American Music Therapy Association
American Music Therapy Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association that sets standards, credentials, and advocacy for U.S. music therapy professionals, serving board-certified music therapists, students, and academic programs through membership, journals, conferences, and state licensure efforts.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersSilver Spring, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What American Music Therapy Association does
American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association founded in 1998 from the merger of the American Association for Music Therapy and the National Association for Music Therapy, headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. It is the recognized national organization for the music therapy profession in the United States, serving board-certified music therapists (MT-BC), students, academic programs, and indirectly the hospitals, schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and community mental health agencies that employ them. AMTA sets and enforces standards for academic programs (70+ AMTA-approved colleges and universities, 30 master's programs), clinical training sites, and professional registration, and works jointly with the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) on the MT-BC credential and state-level licensure advocacy.
AMTA's core product portfolio is content-, credential-, and community-based rather than technology-based. Core offerings include two peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives), an annual Workforce Development Analysis Report, and the Arthur Flagler Fultz Research Award. Education and continuing-education products — the AMTA-pro podcast series, an annual national conference, a 4th Annual Online Symposium offering up to 39 pre-approved CMTE credits, and an E-course Research Review Series — drive recurring engagement. Supporting services include an online bookstore, a member toolkit, a digital archive housed at Colorado State University, and a Government Relations function that has driven music therapy licensure or title protection in California, New Jersey, Virginia, Iowa, Maryland, and Illinois since 2019. The underlying technology stack is a standard YourMembership (site-ym.com) member portal and e-commerce bookstore; there is no proprietary platform, API, or AI capability disclosed.
AMTA's revenue model is a diversified membership-association mix: annual membership dues across nine disclosed tiers ranging from $50 (Inactive) to $650 (Patron Organizational), one-time sales of publications and bookstore merchandise, transaction fees from conference and symposium registrations, and tax-deductible charitable contributions via a 501(c)(3) donation channel. Distribution is primarily self-serve online (membership portal, bookstore, event registration) supplemented by six regional chapters (Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic, Midwestern, New England, Southeastern, Southwestern, Western). Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by flagship partnerships with NIH and the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts through the Sound Health initiative, and by spokesperson Renée Fleming.
American Music Therapy Association firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- American Music Therapy Association
- Legal name
- American Music Therapy Association
- Website
- https://musictherapy.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- American Music Therapy Association is a 501(c)(3) non-profit professional association that sets standards, credentials, and advocacy for U.S. music therapy professionals, serving board-certified music therapists, students, and academic programs through membership, journals, conferences, and state licensure efforts.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
American Music Therapy Association industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Association Services
- NAICS
- All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54199), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Music Therapy (Educational/Developmental Programs) (EDAMANAK)
Keywords
Where American Music Therapy Association is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Silver Spring
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
American Music Therapy Association business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from professional, associate, student, graduate student, retired, inactive, and organizational members fund association operations.
- Publications and Bookstore Sales: Sales of AMTA publications, journals (Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives), books, and research materials through the AMTA Bookstore.
- Conference and Event Fees: Registration fees for AMTA annual conferences, symposia, and educational events including CMTE (Continuing Music Therapy Education) credits.
- Charitable Contributions: Tax-deductible donations from supporters of music therapy through the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Membership - Tier One |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Membership - Tier Two |
| Subscription | Annual | Professional Membership - Tier Three |
| Subscription | Annual | Associate Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Student Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate Student Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Retired Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Inactive Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Affiliate Organizational Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Patron Organizational Membership |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels9 records
American Music Therapy Association product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AMTA is the national 501(c)(3) professional membership association for music therapists, offering tiered annual memberships, peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives), continuing education (CMTE credits via Online Symposium and E-course Research Review Series), research grants (Arthur Flagler Fultz Research Award), publications through the AMTA Bookstore, and advocacy for state licensure and title protection. It establishes standards for academic programs, clinical training sites, and the MT-BC credential in cooperation with CBMT.
Product overview
The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) operates as a professional association offering a portfolio of products and services supporting the music therapy profession. The core offerings include peer-reviewed research journals (Journal of Music Therapy and Music Therapy Perspectives), annual workforce analysis reports, and the Arthur Flagler Fultz Research Award for grant funding. Educational products include the AMTA-pro Podcast series, Online Symposium conferences, and E-course Research Review Series for continuing education credits. Additional services encompass the AMTA Bookstore, Member Toolkit, digital Archives, and Government Relations advocacy for state licensure and title protection initiatives.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Journal of Music Therapy Peer-reviewed research journal publishing scientific studies on the effectiveness of music therapy across healthcare and educational settings; available to AMTA members via the membership portal.
- Music Therapy Perspectives Peer-reviewed journal offering clinical perspectives and practical applications for music therapy practitioners; available to AMTA members via the membership portal.
- Workforce Development Analysis Report Annual statistical profile of AMTA membership and the music therapy community, providing demographics, employment settings, and salary data based on member surveys; sold through the AMTA bookstore.
- Online Symposium Annual virtual conference providing live and asynchronous educational sessions for music therapists with up to 39 pre-approved CMTE credits including ethics; recordings accessible to registrants.
- E-course Research Review Series Online courses based on recently published journal research allowing AMTA members to earn CMTE credits for professional development; over 30 pre-approved CMTE credits available.
- Advocacy for More Music Therapy E-course 5-hour e-course covering federal and state advocacy opportunities for expanding music therapy services, offered free to AMTA members.
- The Music Therapy Assessment Manual Publication authored by Dr. Eric G. Waldon providing a guide to data-based decision making in music therapy, with companion author podcast.
