by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Art Therapy covers Art Therapy/therapist. A Program That Prepares Individuals, In Consultation With Other Rehabilitation Team Members Or In Private Practice, To Use Drawing And Other Art Media Forms To Assess, Treat, And Rehabilitate Individuals With Mental, Emotional, Developmental, Or Physical Disorders. Includes Instruction In Art, History And Theory Of Art Therapy, Art Therapeutic Techniques, Psychopathology, Patient Assessment And Diagnosis, Cultural Diversity Issues, Legal And Ethical Practice Issues, And Professional Standards And Regulations. Continue reading for the important information every art therapy major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering art therapy programs.
In the U.S., art therapy is a popular field of study, with 768 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Art Therapy Schools ranking analyzes these 69 schools to determine the best overall colleges for art therapy students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of art therapy programs later in this article.
Studies in Art Therapy emphasize a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations art therapy graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a art therapy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a art therapy major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several art therapy 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 31 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 203 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 526 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 8 |
People currently working in careers related to art therapy tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 47.4% |
| Master’s degree | 31.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 7.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 5.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in art therapy careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Studying art therapy prepares you for numerous career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to art therapy.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to art therapy.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Music Therapists | 3,083,788 | 4.9% |
| Therapists, All Other | 2,758,134 | -2.9% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Art Therapists | 715,793 | 1.6% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of art therapy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $67,332 |
| 4 years | $70,102 |
| 5 years | $75,167 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for art therapy graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers art therapy grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Therapists, All Other | $121,750 |
| Music Therapists | $71,670 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
| Art Therapists | $40,748 |
With 69 different art therapy programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased art therapy school rankings to help you.
Students interested in art therapy, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
