Art Therapy
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Types of Degrees Art Therapy Majors Are Getting
The following table lists how many art therapy/therapist graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.
Education Level | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Master’s Degree | 454 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 358 |
Undergraduate Certificate | 25 |
Graduate Certificate | 8 |
Basic Certificate | 7 |
Doctor’s Degree | 6 |
What Art Therapy Majors Need to Know
O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to art therapy and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.
Knowledge Areas for Art Therapy Majors
According to O*NET survey takers, a major in art therapy should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:
- 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.
- English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- 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.
- 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.
Skills for Art Therapy Majors
art therapy majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:
- Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- 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.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Abilities for Art Therapy Majors
As you progress with your art therapy degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:
- Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
- Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
- Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
- Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
- Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
What Can You Do With a Art Therapy Major?
People with a art therapy degree often go into the following careers:
Job Title | Job Growth Rate | Median Salary |
---|---|---|
Health Specialties Professors | 25.9% | $97,370 |
Therapists | 19.9% | $50,980 |
Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Art Therapy?
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of art therapy majors is as follows:
Race/Ethnicity | Number of Grads |
---|---|
Asian | 8 |
Black or African American | 14 |
Hispanic or Latino | 38 |
White | 271 |
International Students | 2 |
Other Races/Ethnicities | 25 |
Geographic Diversity
Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Art Therapy. About 0.6% of those with this major are international students.
How Much Do Art Therapy Majors Make?
Salaries According to BLS
Art Therapy majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $57,680 to $122,320 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.
To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.
Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Art Therapy
Some degrees associated with art therapy may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.
Find out what the typical degree level is for art therapy careers below.
Education Level | Percentage of Workers |
---|---|
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) | 2.9% |
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 4.6% |
Bachelor’s Degree | 12.5% |
Master’s Degree | 35.9% |
Doctoral Degree | 24.9% |
Post-Doctoral Training | 19.1% |
Online Art Therapy Programs
In the 2020-2021 academic year, 84 schools offered some type of art therapy/therapist program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.
Degree Level | Colleges Offering Programs | Colleges Offering Online Classes |
---|---|---|
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) | 0 | 0 |
Certificate (1-2 years) | 2 | 0 |
Certificate (2-4 Years) | 0 | 0 |
Associate’s Degree | 0 | 0 |
Bachelor’s Degree | 1 | 0 |
Post-Baccalaureate | 0 | 0 |
Master’s Degree | 33 | 2 |
Post-Master’s | 6 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Research) | 3 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) | 1 | 0 |
Doctor’s Degree (Other) | 0 | 0 |
Is a Degree in Art Therapy Worth It?
The median salary for a art therapy grad is $57,680 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.
This is 45% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $355,600 after 20 years!
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Majors Related to Art Therapy
You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to art therapy.
References
*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- College Scorecard
- National Center for Education Statistics
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020
- Image Credit: By Barbara E. Carver under License
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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