Music Therapists
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations- O*NET-SOC code
- 29-1129.02
Plan, organize, direct, or assess clinical and evidenced-based music therapy interventions to positively influence individuals' physical, psychological, cognitive, or behavioral status.
- Data source: BLSPublished: 2026-08
High· relative
LowFour relative bandsVery highGroup-level value
Scale, basis and source
Four relative bands (Low / Moderate / High / Very high)
831 detailed occupations in the BLS Employment Projections table. Assigned per National Employment Matrix (NEM) code, so occupations sharing a NEM code carry the same band
- Data source: AnthropicPublished: 2026-03
0.040
0.000Range of values carried here0.745Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Observed exposure index, 0–1 as published
Mapped onto O*NET tasks
Published per SOC 2018 occupation; every O*NET occupation with the same SOC 2018 code carries this value
- Data source: ILOPublished: 2025
0.20
0.09Range of values carried here0.70Group-level value
Scale, basis and source
Generative AI exposure index, 0–1 as published
Published per ISCO-08 unit group. Linked to this occupation, wholly or in part, by applying U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (ISCO-08 to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to 2018 SOC) as published
What kind of figure this source publishes
The BLS category is a relative rank, not an absolute level, and it is not a first-hand measurement: it groups an occupation's percentile ranks across several published studies into four bands. It is not an employment or wage forecast, not a probability of adoption, and it does not separate automation from augmentation.
Task-level exposure
Exposed tasks only30 rated tasks · 22 tasks with β ≥ 0.5 (73.3%)
β = direct exposure (E1) + 0.5 × exposure when tools are available (E2), per the source repository's definition.
- Source unit: O*NET 27.2 tasks → O*NET 31.0 occupation code
- All rated tasks are in the O*NET 31.0 task list.
- Source
- OpenAI "GPTs are GPTs" exposure rubric
- Release
- gh-main-0471612
- License
- MIT License, Copyright (c) 2024 OpenAI
Values in this tab are predicted labels, not observations. Eloundou et al. (2023) published two rating regimes — human raters and GPT-4 — and the β shown here is derived from the GPT-4 rater basis alone; the same task can take a different value under the other regime. The unit and the meaning differ from the observed shares (%) in the other tabs, so do not place them on the same axis.
| Task (O*NET 27.2) | βE1 + 0.5 × E2 |
|---|---|
Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to music therapy.O*NET Task ID 19176 | 1.0 |
Document evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups.O*NET Task ID 19182 | 1.0 |
Compose, arrange, or adapt music for music therapy treatments.O*NET Task ID 19184 | 1.0 |
Participate in continuing education.O*NET Task ID 20167 | 1.0 |
Adapt existing or develop new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client's needs.O*NET Task ID 19164 | 0.5 |
Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of specific treatments or therapy approaches.O*NET Task ID 19165 | 0.5 |
Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy.O*NET Task ID 19166 | 0.5 |
Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms.O*NET Task ID 19168 | 0.5 |
Confer with professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.O*NET Task ID 19169 | 0.5 |
Customize treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy, such as intellectual or developmental disabilities, educational settings, geriatrics, medical settings, mental health, physical disabilities, or wellness.O*NET Task ID 19170 | 0.5 |
Design music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives.O*NET Task ID 19171 | 0.5 |
Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony.O*NET Task ID 19172 | 0.5 |
Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment.O*NET Task ID 19173 | 0.5 |
Gather diagnostic data from sources such as case documentation, observations of clients, or interviews with clients or family members.O*NET Task ID 19174 | 0.5 |
Plan or structure music therapy sessions to achieve appropriate transitions, pacing, sequencing, energy level, or intensity in accordance with treatment plans.O*NET Task ID 19177 | 0.5 |
Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments.O*NET Task ID 19178 | 0.5 |
Design or provide music therapy experiences to address client needs, such as using music for self-care, adjusting to life changes, improving cognitive functioning, raising self-esteem, communicating, or controlling impulses.O*NET Task ID 19179 | 0.5 |
Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives.O*NET Task ID 19180 | 0.5 |
Conduct, or assist in the conduct of, music therapy research.O*NET Task ID 19186 | 0.5 |
Apply selected research findings to practice.O*NET Task ID 19189 | 0.5 |
Apply current technology to music therapy practices.O*NET Task ID 20165 | 0.5 |
Collaborate with others to design or implement interdisciplinary treatment programs.O*NET Task ID 20166 | 0.5 |
Assess client functioning levels, strengths, and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, physical, cognitive, social, spiritual, or other abilities.O*NET Task ID 19167 | 0.0 |
Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs.O*NET Task ID 19175 | 0.0 |
Communicate with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences.O*NET Task ID 19181 | 0.0 |
Assess the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients.O*NET Task ID 19183 | 0.0 |
Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community.O*NET Task ID 19185 | 0.0 |
Identify and respond to emergency physical or mental health situations.O*NET Task ID 19187 | 0.0 |
Integrate behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical, or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments.O*NET Task ID 19188 | 0.0 |
Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns engaged in music therapy activities.O*NET Task ID 19190 | 0.0 |
β = E1 + 0.5 × E2 · E1 = tasks where direct LLM access alone cuts time by at least 50%, E2 = tasks where software built on top of an LLM cuts time by at least 50%. Values take only 0 / 0.5 / 1.0.
