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Best states for a creative art therapist
Quoted expert
Lyndal Khaw Ph.D.
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Are you thinking of becoming a creative art therapist and really want to work at Kings County Hospital Center? Turns out, your chances to become a creative art therapist are better in some states than others.Our research found that Nebraska is the best state for creative art therapists, while California and Alaska are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Nebraska has a median salary of $52,800 and California has the highest median salary among all 50 states for creative art therapists.
In order to get you the best states for creative art therapists, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that Nebraska is the best state for creative art therapist jobs, whereas Louisiana is the worst.
10 best states for creative art therapists in 2025
1. Nebraska
Total creative art therapist jobs: 324 Average annual salary: $52,800 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.6
2. Missouri
Total creative art therapist jobs: 784 Average annual salary: $51,936 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location Quotient: 1.48
3. Nevada
Total creative art therapist jobs: 208 Average annual salary: $56,092 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
4. California
Total creative art therapist jobs: 639 Average annual salary: $63,115 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 0.24
5. Utah
Total creative art therapist jobs: 267 Average annual salary: $56,961 Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 0.92
6. Pennsylvania
Total creative art therapist jobs: 1,352 Average annual salary: $53,952 Lowest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
7. Oregon
Total creative art therapist jobs: 481 Average annual salary: $55,867 Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 1.28
8. Michigan
Total creative art therapist jobs: 756 Average annual salary: $52,505 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location Quotient: 1.07
9. Oklahoma
Total creative art therapist jobs: 380 Average annual salary: $48,598 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $65,000 Location Quotient: 1.36
10. North Dakota
Total creative art therapist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $56,634 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 0.12
Creative art therapist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a creative art therapist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a creative art therapist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $52,800 | $40,000 | 1,920,076 | 324 |
| 2 | Missouri | $51,936 | $39,000 | 6,113,532 | 784 |
| 3 | Nevada | $56,092 | $40,000 | 2,998,039 | 208 |
| 4 | California | $63,115 | $44,000 | 39,536,653 | 639 |
| 5 | Utah | $56,961 | $43,000 | 3,101,833 | 267 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $53,952 | $34,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,352 |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,867 | $42,000 | 4,142,776 | 481 |
| 8 | Michigan | $52,505 | $36,000 | 9,962,311 | 756 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $48,598 | $36,000 | 3,930,864 | 380 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $56,634 | $44,000 | 755,393 | 10 |
| 11 | Delaware | $53,133 | $34,000 | 961,939 | 145 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $54,247 | $34,000 | 1,059,639 | 19 |
| 13 | Alaska | $61,675 | $53,000 | 739,795 | 3 |
| 14 | Vermont | $53,267 | $35,000 | 623,657 | 19 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $51,595 | $37,000 | 2,984,100 | 33 |
| 16 | Texas | $47,399 | $34,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,759 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $53,742 | $34,000 | 1,342,795 | 20 |
| 18 | Montana | $46,406 | $37,000 | 1,050,493 | 161 |
| 19 | New York | $52,678 | $33,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,582 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $54,088 | $34,000 | 6,859,819 | 172 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $54,390 | $34,000 | 3,588,184 | 39 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $47,023 | $34,000 | 6,715,984 | 684 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $45,881 | $34,000 | 3,004,279 | 322 |
| 24 | Alabama | $46,760 | $33,000 | 4,874,747 | 534 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $50,284 | $36,000 | 2,088,070 | 16 |
| 26 | Washington | $46,056 | $36,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,049 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $48,806 | $31,000 | 9,005,644 | 983 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $51,992 | $34,000 | 693,972 | 102 |
| 29 | Georgia | $46,208 | $32,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,215 |
| 30 | Virginia | $48,040 | $31,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,117 |
| 31 | Ohio | $45,341 | $31,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,101 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $46,203 | $36,000 | 579,315 | 10 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $47,247 | $35,000 | 5,576,606 | 528 |
| 34 | Iowa | $44,138 | $33,000 | 3,145,711 | 430 |
| 35 | Colorado | $44,459 | $34,000 | 5,607,154 | 768 |
| 36 | Maryland | $47,525 | $31,000 | 6,052,177 | 759 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $43,719 | $36,000 | 1,427,538 | 107 |
| 38 | Kansas | $43,148 | $32,000 | 2,913,123 | 391 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $44,804 | $35,000 | 869,666 | 17 |
| 40 | Illinois | $44,957 | $32,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,445 |
| 41 | Maine | $42,093 | $27,000 | 1,335,907 | 176 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $40,930 | $28,000 | 5,024,369 | 615 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $44,604 | $30,000 | 1,815,857 | 5 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $41,457 | $30,000 | 5,795,483 | 683 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $42,625 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 396 |
| 46 | Arizona | $45,604 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 88 |
| 47 | Florida | $46,269 | $30,000 | 20,984,400 | 169 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $43,048 | $29,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,008 |
| 49 | Indiana | $39,697 | $28,000 | 6,666,818 | 868 |
| 50 | Idaho | $42,697 | $33,000 | 1,716,943 | 161 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $43,007 | $30,000 | 4,684,333 | 23 |
Highest paying states for creative art therapists
| Rank | State | Avg. Creative Art Therapist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nebraska | $52,800 |
| 2 | Missouri | $51,936 |
| 3 | Nevada | $56,092 |
| 4 | California | $63,115 |
| 5 | Utah | $56,961 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $53,952 |
| 7 | Oregon | $55,867 |
| 8 | Michigan | $52,505 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $48,598 |
| 10 | North Dakota | $56,634 |
| 11 | Delaware | $53,133 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $54,247 |
| 13 | Alaska | $61,675 |
| 14 | Vermont | $53,267 |
| 15 | Mississippi | $51,595 |
| 16 | Texas | $47,399 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | $53,742 |
| 18 | Montana | $46,406 |
| 19 | New York | $52,678 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $54,088 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $54,390 |
| 22 | Tennessee | $47,023 |
| 23 | Arkansas | $45,881 |
| 24 | Alabama | $46,760 |
| 25 | New Mexico | $50,284 |
| 26 | Washington | $46,056 |
| 27 | New Jersey | $48,806 |
| 28 | District of Columbia | $51,992 |
| 29 | Georgia | $46,208 |
| 30 | Virginia | $48,040 |
| 31 | Ohio | $45,341 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $46,203 |
| 33 | Minnesota | $47,247 |
| 34 | Iowa | $44,138 |
| 35 | Colorado | $44,459 |
| 36 | Maryland | $47,525 |
| 37 | Hawaii | $43,719 |
| 38 | Kansas | $43,148 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $44,804 |
| 40 | Illinois | $44,957 |
| 41 | Maine | $42,093 |
| 42 | South Carolina | $40,930 |
| 43 | West Virginia | $44,604 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $41,457 |
| 45 | Kentucky | $42,625 |
| 46 | Arizona | $45,604 |
| 47 | Florida | $46,269 |
| 48 | North Carolina | $43,048 |
| 49 | Indiana | $39,697 |
| 50 | Idaho | $42,697 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $43,007 |
Expert opinions on the best states for creative art therapists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for creative art therapists to find work opportunities?
Lyndal Khaw Ph.D.
Associate Professor and Department Chair, Montclair State University
Families and children are ubiquitous and exist in every social space across the country. They are in homes, schools, workplaces, and communities. That being said, many issues impact children and families and services to support them best. With areas where populations are more extensive, there are typically more services and job opportunities for graduates in this field. Note, too, that with COVID-19 there is the capacity to work in the field remotely, so you may very well live in New Jersey and telecommute and be employed in New York state.
Creative art therapist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025