Best Master’s in Art Therapy Programs
Explore the best master’s programs in the U.S. to jumpstart your career in art therapy.
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Art therapy is a fast-growing field that requires a master’s degree for entry-level roles.
Art therapy can be a helpful treatment to improve a patient’s emotional expression, self-esteem, and self-awareness. As the industry grows, more patients are understanding that art therapy isn’t just a treatment applicable to children, but to people of all ages and backgrounds.
If the idea of using art to help others heal or better themselves interests you, a career in art therapy may be right for you.
Top Art Therapy Graduate Programs
How We Rank Schools
Drexel University
- Philadelphia, PA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $782
Out-of-State | $782
Credits to Graduate: 90 quarter-credits
Drexel's MA in art therapy and counseling prepares graduates to become licensed counselors in Pennsylvania and nationally certified art therapists. The curriculum combines art therapy coursework in subjects like foundations of creative art therapies and mindfulness with general education courses, including DSM and psychopathology and behavioral research.
This master's in art therapy and counseling requires a supervised field experience beginning at the start of the first quarter-semester. Drexel reported a 92% employment rate for graduates of this program in 2022.
50%
$36,234
90%
$36,234
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Students Enrolled
- 23,216
- Institution Type
- Private
Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis
- Indianapolis, IN
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $589
Out-of-State | $959
Credits to Graduate: 60
IUPUI's master's in art therapy program prepares graduates for counseling certification in Indiana and national provisional registration as an art therapist. The coursework explores applying art theory and incorporating the creative process in a therapeutic setting.
Students must complete a 1,000-hour supervised practicum and internship experience in an Indiana-based medical or healthcare facility. Students who graduated in 2022 boasted a 100% employment rate in art therapy or a related field within six months of earning this MA degree.
55%
$ 9,366
71%
$25,872
- Acceptance Rate
- 83%
- Students Enrolled
- 25,979
- Institution Type
- Public
Mount Mary University
- Milwaukee, WI
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $800
Out-of-State | $800
Credits to Graduate: 60
Mount Mary University's MS in art therapy with an emphasis in counseling is the only art therapy graduate program in Wisconsin accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs and the Accreditation Council for Art Therapy Education. The coursework covers cognitive knowledge, psychomotor skills, and affective behavior learning models.
Students must complete a 700-1,000-hour supervised training experience and a culminating project. Graduates can become licensed counselors in Wisconsin and registered and board-certified by the Art Therapy Credentials Board.
49%
$16,882
68%
$16,882
- Acceptance Rate
- 62%
- Students Enrolled
- 1,273
- Institution Type
- Private
Cedar Crest College
- Allentown, PA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $775
Out-of-State | $775
Credits to Graduate: 60
Cedar Crest College's MA in art therapy prepares graduates to become board-certified art therapists and licensed professional counselors in Pennsylvania. The college offers an optional low-residency program, which combines online synchronous coursework with two-week summer residencies on campus.
MA candidates must complete a supervised internship experience. Course subjects include psychopathology, cultural perspectives in art therapy, and group art therapy. The master's in art therapy culminates in a final project.
55%
$14,479
75%
$14,479
- Acceptance Rate
- 69%
- Students Enrolled
- 1,440
- Institution Type
- Private
Lesley University
- Cambridge, MA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, American Art Therapy Association
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,300
Out-of-State | $1,300
Credits to Graduate: 60
Lesley's master's in clinical mental health counseling emphasizes expressive arts therapy, incorporating music, drama, dance, writing, and visual arts. Graduates can become licensed counselors in Massachusetts and nationally registered expressive arts therapists.
The MA in expressive therapies requires 1,150 hours of clinical internship training. Lesley's recent expressive therapy graduates reported a 95% success rate in finding employment or furthering their education in the field of clinical art therapy or counseling.
27%
$18,900
75%
$18,900
- Acceptance Rate
- 87%
- Students Enrolled
- 4,010
- Institution Type
- Private
New York University
- New York, NY
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $2,185
Out-of-State | $2,185
Credits to Graduate: 60
NYU's MA in art therapy blends psychotherapy knowledge and skills with visual arts practice. The program begins with foundational coursework in both studio art and the theory and practice of art therapy. Graduates can become registered art therapists or licensed creative arts therapists in New York.
The MA in art therapy includes a 1,000-hour internship requirement and culminates in a thesis project. NYU boasts a 100% positive placement rate for 2020-2021 MA in art therapy graduates in art therapy or a related field.
45%
$35,982
94%
$35,982
- Acceptance Rate
- 13%
- Students Enrolled
- 58,226
- Institution Type
- Private
Nazareth College
- Rochester, NY
- 4 year
- Campus
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: National Association of Schools of Art and Design
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $865
Out-of-State | $865
Credits to Graduate: 60
Nazareth's MS in creative arts therapy emphasizes an interdisciplinary approach, offering coursework in co-therapies, including music, social work, and speech-language pathology. The art therapy clinic experience exceeds the hours required to become a licensed creative arts therapist in New York.
Students can choose an optional early-intervention interprofessional concentration through the Rochester Scholars program. Nazareth's MS in art therapy graduates reported an 88% job placement rate in positions including art therapist, clinician, and mental health therapist in 2022.
