Each year, hundreds of students in the United States graduate with degrees in music therapy, pass their board-certification exams, and enter the workforce. These new professionals are bright, passionate, often ambitious, and ready to make a difference in the world.
It’s no surprise that many of them immediately join the frontlines of healthcare to provide direct services. However, data suggests that less than half remain in the field for even 10 years. So, where do they go, and why?
Many music therapists build the foundations of their careers on clinical practice but transition into adjacent roles as their careers progress. Some aim for a lifelong career providing music therapy services. Others dream of owning their own practice. I know a couple who, since college, have been determined to become professors in music therapy. Perhaps one of these routes reflects your goals - or maybe you’re considering a transition but aren’t sure what’s next.
This article explores the three primary career paths in music therapy - employment, entrepreneurship, and academia - and examines the unique advantages and challenges of each.
Path 1: Employment as a Music Therapist or Supervisor
For many music therapists, employment serves as the starting point for their professional journey. Working within an established organization provides structure, mentorship, and opportunities to develop foundational skills while focusing on client care. For some, this also leads to the opportunity to manage a team of music therapists or other (often psychosocial - art therapy, child life, chaplaincy) professionals.
In an employed role, music therapists typically work under the umbrella of an organization, delivering services to specific populations in settings such as hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers, nonprofits, or private practices. The nature of the work varies widely depending on the population served. Therapists may run one-on-one sessions with children with developmental disabilities, lead group therapy for individuals recovering from substance use disorders, or integrate music therapy into interdisciplinary treatment plans for patients in medical settings.
Employment offers more than just a paycheck; it provides a network of colleagues, access to resources, and supervision from experienced professionals. These roles often emphasize clinical work, allowing therapists to hone their therapeutic skills without the additional responsibilities of managing a business.
The Benefits of Employment
One of the most significant advantages of employment is stability. In addition to a predictable income, therapists in employed roles often receive benefits such as health insurance, retirement contributions, and paid time off. These perks can make employment particularly appealing for those seeking financial security and work-life balance.
Collaboration is another key benefit. Many employed music therapists work alongside interdisciplinary teams, including physicians, counselors, educators, and social workers. This team-based approach fosters professional growth and provides a support system for navigating the challenges of client care.
Moreover, employment allows therapists to dedicate the majority of their time to what they do best: helping clients. Without the need to manage billing, marketing, or other administrative tasks, employed therapists can focus on their clinical work and the meaningful impact it has on the individuals they serve. That said, some music therapists find opportunities to develop programs through employment with established companies (myself being one of them). Under these arrangements, music therapists can leverage the resources of larger organizations to give life to their own visions. Such opportunities offer the best of both worlds: the stability of employment and the creative potential of entrepreneurship.
The Challenges of Employment
Despite its advantages, employment is not without its challenges. One common frustration for employed therapists is the lack of autonomy. Therapists may need to adhere to organizational policies, treatment protocols, and productivity metrics, which can sometimes feel restrictive or misaligned with their personal priorities or creative preferences.
Burnout is another concern. Many employed therapists manage high caseloads, balancing the emotional demands of client care with the expectations of documentation, team meetings, and professional development. Without adequate support, the risk of emotional exhaustion increases.
Finally, while employment offers financial stability, salaries in this path often fall short of the earning potential available in entrepreneurial ventures. For therapists struggling with high costs of living, significant student loans, or financial aspirations, this can be a limiting factor.
Path 2: Entrepreneurship
For music therapists seeking autonomy, creativity, and the chance to chart their own course, entrepreneurship offers an appealing alternative to traditional employment. This path encompasses a wide range of opportunities, from starting a private practice to innovating the field through education, marketing, and resource development.
Entrepreneurship in music therapy is as diverse as the profession itself. It includes not only private practice owners and independent contractors providing direct client care, but also those who are expanding the field through adjacent endeavors. Many music therapists are developing and selling continuing education courses, creating session templates, designing digital resources, or even producing technology and therapeutic tools tailored to the profession. Others are leveraging social media to market music therapy, raise awareness, and connect with clients or peers in meaningful ways.
All forms of entrepreneurship - whether providing client care, developing courses, creating resources, or consulting - all offer valuable contributions to the grand mosaic of the profession. These ventures don’t exist in silos; they work together to strengthen the field as a whole. Practicing therapists generate demand for music therapy, while innovators create tools and platforms to support and advance clinical practice.
The Benefits of Entrepreneurship
One of the most attractive aspects of entrepreneurship is autonomy. As your own boss, you have the freedom to shape your career, choose your clients, and design services that reflect your values and expertise. Many entrepreneurs enjoy the benefit of working remotely, along with the flexibility of managing their own schedules. These complement the nature of creative work and building a client base within the target niche of the business owner.
The Challenges of Entrepreneurship
With that autonomy comes substantial responsibility. Entrepreneurs face financial risk, particularly in the early stages when income may be unpredictable. Building a business requires an initial investment of time, money, and energy, with no guarantee of success. Few music therapists have experience or formal training in managing budgets, developing marketing strategies, or ensuring compliant clinical and business operations. There are major implications for these, and for those managing employees, they grow exponentially.
