL $63,660

Fargo, ND $63,626

Elyria, OH $63,626

Flagstaff, AZ $63,580

Fort Lauderdale, FL $63,541

Miami, FL $63,501

Duluth, MN $63,395

Bangor, ME $63,309

Cedar Rapids, IA $63,237

Louisville, KY $63,203

Grand Rapids, MI $63,190

Hialeah, FL $63,184

Casper, WY $63,091

Scranton, PA $63,012

New Orleans, LA $62,992

Virginia Beach, VA $62,985

Akron, OH $62,952

Peoria, IL $62,866

Sarasota, FL $62,853

Green Bay, WI $62,807

Baton Rouge, LA $62,774

Charleston, SC $62,761

Nashville, TN $62,741

Jamestown, NY $62,728

Davenport, IA $62,728

Tucson, AZ $62,695

Cheyenne, WY $62,675

Saint Petersburg, FL $62,655

Tampa, FL $62,642

Omaha, NE $62,628

Port Arthur, TX $62,602

Evansville, IN $62,602

Bradenton, FL $62,576

Santa Fe, NM $62,457

Orlando, FL $62,391

Clearwater, FL $62,318

Canton, OH $62,179

La Crosse, WI $62,179

Grand Forks, ND $62,159

Albuquerque, NM $62,139

Tulsa, OK $62,139

Newport News, VA $62,133

High Point, NC $62,113

Ogden, UT $62,087

Corpus Christi, TX $62,034

Laramie, WY $61,994

Norfolk, VA $61,994

Rock Island, IL $61,954

Saginaw, MI $61,941

Jacksonville, FL $61,935

Salisbury, NC $61,921

Memphis, TN $61,908

Moline, IL $61,875

Fort Myers, FL $61,855

Waterloo, IA $61,769

Spartanburg, SC $61,703

Lincoln, NE $61,670

Fort Wayne, IN $61,657

Birmingham, AL $61,584

Cedar Falls, IA $61,571

Provo, UT $61,564

Springfield, OH $61,558

San Antonio, TX $61,545

Greensboro, NC $61,518

South Bend, IN $61,512

Winston Salem, NC $61,505

Boise, ID $61,485

Savannah, GA $61,439

Muskegon, MI $61,320

Lima, OH $61,241

Lake Charles, LA $61,214

Anderson, IN $61,201

Lexington, KY $61,181

Augusta, GA $61,161

Greenville, SC $61,161

Wichita, KS $61,102

Tuscaloosa, AL $61,102

Columbia, SC $61,042

Bloomington, IN $60,877

Roanoke, VA $60,837

Asheville, NC $60,751

Knoxville, TN $60,639

Shreveport, LA $60,633

Wilmington, NC $60,547

Frankfort, KY $60,421

Oklahoma City, OK $60,375

Chillicothe, OH $60,348

Longview, TX $60,342

Topeka, KS $60,322

Mobile, AL $60,223

Terre Haute, IN $60,196

Erie, PA $60,190

Altoona, PA $60,157

Melbourne, FL $60,137

Amarillo, TX $60,110

Killeen, TX $60,091

Fayetteville, AR $60,038

Sioux Falls, SD $59,991

Chattanooga, TN $59,952

Idaho Falls, ID $59,945

Gainesville, FL $59,806

Portsmouth, OH $59,773

Little Rock, AR $59,760

Lynchburg, VA $59,760

Lafayette, LA $59,734

Youngstown, OH $59,734

Temple, TX $59,707

Daytona Beach, FL $59,694

Clarksville, TN $59,687

Pensacola, FL $59,681

Hopkinsville, KY $59,483

Charleston, WV $59,476

Florence, SC $59,443

Sioux City, IA $59,403

Macon, GA $59,212

Tallahassee, FL $59,205

Fayetteville, NC $59,192

Waco, TX $59,179

Wichita Falls, TX $59,179

Pine Bluff, AR $59,152

Vincennes, IN $59,026

Lubbock, TX $59,000

Great Falls, MT $58,960

Alamogordo, NM $58,954

Abilene, TX $58,901

Rapid City, SD $58,815

Monroe, LA $58,815

Albany, GA $58,775

Huntington, WV $58,769

Jackson, MS $58,762

Greenville, MS $58,756

Parkersburg, WV $58,689

Montgomery, AL $58,676

Johnstown, PA $58,663

Springfield, MO $58,610

Biloxi, MS $58,577

Sumter, SC $58,438

Columbus, GA $58,432

Twin Falls, ID $58,392

Pascagoula, MS $58,306

Kingsport, TN $58,134

Gulfport, MS $58,114

Alexandria, LA $57,896

Fort Smith, AR $57,731

El Paso, TX $57,553

Helena, MT $57,467

Las Cruces, NM $57,255

Harlingen, TX $57,070

Pocatello, ID $57,011

Florence, AL $56,991

Brownsville, TX $56,978

Dothan, AL $56,872

Mcallen, TX $56,839

Columbus, MS $56,350

Altus, OK $56,046

Lawton, OK $55,920

Pierre, SD $55,682

What Skills Can Increase a Music Therapy's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 10.3% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
First Aid (Mentioned in 2.94% Job Postings): First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred.
Discharge Planning (Mentioned in 1.57% Job Postings): Developing a personalized plan to ensure the smooth transition of a patient from a health organization to the patient's home or residential care.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	10.3%
First Aid	2.94%
Discharge Planning	1.57%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Music Therapy's salary.

Dialysis: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Flexibility: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Group Therapy: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Dialysis	$70,057	6%
Flexibility	$69,396	5%
Group Therapy	$68,735	4%
Collaboration	$68,735	4%
Commitment	$68,735	4%
Coordination	$68,735	4%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Music Therapy's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Music Therapies enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Music Therapy with a Bachelor's Degree is between $61,034 and $64,817).

Music Therapy Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Music Therapy

No Diploma 6.0%

High School 6.0%

Associates 3.7%

Bachelors 69.8%

Masters 19.5%

Doctorate 0.9%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	6.0%
High School	6.0%
Associates	3.7%
Bachelors	69.8%
Masters	19.5%
Doctorate	0.9%

view as graph

Music Therapy Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Music Therapy's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on January 01, 2026

$57,604

Average $66,092/year

$72,122

$4,800

Average $5,508/month

$6,010

$1,108

Average $1,271/week

$1,387

$28

Average $32/hour

$35

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$72,122	$6,010	$1,387	$35
Average	$66,092	$5,508	$1,271	$32
25th Percentile	$57,604	$4,800	$1,108	$28

Salaries of jobs related to Music Therapy

Salary Trends for Music Therapy

Salaries for a Music Therapy can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $112,103 in 2023 to around $111,671 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Music Therapy salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Music Therapy Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$112,103

2024

$113,460

2025

$111,671

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$112,103
2024	$113,460
2025	$111,671
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Music Therapy

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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