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Music and Sound Healing Therapy Education

Learn about sound healing training courses and careers.

music and sound healing training

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: $51,330

Projected job growth: 3.6%

10th Percentile: $33,930

25th Percentile: $41,600

75th Percentile: $66,530

90th Percentile: $84,410

Projected job growth: 3.6%

State data

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $49,210 $36,340 $70,620
Arizona $58,130 $37,590 $83,760
Arkansas $45,260 $35,020 $79,440
California $83,740 $46,770 $98,970
Colorado $50,020 $31,300 $79,580
Connecticut $58,440 $38,790 $86,580
Delaware $44,270 $37,320 $62,340
District of Columbia $70,900 $46,450 $102,390
Florida $49,710 $30,470 $79,440
Georgia $41,330 $29,840 $66,750
Idaho $50,750 $40,930 $64,720
Illinois $55,770 $39,520 $85,930
Indiana $44,560 $27,640 $63,970
Iowa $47,260 $37,030 $73,030
Kansas $34,850 $27,550 $48,020
Kentucky $49,770 $27,090 $66,930
Louisiana $46,180 $34,660 $62,770
Maryland $52,520 $32,500 $79,100
Massachusetts $47,210 $36,130 $71,260
Michigan $52,030 $39,600 $68,430
Minnesota $53,050 $39,580 $79,930
Mississippi $33,050 $25,690 $62,900
Missouri $45,670 $30,570 $76,030
Montana $47,760 $34,110 $79,350
Nebraska $49,920 $40,450 $66,510
Nevada $48,960 $39,080 $72,820
New Hampshire $54,090 $42,850 $74,110
New Jersey $73,770 $47,880 $101,770
New Mexico $42,430 $32,640 $71,200
New York $61,470 $45,340 $84,410
North Carolina $48,560 $40,000 $72,740
North Dakota $49,620 $26,210 $72,180
Ohio $51,150 $36,800 $70,980
Oklahoma $35,010 $28,650 $63,690
Oregon $65,520 $51,710 $81,930
Pennsylvania $52,580 $33,940 $72,860
South Carolina $41,040 $28,480 $63,460
South Dakota $46,500 $39,460 $75,910
Tennessee $39,340 $35,360 $68,410
Texas $48,860 $35,360 $78,840
Utah $45,680 $31,780 $69,580
Virginia $48,930 $39,270 $75,730
Washington $65,730 $50,060 $90,170
West Virginia $40,460 $28,310 $77,230
Wisconsin $48,690 $37,390 $68,330
Wyoming $48,270 $43,570 $70,620

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 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