27%
$18,270
80%
$18,270
- Acceptance Rate
- 86%
- Students Enrolled
- 2,639
- Institution Type
- Private
Notre Dame of Maryland University
- Baltimore, MD
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $690
Out-of-State | $690
Credits to Graduate: 64
NDMU's MA in art therapy is the only one of its kind in the state, preparing graduates to become licensed professional art therapists in Maryland. The curriculum covers advanced therapeutic techniques, art therapy theory and methodology, and studio art practice.
Students must complete a supervised clinical practicum at an approved off-campus location. 100% of NDMU art therapy graduates were employed in their field of study within six months of graduation in 2022.
77%
$13,321
75%
$13,321
- Acceptance Rate
- 65%
- Students Enrolled
- 2,184
- Institution Type
- Private
Marywood University
- Scranton, PA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, Pennsylvania Department of Education
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $880
Out-of-State | $880
Credits to Graduate: 60
Marywood's MA in art therapy combines courses in art therapy, psychology, and studio art. The curriculum also includes a supervised practicum experience, qualifying graduates to become licensed professional counselors in Pennsylvania and nationally certified art therapists.
Marywood holds an annual graduate art therapy symposium exhibition to display student work. Approximately 86% of 2021-2022 graduates reported becoming employed as art therapists within one year of graduation from the master's in art therapy program.
41%
$9,888
83%
$9,888
- Acceptance Rate
- 81%
- Students Enrolled
- 2,606
- Institution Type
- Private
Caldwell University
- Caldwell, NJ
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Programmatic Accreditation: Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Program, Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
Cost per Credit:
In-State | $1,085
Out-of-State | $1,085
Credits to Graduate: 63
Caldwell University's MA in clinical mental health counseling offers an art therapy specialization. Coursework explores subjects including art-based assessment in counseling, treatment of trauma, and advanced studio in art therapy. Students must complete a clinical practicum and internship and pass a comprehensive final exam.
Graduates with a master's in counseling and art therapy can earn professional counselor and professional art therapist licensure in New Jersey. The 2022-2023 cohort boasts a 100% job placement rate in settings including mental health clinics, schools, and residential treatment centers.
28%
$15,354
74%
$15,354
- Acceptance Rate
- 96%
- Students Enrolled
- 2,098
- Institution Type
- Private
What Is the Cost of an Art Therapy Master’s Degree?
The cost of an art therapy degree depends on three main factors:
- Type of institution (public vs. nonprofit vs. for-profit)
- Method of learning (on-campus vs. online vs. hybrid)
- Location (in-state vs. out-of-state)
Art therapy graduate programs at private, nonprofit institutions tend to cost more than those at public colleges and universities. Master’s degrees from for-profit institutions, meanwhile, tend to cost the least.
Master’s Degree Total Cost by School Type, 2023
Private, For-Profit
$51,060
Public
$59,440
Private, Nonprofit
$85,400
Source: BestColleges
Across the board, master’s degree programs cost between $50,000-$85,000 for two years, on average.
Online master’s degree programs are 30% cheaper, on average, than in-person or hybrid programs.
How to Become an Art Therapist
Step 1 | Earn a Bachelor’s Degree
Earning a bachelor’s degree is the first step in your educational journey to becoming an art therapist. While your undergraduate degree doesn’t have to be in art therapy, pursuing a bachelor’s in a related field is helpful.
Step 2 | Earn a Master’s Degree
A master’s degree is required for all entry-level jobs in art therapy. It’s at this stage that art therapy courses teach you the ins and outs of being an art therapist.
Graduate students must complete 100 hours of supervised practicum, as well as 600 hours of supervised art therapy clinical internships. Practicums can be done alongside your graduate studies.
Step 3 | Earn Your Credential, License
To earn your art therapy certification, you’ll need to pass the Art Therapy Credentials Board Examination (ATCBE).
Individual states may also require you to become licensed to practice in that state. According to the American Art Therapy Association, 11 states and the District of Columbia require a professional art therapy license. Another eight states require some other license to practice.
Art Therapy Job Overview
Art therapists help people with emotional or mental health conditions, but unlike traditional therapists, they do so through artistic expression.
In a typical art therapy session patients create art, sometimes as a group, no matter their expertise or experience as an artist. The art therapist then examines the patient’s art and discusses it with them. That discussion may center on the feelings and memories the art elicits, giving the client the chance to explore emotions in a nontraditional way.
Art therapists can work in a variety of settings, including:
- Hospitals
- Schools
- Private practices
- Rehabilitation facilities
- Community clinics
- Crisis centers
- Senior communities
Art Therapist Salaries
According to Payscale data, on average, art therapists earn just under $50,000 annually.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not specifically collect data on art therapists. However, the “therapists, all other” classification, earned a median salary of $63,650 per year as of May 2023. That’s lower than the median annual salary for therapists broadly, which was $90,400.
Frequently Asked Questions About Art Therapy Master’s Programs
You must earn a master’s degree, at a minimum, to become an art therapist.
There do not appear to be certificate programs for aspiring art therapists. The need for hundreds of hours of practicum experience is a likely barrier.
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