How to become a Music Therapist

Plans and delivers music therapy interventions to improve physical, psychological, cognitive or behavioural skills and function.

Main tasks

• Conducts assessments to determine health and wellbeing goals and therapeutic needs
• Creates individualised treatment plans that incorporate music therapy interventions to address clients' specific needs and goals
• Collaborates with clients, their families, significant others and other stakeholders to establish a client-focused treatment plan
• Selects and adapts music, musical instruments and equipment for use in treatment
• Creates and plays musical instruments, compositions, arrangements or scores for therapeutic purposes
• Documents evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries and progress reports
• Collaborates with other Health Professionals in multidisciplinary teams to provide comprehensive assessment, intervention and treatment

Ways in

• University: Creative Arts & Design degrees, Offered by 38 universities in Australia
• Licence or registration: Registration or licensing may be required.

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

• About 9,500 people work in this job group now, and about 12,700 are projected by 2035. (+34%)
• AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Related jobs

• Arts Therapist
• Behaviour Support Practitioner
• Counsellor (General)
• Alcohol and Other Drugs Counsellor
• Family and Relationship Counsellor
• Psychotherapist

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Music Therapist?

Ways in include: Creative Arts & Design degrees.

Is a Music Therapist a growing career in Australia?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 34% by 2035, from about 9,500 to about 12,700 people (Jobs and Skills Australia).

Do you need a degree to become a Music Therapist?

Usually. 69% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Music Therapist?

AI is more likely to help with parts of this job than to do it. Jobs and Skills Australia rates its automation exposure as low.

Sources

• Jobs and Skills Australia: Occupation data (ANZSCO), from ABS Labour Force and Census (February 2026), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Generative AI Capacity Study, interactive table data (September 2025), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Jobs and Skills Australia: Employment Projections (Victoria University) (May 2025 to May 2035), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-04
• Australian Taxation Office: Taxation Statistics, Individuals Table 15A (2023-24), CC BY 2.5 AU, retrieved 2026-10-04

Updated 2026-10-04