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Music therapist salary
Average music therapist salary
$57,096
Understanding Music Therapist Salaries
Music therapists play a vital role in enhancing the emotional and mental well-being of individuals through music. As of October 2025, the average salary for a music therapist is $57,096, translating to approximately $27 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and specialization.
Salary by State
In some states, music therapists earn more due to higher demand or cost of living adjustments. For instance, states like California and New York are known to offer more competitive salaries. Understanding regional salary differences can help professionals make informed decisions about potential job opportunities.
Job Opportunities
Job prospects for music therapists are promising, with various settings available, including hospitals, schools, and private practices. Continuous education and specialization in areas such as mental health can further enhance earning potential and career growth. By staying informed about salary trends and job openings, aspiring music therapists can maximize their career opportunities.
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Where can a Music Therapist earn more?
Music therapist salary estimates from across the web
Average music therapist salary by state
The highest-paying states for music therapists are California, Alaska, and New Mexico. The lowest average music therapist salary states are Iowa, Kansas, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for music therapists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $82,555 | $39.69 |
| 2 | North Dakota | $59,710 | $28.71 |
| 3 | Texas | $62,393 | $30.00 |
| 4 | Nevada | $64,702 | $31.11 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $57,795 | $27.79 |
| 6 | Missouri | $57,859 | $27.82 |
| 7 | Arkansas | $59,779 | $28.74 |
| 8 | Utah | $63,615 | $30.58 |
| 9 | New Mexico | $66,558 | $32.00 |
| 10 | Indiana | $53,311 | $25.63 |
| 11 | New York | $65,371 | $31.43 |
| 12 | Delaware | $57,696 | $27.74 |
| 13 | Mississippi | $58,881 | $28.31 |
| 14 | Alaska | $67,918 | $32.65 |
| 15 | Virginia | $58,225 | $27.99 |
| 16 | Maryland | $57,029 | $27.42 |
| 17 | Minnesota | $56,236 | $27.04 |
| 18 | Michigan | $53,473 | $25.71 |
| 19 | Oklahoma | $51,907 | $24.96 |
| 20 | Connecticut | $58,068 | $27.92 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $55,381 | $26.63 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $55,634 | $26.75 |
| 23 | Rhode Island | $56,654 | $27.24 |
| 24 | Montana | $49,968 | $24.02 |
| 25 | Oregon | $54,040 | $25.98 |
| 26 | Kentucky | $49,759 | $23.92 |
| 27 | Washington | $51,516 | $24.77 |
| 28 | Tennessee | $50,163 | $24.12 |
| 29 | Massachusetts | $54,873 | $26.38 |
| 30 | Kansas | $47,847 | $23.00 |
| 31 | Georgia | $49,594 | $23.84 |
| 32 | Colorado | $51,195 | $24.61 |
| 33 | Arizona | $52,870 | $25.42 |
| 34 | Ohio | $49,495 | $23.80 |
| 35 | District of Columbia | $55,728 | $26.79 |
| 36 | West Virginia | $51,633 | $24.82 |
| 37 | Iowa | $47,974 | $23.06 |
| 38 | Pennsylvania | $49,348 | $23.73 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $47,825 | $22.99 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $49,132 | $23.62 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $52,671 | $25.32 |
| 42 | Illinois | $48,659 | $23.39 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $48,008 | $23.08 |
| 44 | Idaho | $48,546 | $23.34 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $50,363 | $24.21 |
| 46 | Hawaii | $48,280 | $23.21 |
| 47 | Florida | $50,655 | $24.35 |
| 48 | Maine | $41,531 | $19.97 |
| 49 | Vermont | $50,152 | $24.11 |
| 50 | Wisconsin | $45,292 | $21.77 |
| 51 | Alabama | $42,931 | $20.64 |
Highest paying cities for music therapists
The highest-paying cities for music therapists are Woodland, CA, New York, NY, and Fort Worth, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Woodland, CA | $85,607 | $41.16 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $65,620 | $31.55 |
| 3 | Fort Worth, TX | $62,324 | $29.96 |
| 4 | Alexandria, VA | $60,202 | $28.94 |
| 5 | Kansas City, MO | $57,869 | $27.82 |
| 6 | Salisbury, MD | $57,509 | $27.65 |
| 7 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,232 | $27.03 |
| 8 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $55,370 | $26.62 |
| 9 | Quincy, MA | $54,917 | $26.40 |
| 10 | Fort Wayne, IN | $54,020 | $25.97 |
| 11 | Portland, OR | $53,639 | $25.79 |
| 12 | Ann Arbor, MI | $53,075 | $25.52 |
| 13 | Oklahoma City, OK | $52,227 | $25.11 |
| 14 | Tallahassee, FL | $51,278 | $24.65 |
| 15 | Aurora, CO | $51,106 | $24.57 |
| 16 | Cleveland, OH | $50,850 | $24.45 |
| 17 | New Orleans, LA | $50,250 | $24.16 |
| 18 | Evanston, IL | $48,935 | $23.53 |
| 19 | Chapel Hill, NC | $48,287 | $23.21 |
| 20 | Des Moines, IA | $47,751 | $22.96 |
Music therapist salary details
A music therapist's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $84,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a music therapist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $84,000 | $7,000 | $40 |
| 75th Percentile | $70,000 | $5,833 | $34 |
| Average | $57,096 | $4,758 | $27 |
| 25th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying music therapist jobs
The highest paying types of music therapists are music therapist, public school system, community music therapist, and recreation therapist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recreation Therapist | $55,992 | $4,666 | $26.92 | 54,263 |
| Music Therapy Internship | $36,844 | $3,070 | $17.71 | 111,846 |
| Therapist | $55,943 | $4,662 | $26.90 | 159,770 |
Top companies hiring music therapists now:
Which companies pay music therapists the most?
