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Art Therapists

Typical education: Master's degreeModerate pressure Bright Outlook

What they do

Plan or conduct art therapy sessions or programs to improve clients' physical, cognitive, or emotional well-being.

Kinds of work

  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.
  • Artistic: Creating, designing and expressing ideas through art, writing, music or performance.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

Moderate pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $77,930 Median per year · $37.47/hr Most earn $46,540–$152,530

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Write treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.
  • Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
  • Select or prepare artistic media or related equipment or devices to accomplish therapy session objectives.
  • Review research or literature in art therapy, psychology, or related disciplines.
  • Instruct individuals or groups in the use of art media, such as paint, clay, or yarn.
  • Coordinate field trips for client groups to museums or other public displays of art.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
13% more jobs by 2035, much faster than average · about 3,600 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Self-employed (their own business)58.8%
  • Offices of mental health practitioners (except physicians)6.5%
  • Offices of physical, occupational and speech therapists, and audiologists6.4%
  • General medical and surgical hospitals4.6%
  • Outpatient mental health and substance abuse centers3.8%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Master's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Art therapy is not an entry-level job. Most people need a master's degree and about 1 to 2 years of related work with people before they start, so plan on roughly 6 to 8 years after high school. The path below is one common route, not the only one.

  1. Bachelor's degree in psychology, art, or a related field

    4 years

    You build a base in how people think and feel and in making art, and you can take volunteer or part-time work with people during this time. Most art therapy master's programs look for this background.

  2. Activities Assistant or Mental Health Technician

    1-2 years

    You work directly with clients in settings like hospitals, schools, or community programs, which gives you hands-on experience and shows graduate programs you are ready for the work.

  3. Master's degree in art therapy

    2-3 years

    You learn counseling theory, how art is used in therapy, and supervised clinical practice. Many programs include a required internship, and this training is what qualifies you for the career.

  4. Art Therapist

    Ongoing career

    You plan and lead art-based sessions that support clients' emotional, cognitive, or physical well-being. Many art therapists also need a state license or board certification, so check the requirements where you want to work.

Where it can lead

  1. Clinical Supervisor or Art Therapy Program Coordinator

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on oversight of other staff, plan programs, and mentor newer therapists, which usually requires more years of clinical work and sometimes extra licensure.

  2. Clinical and Counseling Psychologist

    2-4 years of experience first

    This is a move into a higher-level role that needs a doctoral degree, which means several more years of graduate training, but it can build on the counseling skills you already have.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take psychology, sociology, or a counseling-related classThese classes introduce how people think and feel, which is the foundation of therapy work.
  • Take art classes, including drawing, painting, or ceramicsStrong art skills and experience with different materials will help you understand how clients might use art in sessions.
  • Volunteer at a nursing home, hospital, or community centerWorking with people of different ages and needs shows you whether you enjoy supporting others.
  • Join a school art club or peer support or mentoring groupClubs build teamwork and give you a chance to practice listening and expressing yourself.
  • Get a part-time job working with kids or older adults, such as camp counselor or babysitterStarter jobs teach patience, communication, and responsibility with people who may be going through hard times.

In college

  • Major in psychology, art, or a related fieldA psychology major covers counseling foundations and an art major builds your creative skills, and either one fits the usual path to graduate study.
  • Take a course in art therapy or counseling if your school offers oneAn introduction to art therapy shows you how the field works and helps you decide whether to pursue it.
  • Volunteer or intern at a mental health, hospital, or community settingHands-on work with clients builds the experience that graduate programs and employers expect.
  • Work a campus job in student support, residence life, or a peer counseling programThis gives you ongoing practice listening to and supporting others while you earn a paycheck.
  • Join a student art or psychology club and talk with faculty about research or graduate schoolConnections with professors can lead to research roles and strong recommendation letters for master's programs.

Tips for getting started

  • Get experience with people now, such as volunteering at a hospital, nursing home, or youth center, since most master's programs and employers look for hands-on work.
  • Keep making art regularly and build a simple portfolio, because art skill matters for this career alongside counseling training.
  • Talk to a working art therapist or a college counselor about which graduate programs and licensing rules apply in your state.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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