by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in Movement Therapy and Movement Education explores Movement Therapy And Movement Education. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Use Functional And Expressive Integration Strategies To Help Promote Somatic Awareness And Optimal Psychophysical Functioning. Includes Instruction In Skilled Touch Techniques, Kinesthetic Awareness Processes, Movement Observation, Patterning, Client Assessment And Guidance, Verbal And Nonverbal Communication, Practice Management, Professional Standards And Ethics, And Specific Therapeutic And Educational Modalities. Continue reading for the key facts every movement therapy and movement education student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering movement therapy and movement education programs.
Across the country, movement therapy and movement education is a widely-pursued major, with 75 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Movement Therapy and Movement Education Schools ranking analyzes these 5 schools to determine the best overall colleges for movement therapy and movement education students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of movement therapy and movement education programs later in this article.
Programs in Movement Therapy and Movement Education develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations movement therapy and movement education graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a movement therapy and movement education program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a movement therapy and movement education major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several movement therapy and movement education degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 49 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 20 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 6 |
People currently working in careers related to movement therapy and movement education tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 59.0% |
| Master’s degree | 29.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 9.3% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in movement therapy and movement education careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in movement therapy and movement education opens doors to numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to movement therapy and movement education.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to movement therapy and movement education.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Music Therapists | 3,083,788 | 4.9% |
| Therapists, All Other | 2,758,134 | -2.9% |
| Art Therapists | 715,793 | 1.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of movement therapy and movement education graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $26,390 |
| 4 years | $24,770 |
| 5 years | $33,461 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for movement therapy and movement education graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers movement therapy and movement education grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Therapists, All Other | $121,750 |
| Music Therapists | $71,670 |
| Art Therapists | $40,748 |
With 5 different movement therapy and movement education programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased movement therapy and movement education school rankings to help you.
Those considering movement therapy and movement education, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Hypnotherapy/Hypnotherapist | 399 |
| Yoga Teacher Training/Yoga Therapy | 98 |
| Movement and Mind-Body Therapies and Education, Other | 3 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
