Music and Sound Healing Therapy Education

Learn about sound healing training courses and careers.

Sound healing is based on the principle that sound changes consciousness.

Through sound healing training courses, practitioners learn how to use toning, chanting or vibrations from the voice or instruments to stimulate self-healing in clients.

From relaxation to reduced pain, music and sound healing can help people of all ages achieve better health and wellness.

Career Overview

Music and sound healing professionals practice in hospitals, schools, nurseries, birthing centers, rehabilitation facilities and retirement communities.

As an integrative therapy, sound healing is a natural complement to many alternative medicine practices, such as massage, reflexology and other bodywork treatments.

Some conditions that music and sound healing can influence include these:

Chronic pain
Stress
Auditory tonal processing difficulties
Hearing sensitivities
Learning disabilities
Mental health issues
Well-being for the elderly
Pregnancy and birth

Training and Education

What You’ll Study in Sound Healing School

You’ll find certificate and degree programs in sound healing training available through specialized sound healing institutes.

Additionally, several colleges and universities across the country offer traditional degrees in music therapy. In general, you can expect your sound healing training courses to cover these topics:

Structure and physics of sound
History of sound healing
Applied study on clinical instruments
Sound consciousness and spirituality
Wellness for musicians
Aural and musical language skills
Psychology
Counseling theories and strategies
Internship or Clinical practicum

Average Length of Study

An associate’s program in music therapy takes two years to complete; bachelor’s programs require four years of study and include general studies courses to round out your music therapy curriculum.

Specialized music and sound healing training programs can vary in length, but generally involve at least 200 hours of course work and practice time.

Average Tuition

Tuition for music and sound healing training certificate programs range from $2,500 to $4,000. At traditional colleges and universities, music therapy degree programs start at $395 per credit hour.

Sound Healing Certification

Music and sound healing professionals can get certified through the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). Although voluntary, certification reflects that the music therapist has met rigorous standards for education and practice and is committed to ongoing professional development through continuing education courses.

Career Outlook

Classified as recreational therapists in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ current Occupational Outlook Handbook, music and sound healing professionals can anticipate a 3.6% increase in employment through 2032, which is about as fast as average.

Most of that growth will stem from an increasing need for recreational therapists to provide services to an aging baby boomer population, especially at nursing care facilities.

Sound Healing Therapy Salary

The BLS says those working for hospitals and state government agencies earn top wages in the profession. You can research median annual salaries by state for recreational therapists here:

Recreational Therapists

National data

Median Salary: $57,120

Projected job growth: 3.6%

10th Percentile: $37,960

25th Percentile: $46,420

75th Percentile: $73,150

90th Percentile: $92,080

Projected job growth: 3.6%

State data

State	Median Salary	Bottom 10%	Top 10%
Alabama	$51,760	$41,600	$71,410
Arizona	$58,870	$47,840	$89,380
Arkansas	$51,670	$37,210	$85,030
California	$93,080	$59,200	$101,430
Colorado	$54,470	$41,620	$81,820
Connecticut	$65,350	$43,370	$97,470
Delaware	$40,700	$39,150	$65,900
District of Columbia	$81,440	$56,650	$109,920
Florida	$52,540	$33,760	$83,400
Georgia	$46,610	$35,700	$71,410
Idaho	$51,830	$43,670	$69,120
Illinois	$61,090	$43,890	$89,750
Indiana	$50,250	$27,800	$74,090
Iowa	$48,100	$40,070	$76,810
Kansas	$38,590	$30,540	$49,980
Kentucky	$46,750	$32,690	$64,690
Louisiana	$48,000	$37,110	$67,770
Maryland	$55,160	$36,140	$79,680
Massachusetts	$53,980	$36,570	$90,450
Michigan	$59,060	$42,950	$76,000
Minnesota	$64,780	$47,720	$82,690
Mississippi	$36,850	$26,170	$63,990
Missouri	$48,600	$33,610	$80,080
Montana	$50,520	$36,260	$85,570
Nebraska	$59,360	$45,170	$73,420
Nevada	$76,220	$48,110	$97,710
New Hampshire	$57,330	$38,000	$75,780
New Jersey	$64,680	$45,530	$95,760
New Mexico	$47,340	$39,950	$123,110
New York	$63,180	$48,680	$88,510
North Carolina	$49,620	$37,770	$72,370
Ohio	$57,400	$40,310	$72,860
Oklahoma	$36,140	$30,310	$67,460
Oregon	$63,070	$44,180	$81,300
Pennsylvania	$56,590	$38,030	$76,750
South Carolina	$46,560	$28,960	$71,410
South Dakota	$49,420	$41,820	$80,620
Tennessee	$47,290	$35,380	$69,100
Texas	$51,390	$35,370	$78,540
Utah	$49,590	$35,190	$76,190
Virginia	$51,570	$42,330	$78,580
Washington	$69,310	$56,080	$100,110
West Virginia	$43,450	$31,160	$78,580
Wisconsin	$51,510	$42,170	$72,200
Wyoming	$55,800	$47,420	$69,100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2023 median salary; projected job growth through 2032. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

Is a Sound Healing Career Right for You?

A career in music and sound healing means influencing the health and well-being of others with your love for music. Sound healing training courses combined with your willingness to work closely with people enduring a wide range of emotional, mental and physical health conditions will help you find success in this incredibly rewarding career.

If you are interested in sound healing training courses, take a closer look at music and sound healing schools. Then choose the sound healing training program that meets your personal and professional needs.

_{Sources: SoundHealingCenter.com, Sound and Consciousness Institute, Spirit Music, Certification Board for Music Therapists}