- AMTA Annual Membership Annual membership for professional, associate, student, graduate student, retired, inactive, and organizational members, providing access to publications, job center, scholarships, continuing education, advocacy, and member toolkit.
Quantifiable outcome
- 70+ colleges/universities offer AMTA-approved music therapy degree programs
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use American Music Therapy Association
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
American Music Therapy Association technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
American Music Therapy Association partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, minor and regional.
- Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT)coreOngoing collaboration on music therapy certification, advocacy, and professional standards. CBMT administers the national certification exam for Music Therapist-Board Certified (MT-BC) credential. AMTA and CBMT jointly advocate for music therapy licensure at state level and collaborate on regulatory affairs.
- National Institutes of Health (NIH)flagshipPartnership through Sound Health initiative with NIH and Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, facilitated by artist spokesperson Renée Fleming. NIH has awarded $20 million to study music therapy and neuroscience. AMTA participates in research workshops and initiatives promoting music therapy research.
- John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing ArtsflagshipPartnership through Sound Health initiative alongside NIH. The Kennedy Center hosts events and workshops featuring music therapy, including the premiere of 'Music Got Me Here' documentary.
- Colorado State UniversityminorAMTA Archives are housed at Colorado State University, where historic records have been digitalized and made accessible online.
- Renée FlemingflagshipRenowned artist and spokesperson for AMTA, facilitating partnerships with NIH and Kennedy Center through the Sound Health initiative. Helps raise public awareness of music therapy benefits.
- Pennsylvania Council on the ArtsregionalStatewide partnership providing creative arts therapies including music therapy to support well-being and resiliency among frontline healthcare workers.
- World Federation of Music Therapy (WFMT)coreGlobal music therapy network for exchanging and disseminating information about educational programs, clinical practice, and research. AMTA members can collaborate with peers in other countries.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
American Music Therapy Association competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Canadian Association of Music Therapists: CAMT is the Canadian national music therapy professional association — the most direct international counterpart to AMTA — supporting credentialing (MTA), continuing education, advocacy, and publications. Operates in a different national jurisdiction with comparable scope and structure to AMTA.
- British Association for Music Therapy: BAMT is the UK's national music therapy membership association, providing training program approval, professional registration, conferences, and publications. Direct international structural parallel to AMTA serving a different national geography with comparable offerings.
Broad incumbents
- American Occupational Therapy Association: AOTA is the larger-established national professional association for occupational therapists, with the same tripartite structure of membership, accreditation of academic programs, advocacy for state licensure, and peer-reviewed journals. Operates as a broader healthcare professional association in a discipline adjacent to music therapy, providing a structural blueprint for AMTA's future growth.
- National Association of Social Workers: NASW is a large national professional association for social workers offering the same infrastructure components as AMTA — membership tiers, journals, conferences, CE programs, state chapters, and federal/state advocacy. Comparable in operating model though at significantly larger scale in a non-therapy discipline.
- American Speech-Language-Hearing Association: ASHA is the national professional and credentialing association for audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech/hearing scientists. Demonstrates a comparable membership-and-certification operating model but in an adjacent allied health field with substantially larger scale, broader payer recognition, and more mature state licensure footprint.
- American Physical Therapy Association: APTA is a large national professional association for physical therapists with overlapping structure (membership dues, accreditation, peer-reviewed journals, state chapters, advocacy). Comparable in function and value proposition to AMTA but operates at far greater scale in a more established rehabilitation discipline.
Others
- Certification Board for Music Therapists: CBMT is AMTA's partner organization that administers the MT-BC national certification exam. While not a competing association, CBMT serves as a directly adjacent ecosystem organization with overlapping scope in credentialing, continuing competence requirements, and advocacy collaboration.
Direct peers
- American Art Therapy Association: The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is the closest structural peer to AMTA: a national professional membership association for a creative arts therapy discipline, with similar scope including credentialing support, a peer-reviewed journal, annual conference, and government relations. Comparable in size, mission, and operating model — the most directly analogous professional association to AMTA.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
American Music Therapy Association social profiles
Digital presenceAmerican Music Therapy Association financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
American Music Therapy Association leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
American Music Therapy Association funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
American Music Therapy Association M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about American Music Therapy Association
What does American Music Therapy Association do?
AMTA is the national 501(c)(3) professional membership association for music therapists, offering tiered annual memberships, peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Music Therapy, Music Therapy Perspectives), continuing education (CMTE credits via Online Symposium and E-course Research Review Series), research grants (Arthur Flagler Fultz Research Award), publications through the AMTA Bookstore, and advocacy for state licensure and title protection. It establishes standards for academic programs, clinical training sites, and the MT-BC credential in cooperation with CBMT.
Is American Music Therapy Association a public or private company?
American Music Therapy Association is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was American Music Therapy Association founded?
American Music Therapy Association was founded in 1998. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is American Music Therapy Association based?
American Music Therapy Association is headquartered in Silver Spring, United States, in the North America region.
How does American Music Therapy Association make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are publications and Bookstore Sales, conference and Event Fees and charitable Contributions.
Who are American Music Therapy Association's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Canadian Association of Music Therapists and British Association for Music Therapy. Broad incumbents are American Occupational Therapy Association, National Association of Social Workers, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and American Physical Therapy Association. Certification Board for Music Therapists is listed as an others. American Art Therapy Association is listed as a direct peer.
Does American Music Therapy Association have an API?
No public API is recorded for American Music Therapy Association.
What industry is American Music Therapy Association in?
American Music Therapy Association's product category is Professional Association Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMANAK, Music Therapy (Educational/Developmental Programs). Its NAICS code is 54199 and its SIC code is 8600.