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Registered art therapist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a registered art therapist. Registered art therapists usually study rehabilitation science, family therapy, or psychology. 63% of registered art therapists hold a master's degree, and 32% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 21 real registered art therapist resumes to see exactly what registered art therapist education sections show.
The most common colleges for registered art therapists are the George Washington University, The and the George Washington University, The.
There are also many online registered art therapist courses to help get the education required to be a registered art therapist.
What education do you need to become a registered art therapist?
What degree do you need to be a registered art therapist?
- Master's, 63%
- Bachelor's, 32%
- Associate, 5%
What should I major in to become a registered art therapist?
- Family Therapy, 21%
- Psychology, 16%
- Fine Arts, 16%
- Other Majors, 21%
Most common colleges for registered art therapists
| Registered art therapist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| George Washington University, The | 16.67% |
| Loyola Marymount University | 11.11% |
| Fairmont State University | 5.56% |
| Wesleyan College | 5.56% |
| Temple University | 5.56% |
Best majors for registered art therapists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rehabilitation Science | 26.3% |
| 2 | Family Therapy | 21.1% |
| 3 | Psychology | 15.8% |
| 4 | Fine Arts | 15.8% |
| 5 | Business | 5.3% |
Best colleges for registered art therapists
The best colleges for registered art therapists are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.
A registered art therapist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for registered art therapists. 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 registered art therapists.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
2. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
3. San Diego State University
San Diego, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,488
Enrollment
30,018
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
5. New York University
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$51,828
Enrollment
26,339
6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
7. SUNY at Albany
Albany, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,011
Enrollment
13,434
8. SUNY at Buffalo
Buffalo, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$10,099
Enrollment
21,404
9. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
In-state tuition
$55,230
Enrollment
12,161
20 best online courses for registered art therapists
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11. Crisis Intervention Seminar
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19. Master the art of Dynamic Programming
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20. Positive Psychology Art Coaching
Art activities for children to help build confidence & selfesteem...
Top 10 most affordable universities for registered art therapists
The most affordable schools for registered art therapists are Baruch College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and california state university - long beach.
If the best universities for registered art therapists 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 registered art therapists.
1. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
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. SUNY Farmingdale
Farmingdale, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$8,306
Cost of attendance
16,091
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
7. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
8. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
9. Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$5,656
Cost of attendance
21,623
10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for registered art therapists
The hardest universities for registered art therapists to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and New York University.
Some great schools for registered art therapists 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 registered art therapists 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. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
5. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
6. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
7. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
Admissions rate
4%
SAT average
1,497
9. Emory University
Atlanta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,449
10. Southern Methodist University
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
51%
SAT average
1,395
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for registered art therapists
The easiest schools for registered art therapists to get into are Notre Dame de Namur University, d'youville college, and ottawa university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a registered art therapist 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 registered art therapists.
1. Notre Dame de Namur University
Belmont, CA • Private
Admissions rate
82%
SAT average
983
2. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
3. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
4. Mount Saint Mary's University
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,031
5. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
6. Kean University
Union, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
86%
SAT average
991
7. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
8. Marymount University
Arlington, VA • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,065
9. Albertus Magnus College
New Haven, CT • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
931
10. Fresno Pacific University
Fresno, CA • Private
Admissions rate
85%
SAT average
1,053
Average registered art therapist salary by education level
| Registered art therapist education level | Registered art therapist salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $42,024 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $57,044 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $48,721 |
Registered art therapist 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