Data sources & licenses — O*NET®, Eloundou et al. (2023): see full notices on the Credits page
All O*NET 31.0 task statements (30)
All O*NET 31.0 task statements for this occupation (English, as published; task type core or supplemental). Exposure values are not listed here; they are in the table above, next to each task statement as worded in the O*NET version each source used.
| Task (O*NET 31.0) | Type |
|---|---|
| Adapt existing or develop new music therapy assessment instruments or procedures to meet an individual client's needs. | Core |
| Analyze data to determine the effectiveness of specific treatments or therapy approaches. | Core |
| Analyze or synthesize client data to draw conclusions or make recommendations for therapy. | Core |
| Assess client functioning levels, strengths, and areas of need in terms of perceptual, sensory, affective, communicative, musical, physical, cognitive, social, spiritual, or other abilities. | Core |
| Communicate client assessment findings and recommendations in oral, written, audio, video, or other forms. | Core |
| Confer with professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans. | Core |
| Customize treatment programs for specific areas of music therapy, such as intellectual or developmental disabilities, educational settings, geriatrics, medical settings, mental health, physical disabilities, or wellness. | Core |
| Design music therapy experiences, using various musical elements to meet client's goals or objectives. | Core |
| Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony. | Core |
| Establish client goals or objectives for music therapy treatment, considering client needs, capabilities, interests, overall therapeutic program, coordination of treatment, or length of treatment. | Core |
| Gather diagnostic data from sources such as case documentation, observations of clients, or interviews with clients or family members. | Core |
| Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs. | Core |
| Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to music therapy. | Core |
| Plan or structure music therapy sessions to achieve appropriate transitions, pacing, sequencing, energy level, or intensity in accordance with treatment plans. | Core |
| Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments. | Core |
| Design or provide music therapy experiences to address client needs, such as using music for self-care, adjusting to life changes, improving cognitive functioning, raising self-esteem, communicating, or controlling impulses. | Core |
| Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives. | Core |
| Communicate with clients to build rapport, acknowledge their progress, or reflect upon their reactions to musical experiences. | Core |
| Document evaluations, treatment plans, case summaries, or progress or other reports related to individual clients or client groups. | Core |
| Assess the risks and benefits of treatment termination for clients. | Core |
| Compose, arrange, or adapt music for music therapy treatments. | Core |
| Conduct information sharing sessions, such as in-service workshops for other professionals, potential client groups, or the general community. | Core |
| Conduct, or assist in the conduct of, music therapy research. | Core |
| Identify and respond to emergency physical or mental health situations. | Core |
| Integrate behavioral, developmental, improvisational, medical, or neurological approaches into music therapy treatments. | Core |
| Apply selected research findings to practice. | Core |
| Supervise staff, volunteers, practicum students, or interns engaged in music therapy activities. | Core |
| Apply current technology to music therapy practices. | Core |
| Collaborate with others to design or implement interdisciplinary treatment programs. | Core |
| Participate in continuing education. | Core |
0.00/ 3· Robot exposure index
Scale, basis and source
Each physical task is graded 0–3 by the setting in which robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated could do it (0 none · 1 purpose-built robot settings such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line · 2 structured facilities such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port · 3 unstructured settings such as a private home or a construction site), and the grades are averaged by share of working time
Physical tasks among this occupation's O*NET 29.3 tasks
Anthropic estimated the grades and time shares with Claude Opus 5 using web search, as of 2026.
