Average Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), for the purposes of its May 2009 national employment survey, grouped art therapists with other recreational therapists -- such as those working with dance and sports -- and concluded that the average yearly wage for the profession in the U.S. was $41,270. This translates into a monthly income of $3,439 and an hourly pay rate of $19.84.

Salary by Industry

Art therapists work across many sectors of the health-care industry. The BLS found that federal government agencies and specialty hospitals -- except those that treat psychiatric and substance abuse patients -- paid the best, with averages of $63,250 and $47,560, respectively. Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals paid an average of $42,620, while their general medical and surgical counterparts were listed at $44,840. Nursing care facilities offered $36,210, slightly less than the $35,470 offered by community care facilities for the elderly.

Salary by Location

Location plays a significant part in determining an art therapist's salary. The BLS found that, across all health-care sectors, District of Columbia and Delaware were among the most lucrative locations, with average salaries of $56,910 and $55,910, respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, Missouri was listed at $32,260, North Dakota at $31,800 and Nebraska at $31,290. Wage analysis website SalaryExpert.com surveyed art therapist wages in some major cities in May 2011 and found that New York and Miami were among the highest averages -- $51,240 and $45,797, respectively -- while Dallas was listed at just $39,377.

Prospects

If the BLS's projections are correct, art therapists should experience a buoyant job market in the immediate future. Employment opportunities for recreational therapists of all specialties should increase by 15 percent from 2008 to 2018, fueled by America's aging population. Salary levels should, therefore, stay competitive, although the BLS cautions that candidates are likely to face competition for vacancies, given the occupation's popularity.