Music therapist salaries at Childhelp and Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average music therapist salary at companies like LCMC Health and Children's Minnesota are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Childhelp | $91,221 | $43.86 |
| 2 | Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare | $81,884 | $39.37 |
| 3 | LCMC Health | $81,556 | $39.21 |
| 4 | Children's Minnesota | $79,993 | $38.46 |
| 5 | Baptist Health Home Care | $73,312 | $35.25 |
| 6 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $71,323 | $34.29 |
| 7 | UofL Hospital | $71,003 | $34.14 |
| 8 | Children's Hospital Colorado | $70,252 | $33.77 |
| 9 | CHKD Thrift Store | $69,899 | $33.61 |
| 10 | ProMedica Toledo Hospital | $69,103 | $33.22 |
| 11 | The Osborn | $65,399 | $31.44 |
| 12 | TidalHealth | $65,009 | $31.25 |
| 13 | Sharp HealthCare | $64,624 | $31.07 |
| 14 | Cape Cod Healthcare | $62,230 | $29.92 |
| 15 | Catholic Health East | $61,898 | $29.76 |
| 16 | Houston Methodist | $61,300 | $29.47 |
| 17 | Vanderbilt University Medical Center | $60,683 | $29.17 |
| 18 | Point Loma Nazarene University | $60,385 | $29.03 |
| 19 | Acadia Healthcare | $60,137 | $28.91 |
| 20 | Elder Care Alliance of San Rafael | $59,875 | $28.79 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Music therapist salary trends
The average music therapist salary has risen by $7,958 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average music therapist earned $49,138 annually, but today, they earn $57,096 a year. That works out to a 3% change in pay for music therapists over the last decade.
Compare music therapist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average music therapist salary over time
Compare music therapist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Music therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,100 | $27.45 | -1.1% |
| 2024 | $57,700 | $27.74 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | $57,300 | $27.54 | +0.4% |
| 2022 | $57,100 | $27.43 | +2.7% |
| 2021 | $55,500 | $26.70 | +1.1% |
Recently added music therapist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Croix Hospice | Music Therapist | Saint Cloud, MN | 06/28/2025 | $45,914 |
| Midwest Refuah Health Center | Music Therapist | Chicago, IL | 06/28/2025 | $55,000 |
| University of Rochester | Music Therapist 2 | Rochester, NY | 06/25/2025 | $52,184 |
| Kensington Senior Living, LLC | Music Therapist | Bethesda, MD | 06/25/2025 | $62,610 |
| Paradigm Living Concepts | Music Therapist | Fort Wayne, IN | 06/25/2025 | $48,000 |
| Coastal Hospice | Hospice Music Therapist | Salisbury, MD | 06/21/2025 | $62,610 |
| Colorado | Music Therapist Mt-Bc | Colorado Springs, CO | 06/20/2025 | $58,436 |
| Benchmark Human Services-In | Music Therapist | Richmond, IN | 06/16/2025 | $108,524 |
| Imperial Council A A O N M S | Music Therapist | Pasadena, CA | 06/14/2025 | $70,958 |
| Trinity Health Corporation | Music Therapist-Hospice-Per Diem-Albany and Greene County Areas | Albany, NY | 06/13/2025 | $51,862 |
Music therapist salary FAQs
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