The robot exposure index is a different measure from the AI exposure figures on this site and cannot be added to or compared with them. It does not measure actual adoption or cost, and 0 also covers occupations with no physical tasks.
Tier of each physical task
Robot environment tiers (E0–E3)
E0 noneDetails
Rated not doable by robots that have been deployed, sold or demonstrated, even in a purpose-built setting
E1 purpose-built robot settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting built around the machine, such as a fenced machine cell or a bottling line
E2 structured facilitiesDetails
Rated doable in a human work facility that an institution keeps to a working standard, such as a hospital pharmacy or a container port
E3 unstructured settingsDetails
Rated doable in a setting that no institution keeps to a working standard, such as a private home or a construction site
Only tasks classified as physical are listed; other tasks have no tier in the source.
| Task (O*NET 29.3) | Robot environment tier |
|---|---|
| Engage clients in music experiences to identify client responses to different styles of music, types of musical experiences, such as improvising or listening, or elements of music, such as tempo or harmony. | E0 none |
| Improvise instrumentally, vocally, or physically to meet client's therapeutic needs. | E0 none |
| Sing or play musical instruments, such as keyboard, guitar, or percussion instruments. | E0 none |
| Select or adapt musical instruments, musical equipment, or non-musical materials, such as adaptive devices or visual aids, to meet treatment objectives. | E0 none |
| Apply current technology to music therapy practices. | E0 none |
Occupation information
Employment outlook (BLS)
Values for the whole SOC 29-1129 group (Therapists, all other), not for this O*NET occupation alone.
- Employment, 2025
- 56K
- Projected employment, 2035
- 63K
- Change (2025–35)
- +12.6%
- Median annual wage, 2025
- $77,930
- Typical education needed for entry
- Bachelor's degree
Korea classification links (KSCO)
Links from the current release of the Korea Occupation Direct Crosswalk v1.1, made by AI Changing Work. Relation values are read from the O*NET-SOC occupation side.
| KSCO code | KSCO title | Relation | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 24692 | 음악 및 미술치료사 | This occupation is narrower | confirmed |
Relation and status definitions(kr-direct v1.1)
ILO occupational description
AI Changing Work links the ISCO-08 unit groups below to this occupation by applying the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics crosswalks (2018 SOC to 2010 SOC, 2010 SOC to ISCO-08) as published, without case-by-case selection; each link may be whole or partial.
- ISCO-08 2269Health Professionals Not Elsewhere Classified
The definition, tasks and examples below are the ILO's description of that unit group, not of this occupation.
This unit group covers health professionals not classified elsewhere in Sub-major Group 22: Health Professionals. For instance, the group includes occupations such as podiatrist, occupational therapist, recreational therapist, chiropractor, osteopath and other professionals providing diagnostic, preventive, curative and rehabilitative health services.
Tasks
- In such cases tasks would include -
- (a) interviewing patients and conducting diagnostic tests to determine their health status, functional limitations, and the nature of physical or mental disorders, illnesses or other health problems;
- (b) developing and implementing treatment plans for injuries, illnesses and other physical and mental impairments;
- (c) evaluating and documenting patients' progress through treatment plans, and referring patients and families to medical doctors or other health care providers for specialized, rehabilitative or other care services as needed;
- (d) administering therapeutic care and treatment to patients, including through application of manual and physical chiropractic and osteopathic techniques;
- (e) recommending environmental adaptations in the home, leisure, work and school environments on an individual or group basis to enable individuals with functional limitations to perform their daily activities and occupations;
- (f) planning and implementing therapeutic programmes on an individual and group basis for improving and maintaining physical, cognitive, emotional and social functioning, including through the use of arts and crafts, dance and movement, music and other recreational activities;
- (g) identifying and prescribing treatments for conditions affecting the foot, ankle and related structures of the leg due to illness, disease or other physical impairment, and prescribing corrective footwear and advising on foot care to manage foot ailments;
- (h) performing minor surgical procedures such as on the foot and ankles.
