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Director of music therapy education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a director of music therapy. Directors of music therapy usually study rehabilitation science, music, or psychology. 74% of directors of music therapy hold a bachelor's degree, and 15% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 80 real director of music therapy resumes to see exactly what director of music therapy education sections show.
The most common colleges for directors of music therapy are the Florida State University and the Florida State University.
There are also many online director of music therapy courses to help get the education required to be a director of music therapy.
What education do you need to become a director of music therapy?
What degree do you need to be a director of music therapy?
- Bachelor's, 74%
- Master's, 15%
- Associate, 8%
- Other Degrees, 3%
What should I major in to become a director of music therapy?
- Music, 27%
- Psychology, 6%
- Physical Therapy, 4%
- Other Majors, 28%
Most common colleges for directors of music therapy
| Director of music therapy common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Florida State University | 12.50% |
| Appalachian State University | 8.33% |
| Berklee College of Music | 8.33% |
| New York University | 4.17% |
| George Washington University, The | 4.17% |
Best majors for directors of music therapy
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation Science | 34.7% |
| 2 | Music | 26.5% |
| 3 | Psychology | 6.1% |
| 4 | Physical Therapy | 4.1% |
| 5 | General Education, Specific Areas | 4.1% |
Best colleges for directors of music therapy
The best colleges for directors of music therapy are Northwestern University, Duke University, and Tufts University.
A director of music therapy with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for directors of music therapy. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become directors of music therapy.
1. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,695
Enrollment
6,596
2. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$12,424
Enrollment
15,201
3. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
4. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$8,987
Enrollment
18,946
5. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$59,430
Enrollment
8,216
6. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,382
Enrollment
5,597
7. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
9. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
10. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$51,306
Enrollment
6,975
20 best online courses for directors of music therapy
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Top 10 most affordable universities for directors of music therapy
The most affordable schools for directors of music therapy are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for directors of music therapy are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for directors of music therapy.
1. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
2. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
3. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
4. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
5. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
6. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
9. Lehman College of the City University of New York
Bronx, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,210
Cost of attendance
14,359
10. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for directors of music therapy
The hardest universities for directors of music therapy to get into are Northwestern University, Duke University, and Tufts University.
Some great schools for directors of music therapy are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for directors of music therapy based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. Duke University
Durham, NC • Private
Admissions rate
9%
SAT average
1,516
3. Tufts University
Medford, MA • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,461
4. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Columbia University in the City of New York
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
6%
SAT average
1,512
7. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
8. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,465
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for directors of music therapy
The easiest schools for directors of music therapy to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, mount saint mary's university, and barry university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a director of music therapy without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for directors of music therapy.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
3. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
4. AdventHealth University
Orlando, FL • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,016
5. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
6. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
7. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
8. Clarke University
Dubuque, IA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
1,058
9. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
10. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
Average director of music therapy salary by education level
| Director of music therapy education level | Director of music therapy salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $38,023 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $49,889 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $43,363 |
Director of music therapy education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025