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Music Therapists

Earnings

Salaries for music therapists vary based on experience, level of training, and education. The U.S. Department of Labor reports that recreational therapists, a group that includes music therapists, earned a median salary of $57,120 in May 2023. The median annual salary for workers in all careers was $48,069. The lowest 10 percent of recreational therapists earned less than $37,960 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $92,080. Fifty percent of recreational therapists earned between $46,420 and $73,150.

The American Music Therapy Association reports that music therapists earned average annual salaries of $58,793 in 2021.

In January 2025, ZipRecruiter.com reported that music therapists earned a median salary of $56,893, with a range of $30,000 to $98,500.

Benefits for music therapists depend on the employer; however, they usually include such items as health insurance, retirement or 401(k) plans, and paid vacation days. Music therapists in private practice must provide their own benefits, including health insurance.

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