Path 3: Academia
For music therapists with a passion for teaching, research, and mentorship, academia offers a fulfilling career path. This path focuses on shaping the future of the profession by educating new therapists and advancing the field through scholarship.
Academic roles in music therapy vary widely. Some therapists teach undergraduate or graduate courses, supervising students as they develop clinical skills. Others focus on research, conducting studies that contribute to the evidence base for music therapy. Many academics balance both responsibilities, teaching part-time while pursuing research and publication.
The Benefits of Academia
Academia offers the unique opportunity to shape the next generation of music therapists. By mentoring students and sharing their expertise, academics leave a lasting legacy that extends far beyond their own clinical work.
The intellectual stimulation of academia is another significant benefit. Engaging in research, writing, and scholarly exploration allows academics to deepen their understanding of the field and contribute to its growth.
Academic positions also provide stability, with consistent salaries, benefits, and opportunities for long-term career growth. For those who value structure and intellectual engagement, academia is an appealing choice.
The Challenges of Academia
Academia is not without its challenges. Faculty positions often come with high expectations for research output, which can overshadow teaching responsibilities. Balancing these demands requires strong time management and prioritization skills.
For therapists who especially value client care, the limited clinical time in academia could feel less grounded. Maintaining a small practice or finding other ways to stay connected to client work can help bridge this gap.
Finally, the field is highly competitive. Securing an academic position requires advanced degrees, extensive experience, a strong record of research or professional contributions, and an aptitude for writing and teaching.
Path 4: Life Beyond the Field
Not every music therapist remains in the field for his or her whole career. In fact, most don’t. According to a recent (2021) AMTA Workforce Analysis, less than 50% of practicing respondents had been in the field for 10 years or more. We’ll unpack the implications of that in a future article, but for now, it’s helpful to know there are other opportunities out there. Many music therapists transition into social work or counseling. Others pivot to careers in nursing or education. In some cases, they may leave healthcare entirely. And while these transitions can feel like a loss for the profession, they also present important opportunities for growth.
Why Do Therapists Leave?
Burnout is a common reason for leaving the field. The emotional demands of clinical work, combined with high caseloads and administrative responsibilities, can lead to exhaustion. Financial considerations also play a role, as some therapists seek higher-paying opportunities in other fields. And finally, some therapists simply discover new passions that lead them to pursue different careers. All of these motivations are perfectly valid.
What Happens When Therapists Leave?
Bad news first: the field is becoming a revolving door. We can infer this from the data. There are lots of music therapy programs - over 80 in the United States. But there aren’t that many working music therapists. As of the publication of this article, there are less than 10,000 board-certified music therapists in CBMT’s directory. And it’s important to note: that’s board-certified music therapists - not practicing clinicians. This figure includes those who move to adjacent positions like business owners and professors who simply maintain their credentials. An analysis of the workforce shows that while the number of college graduates entering the profession is increasing (about 700 per year), the creation of new full-time music therapy jobs lags significantly (only 44 in 2021). This indicates that the rate of attrition exceeds the rate of job growth and retention in the profession. In other words, music therapists are leaving the field at a higher rate than they are entering it. This trend makes it challenging to improve our services, as many aren’t staying in the field long enough to develop. Similarly, much of the work advocates are doing to improve clinical outcomes, the scope of the credential, and evidence long-term benefits of music therapy will struggle to gain traction.
Now the silver lining: While the departure of talented therapists is challenging and needs to be addressed, it also brings opportunities. Those who transition to new fields often become ambassadors for music therapy, integrating its principles into other industries and raising awareness of its benefits. This representation can be particularly beneficial as former music therapists advance into senior leadership positions and roles of greater influence. I left (full-time) clinical practice years ago to establish a career in administration. But in every role I served, I advocated for music therapy. This served as an impetus for a grant-funded program at a major cancer institute, as well as a full-time hospice music therapy position later fulfilled by a colleague. I now manage a company that employs a dozen music therapists and brings care to hundreds of people, and I never could have accomplished any of that without venturing beyond the field.
Employment, entrepreneurship, and academia each play a vital role in the music therapy landscape. Frontline practitioners provide the direct care that demonstrates the value of music therapy. Entrepreneurs drive innovation by creating tools, resources, and platforms that enhance clinical practice and client outcomes. Academics educate new therapists and advance the field through research and scholarship. Together, these roles contribute to an essential and rewarding profession - for both music therapists and the people we serve.
Conclusion: Navigating Your Path in Music Therapy
Choosing a career path - or transitioning between them - is a deeply personal decision. It requires reflection on your values, skills, and long-term goals, as well as an understanding of how your work fits into the broader profession. While employment provides stability and direct client care, entrepreneurship fosters creativity and innovation, and academia offers the chance to mentor and educate future therapists. Many therapists weave between these roles over the course of their careers, enriching the field with their diverse experiences.
If I could encourage music therapists to do one thing, it would be to never stop providing clinical work. No matter the capacity in which you serve - as an employee, an entrepreneur, or an academic - providing care at the frontline is an essential practice that grounds us all in the core purpose of this profession. This not only sustains our field but also provides a symbiotic benefit to us all, helping us stay connected to what matters most in the field: serving others.
