Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Art Therapist salary in Texas
The average Art Therapist salary in Texas is $80,500 per year on WePayFairly's 2026 basis. The 25th-to-75th-percentile range is $49,500 to $104,000. Based on BLS state wage data, aged to 2026.
The following occupation, experience, industry and career information describes the role nationally. For Texas pay, use the state figures above and the state salary questions below.
Total cash compensation
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
Typical entry preparation: Master's Degree and 2 to 5 years of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.
Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
Confer with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.
Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
Top skills:Social PerceptivenessSpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionMonitoringJudgment and Decision Making
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Art Therapist pay by experience level
Entry level$48,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$61,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$80,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$109,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$158,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+11.5%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
4,100
projected openings per year
Growing faster than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Art Therapist salary by industry
Ambulatory Health Care Services
12,630 workers
$100,500
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
8,170 workers
$97,500
Hospitals
3,440 workers
$85,500
Hospitals, Privately Owned
2,760 workers
$84,500
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
2,550 workers
$91,000
Social Assistance
2,290 workers
$87,000
Outpatient Care Centers
2,280 workers
$100,000
Individual and Family Services
2,140 workers
$89,000
Educational Services
1,890 workers
$81,000
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1,460 workers
$71,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $57,310 to $77,930.
+36.0% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$48,000
Early career25th percentile
$61,000
Median50th percentile
$80,500
Experienced75th percentile
$109,500
Top earners90th percentile
$158,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
The abilities employers and analysts most associate with this occupation.
Social PerceptivenessSpeakingActive ListeningReading ComprehensionMonitoringJudgment and Decision Making
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
Observe and document client reactions, progress, or other outcomes related to art therapy.
Design art therapy sessions or programs to meet client's goals or objectives.
Conduct art therapy sessions, providing guided self-expression experiences to help clients recover from, or cope with, cognitive, emotional, or physical impairments.
Confer with other professionals on client's treatment team to develop, coordinate, or integrate treatment plans.
Assess client needs or disorders, using drawing, painting, sculpting, or other artistic processes.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Exempt · Professional, Administrative, or Executive exemption
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Exempt when paid above the salary threshold, provided they satisfy the duties test for one of the FLSA exemption categories. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$93,500
2027$97,000
2028$100,000
2029$103,500
2030$107,500
2031$111,000
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Texas salary questions
How much does a Art Therapist make in Texas?
The average base salary for a Art Therapist in Texas is $80,500 per year, or about $38.70 per hour, on WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
What is the median Art Therapist salary in Texas?
The median is $77,500 per year on the same 2026 basis. The median is the middle wage in the state distribution; the average is $80,500.
What is the typical Art Therapist salary range in Texas?
The 25th-to-75th-percentile range in Texas is $49,500 to $104,000 per year on the 2026 basis. These percentiles describe the state wage distribution; individual pay varies by employer and experience.
How does Art Therapist pay in Texas compare with the national average?
The Texas average of $80,500 is $13,000 (13.9%) below the national average of $93,500. Both figures use WePayFairly's 2026 basis.
Where do these Texas salary figures come from?
The state figures come from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics state data. WePayFairly applies the same compounded market movement factor used elsewhere on this page to express the published figures on a 2026 basis. They are estimates, not a guarantee of a particular offer.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Art Therapist pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
