by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 6 U.S. colleges awarded 93 degrees and certificates in Play Therapy. Graduates earn a median $66,380 one year after completing, rising to $75,072 after four years.
A major in Play Therapy explores A Program That Prepares Individuals To Be A Registered Play Therapist (Rpt) Or A School Based-Registered Play Therapist (Sb-Rpt). Includes Instruction In Child Development, Theories Of Personality, Psychotherapy, Child And Adolescent Psychopathology, And Ethics.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, play therapy draws strong interest, with 93 degrees awarded annually. 6 colleges award play therapy degrees, an average of 16 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 63.
All 93 of the awards are master’s degrees, the only level colleges reported.
Women earned 97% of play therapy degrees and certificates in the latest year (90 of 93). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (51) and Black or African American (17), and international students earned 1.
O*NET rates Active Listening the most important skill for jobs related to play therapy, at 4.1 out of 5. The key knowledge areas are Psychology, Therapy and Counseling and English Language. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a play therapy degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 93 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to play therapy, at 47.4%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 47.4% |
| Master’s degree | 31.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 7.0% |
| Doctoral degree | 6.2% |
| Post-doctoral training | 5.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.2% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 0.9% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.7% |
Source: O*NET Online.
4 occupations are related to Play Therapy, with an average median salary of $70,208; the strongest outlook belongs to Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary, at 10.7% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Therapist, Certified Music Therapist, Neurologic Music Therapist and Music Dance Therapist.
The occupation related to play therapy with the most projected jobs is Music Therapists, at 3,083,788.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Music Therapists | 3,083,788 | 4.9% |
| Therapists, All Other | 2,758,134 | -2.9% |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,335,407 | 10.7% |
| Art Therapists | 715,793 | 1.6% |
Play Therapy graduates earn a median $66,380 one year after completing their program, $75,072 after four years and $74,465 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $66,380 |
| 4 years | $75,072 |
| 5 years | $74,465 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to play therapy is Therapists, All Other, with a median salary of $121,750.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Therapists, All Other | $121,750 |
| Music Therapists | $71,670 |
| Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary | $46,663 |
| Art Therapists | $40,748 |
Play Therapy has 15 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 28,813 degrees a year; the largest are Physical Therapy/Therapist (13,798), Occupational Therapy/Therapist (9,835) and Rehabilitation Science (1,028). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Physical Therapy/Therapist | 13,798 |
| Occupational Therapy/Therapist | 9,835 |
| Rehabilitation Science | 1,028 |
| Vocational Rehabilitation Counseling/Counselor | 939 |
| Art Therapy/Therapist | 686 |
| Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy | 640 |
| Music Therapy/Therapist | 639 |
| Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions, Other | 582 |
| Orthotist/Prosthetist | 302 |
| Animal-Assisted Therapy | 115 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.