Occupation Summary

Music Therapists

O*NET 29-1129.02

Description:

Plan, organize, direct, or assess clinical and evidenced-based music therapy interventions to positively influence individuals' physical, psychological, cognitive, or behavioral status.

Annual Wages:
$65,537.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by %.
Education Level:
Bachelor's Degree. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Public Service, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)

  1. Adapt existing or develop new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client's needs.
  2. Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of specific treatments or therapy approaches.
  3. Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy.
  4. Assess client functioning levels, strengths, and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, physical, cognitive, social, spiritual, or other abilities.
  5. Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.
  6. Confer with professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.
  7. Customize treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy, such as intellectual or developmental disabilities, educational settings, geriatrics, medical settings, mental health, physical disabilities, or wellness.
  8. Design music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives.
  9. Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony.
  10. Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.
  11. Gather diagnostic data from sources such as case documentation, observations of clients, or interviews with clients or family members.
  12. Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs.
  13. Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to music therapy.
  14. Plan or structure music therapy sessions to achieve appropriate transitions, pacing, sequencing, energy level, or intensity in accordance with treatment plans.
  15. Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments.
  16. Design or provide music therapy experiences to address client needs, such as using music for self-care, adjusting to life changes, improving cognitive functioning, raising self-esteem, communicating, or controlling impulses.
  17. Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives.
  18. Communicate with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences.
  19. Document evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
  20. Assess the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients.
  21. Compose, arrange, or adapt music for music therapy treatments.
  22. Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.
  23. Conduct, or assist in the conduct of, music therapy research.
  24. Identify and respond to emergency physical or mental health situations.
  25. Integrate behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical, or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments.
  26. Apply selected research findings to practice.
  27. Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns engaged in music therapy activities.
  28. Apply current technology to music therapy practices.
  29. Collaborate with others to design or implement interdisciplinary treatment programs.
  30. Participate in continuing education.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Music Therapists employed Annual Growth Rate
Offices of other health practitioners 8.7 1.98
Individual and family services 4.7 1.41
Outpatient care centers 4.4 2.03
Elementary and secondary schools 2.7 0.87


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $31.51
2024 National average hourly wage $35.48




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
Region Employment Projected Employment 2032 Projected
Annual Openings 2032
Annual
Growth Rate
Average Income
Texas (all regions) Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable Unavailable
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
97.60%
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
97.60%
Fine Arts
Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
96.20%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
82.40%
Sociology and Anthropology
Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
78.40%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
78.40%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
77.00%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
59.20%
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
58.40%
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
58.40%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
85.00%
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
82.40%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
80.00%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
80.00%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
80.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
80.00%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
75.00%
Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
75.00%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
75.00%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
65.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
82.40%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
82.40%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
80.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
77.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
77.60%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
77.60%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
77.60%
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
77.60%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
77.60%
Fluency of Ideas
The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
75.00%


  • Thinking Creatively
    -- Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    -- Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies
    -- Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.



Tools

Bells: Handbells;

Compact disk players or recorders: Compact disk CD players;

Cymbals: Orchestral cymbals;

Digital camcorders or video cameras: Digital video cameras;

Digital voice recorders: Digital audio recorders;

Drums: Bass drums; Snare drums;

Electrocardiography EKG units: Heart rate monitors;

Electronic blood pressure units: Automatic blood pressure cuffs;

Fixed computer gaming console: Video game consoles;

Guitars: Acoustic guitars;

Laser printers: Computer laser printers;

Microphones: Handheld microphones;

MP3 players or recorders: MP3 players;

Musical flutes: Musical flutes;

Musical organs: Electronic organs;

Notebook computers: Laptop computers;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Pianos: Pianos; Electronic keyboards;

Rhythm band sets: Rhythm instruments;

Tablet computers: Tablet computers;

Timpanies: Timpani;

Video games: Music video games;

Violins: Violins;

Violoncellos: Cellos;

Xylophones: Metallophones;

Zither: Autoharps;


Technology

Electronic mail software: Email software;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Medical software: Electronic health record EHR software;

Music or sound editing software: Avid Technology Pro Tools; Musical instrument digital interface MIDI software; Virtual instrument software;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Music Therapists include:
  • 29-1141.02 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
  • 29-1129.01 Art Therapists
  • 19-3033.00 Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
  • 21-1013.00 Marriage and Family Therapists
  • 21-1014.00 Mental Health Counselors
  • 29-1122.00 Occupational Therapists
  • 29-1123.00 Physical Therapists
  • 29-1223.00 Psychiatrists
  • 29-1125.00 Recreational Therapists
  • 29-1127.00 Speech-Language Pathologists


No sources of additional information found.

Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.