Example occupations
Arts therapist · Chiropractor · Dance and movement therapist · Occupational therapist · Osteopath · Podiatrist · Recreational therapist
Sources: ILO ISCO-08 — details: Credits
ESCO occupational vocabulary
Each entry below is matched to this occupation in the published ESCO-O*NET Crosswalk (version 1, 2022). The match types are that crosswalk's; the wording is AI Changing Work's.
- music therapistESCO 2269.9.4Same scope
Music therapists use music-therapeutic interventions to treat patients with behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions to prevent, mitigate or eliminate symptoms and to change behaviours and attitudes requiring treatment. They promote and maintain or restore the development, maturity and health of the patient/client by music-therapeutic interventions. Music therapy especially provides help for people with with emotional, somatic, intellectually or socially induced behavioural disorders and pathogenic conditions, such as psychoses (schizophrenic disorders, bipolar disorders) and personality development disorders.
- recreational therapistESCO 2269.9This occupation is narrower
Recreational therapists offer treatment to persons who have behavioural disorders or conditions. They use techniques and interventions such as art, music, animals and dance to promote, maintain and restore the development and health of the patient.
- dance therapistESCO 2269.9.3This occupation is broader
Dance therapists support individuals with their emotional, mental or physical health problems helping them to improve their body awareness, self-esteem, social integration and personal development through dance and movement patterns within a therapeutic environment.
Source: European Commission, DG EMPL — ESCO API 2026-08-08 (bridge v1.2.1)
License: CC BY 4.0 (EU Reuse Notice)
ESCO reuse terms and the modification notice are in Credits.
France classification links (ROME)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and ROME 4.0 job profiles, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side. Links marked “provisional” were adopted on the judgments of two judges from the same model family (Claude) alone, or by an operator rule applied to their judgments, so they rest on weaker evidence than confirmed links.
| ROME code | ROME title (French) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| K1105 | Art thérapeute | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: France Travail — Répertoire Opérationnel des Métiers et des Emplois (ROME 4.0), version 61, last updated 15 June 2026 (https://www.data.gouv.fr/datasets/repertoire-operationnel-des-metiers-et-des-emplois-rome). Licence Ouverte 2.0.
ROME codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET-SOC occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a France Travail correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: fr-direct v1)
Spain classification links (CNO-11)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and CNO-11 occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| CNO-11 code | CNO-11 title (Spanish) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 2159 | Profesionales de la salud no clasificados bajo otros epígrafes | This occupation is narrowerprovisional |
Source: Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), National Classification of Occupations 2011 (CNO-11, Royal Decree 1591/2010) — www.ine.es · Licensed CC BY 4.0. CNO-11 codes and Spanish titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not an INE correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: es-direct v1)
Germany classification links (KldB)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and KldB occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| KldB code | KldB title (German) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 81743 | Berufe in der Musik- und Kunsttherapie - komplexe Spezialistentätigkeiten | This occupation is narrower |
| 81744 | Berufe in der Musik- und Kunsttherapie - hoch komplexe Tätigkeiten | Overlapping, not the same |
Source: © Statistik der Bundesagentur für Arbeit — Klassifikation der Berufe 2010 – überarbeitete Fassung 2020, https://statistik.arbeitsagentur.de. KldB codes and titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own mapping (eigene Zuordnung) and are not a Bundesagentur für Arbeit correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: de-direct v1)
Japan classification links (JSCO)
AI Changing Work's links between this occupation and JSCO occupations, judged with AI models. Relations are read from this occupation's side.
| JSCO code | JSCO title (Japanese) | Relation |
|---|---|---|
| 159 | 他に分類されない保健医療従事者 | Related, not a match |
| 162 | 福祉施設指導専門員 | Related, not a match |
Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC), Japan Standard Occupational Classification (Dec. 2009, MIC Notification No. 555). JSCO codes and Japanese titles are reproduced unchanged; the links to O*NET occupations are AI Changing Work's own judgment and are not a MIC correspondence.
(AI Changing Work link release: jp-direct v1)
Sources, licenses and AI Changing Work's modification and translation notices for this page: Credits & sources