Marriage and family therapists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| Mean (average) | $76,960 | $37.00 |
| 90th percentile | $123,730 | $59.49 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Marriage and family therapists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 45 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $49,990 | $40,250 | $75,100 | 190 | 0.21 |
| Alaska | $60,010 | $46,680 | $113,710 | 60 | 0.45 |
| Arizona | $65,290 | $50,270 | $100,720 | ||
| Arkansas | $64,340 | $47,520 | $90,900 | 80 | 0.15 |
| California | $67,300 | $46,350 | $130,340 | 34,970 | 4.47 |
| Colorado | $60,700 | $47,030 | $128,400 | 900 | 0.73 |
| Connecticut | $86,250 | $47,500 | $168,750 | 260 | 0.36 |
| Delaware | $76,580 | $53,730 | $91,140 | 400 | 1.92 |
| Florida | $56,400 | $39,460 | $102,280 | 930 | 0.22 |
| Georgia | $91,550 | $42,430 | $102,320 | ||
| Hawaii | $141,960 | $48,950 | $166,400 | 220 | 0.81 |
| Idaho | $62,700 | $59,330 | $74,680 | 140 | 0.38 |
| Illinois | $60,970 | $51,420 | $104,900 | 860 | 0.33 |
| Indiana | $56,810 | $46,730 | $82,430 | 510 | 0.37 |
| Iowa | $67,180 | $42,680 | $127,720 | 240 | 0.36 |
| Kansas | $68,710 | $46,930 | $101,750 | 190 | 0.3 |
| Kentucky | $52,420 | $41,180 | $74,690 | 330 | 0.39 |
| Maine | $71,680 | $64,990 | $91,350 | 180 | 0.65 |
| Maryland | $69,900 | $50,230 | $115,330 | 460 | 0.39 |
| Massachusetts | $67,370 | $49,070 | $128,490 | 600 | 0.38 |
| Michigan | $52,270 | $39,110 | $78,740 | 590 | 0.31 |
| Minnesota | $72,470 | $54,430 | $99,920 | 4,870 | 3.85 |
| Mississippi | $51,440 | $47,790 | $59,690 | 140 | 0.28 |
| Missouri | $60,440 | $41,930 | $109,200 | 390 | 0.31 |
| Montana | $46,960 | $32,170 | $75,310 | 100 | 0.44 |
| Nebraska | $62,610 | $38,490 | $95,590 | 260 | 0.58 |
| New Hampshire | $60,030 | $48,200 | $82,490 | 70 | 0.24 |
| New Jersey | $92,150 | $62,150 | $110,990 | 4,040 | 2.2 |
| New Mexico | $70,630 | $52,680 | $92,210 | 160 | 0.42 |
| New York | $64,430 | $50,380 | $83,050 | 770 | 0.18 |
| North Carolina | $48,100 | $27,860 | $109,200 | 1,400 | 0.66 |
| Ohio | $70,240 | $41,200 | $157,860 | 460 | 0.19 |
| Oklahoma | $57,670 | $28,540 | $94,140 | ||
| Oregon | $91,520 | $60,060 | $165,190 | 850 | 1 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,040 | $47,050 | $91,980 | 2,350 | 0.9 |
| South Carolina | $55,430 | $44,280 | $91,220 | 380 | 0.39 |
| South Dakota | $44,870 | $37,060 | $53,420 | 80 | 0.42 |
| Tennessee | $46,700 | $34,690 | $63,540 | 1,440 | 1.02 |
| Texas | $46,300 | $36,700 | $93,500 | 1,380 | 0.23 |
| Utah | $84,980 | $39,800 | $151,840 | 2,390 | 3.21 |
| Vermont | $62,780 | $41,460 | $90,110 | ||
| Virginia | $79,900 | $49,720 | $103,330 | 930 | 0.53 |
| Washington | $60,000 | $55,690 | $103,740 | ||
| West Virginia | $55,700 | $31,760 | $115,950 | 90 | 0.31 |
| Wisconsin | $37,870 | $34,980 | $69,570 | 180 | 0.14 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for marriage and family therapists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 6,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 10.9%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for marriage and family therapists
- Typical entry education
- Master's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Social Work CIP 44.0701
- Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling CIP 51.1505
- Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling CIP 51.1506
- Infant/Toddler Mental Health Services CIP 51.1510
- Medical Family Therapy/Therapist CIP 51.1511
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
- Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
- Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
- Supervise other counselors, social service staff, and assistants.
- Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
Technology skills
- Zoom (in demand)
- Google Meet (in demand)
- Intuit QuickBooks (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Microsoft Teams (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Advantage Software Psych Advantage
- American Medical Billing Software PMA
- Anasazi Software Client Data System
- Beaver Creek Software The THERAPIST
- Blueberry Harbor Software Clinical Record Keeper
- Care Paths eRecord
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Clinical Therapist, Couple and Family Therapist, Family Specialist, Family Therapist, LCMFT (Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist), LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist), Marriage and Family Counselor, Multisystemic Therapist, Play Therapist, Therapist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do marriage and family therapists make?
The national median annual wage for marriage and family therapists was $66,940 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $44,650 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $123,730. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do marriage and family therapists need?
BLS lists master's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and internship/residency on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is marriage and family therapists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of marriage and family therapists to change +13.5% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 6,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay marriage and family therapists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Hawaii ($141,960), New Jersey ($92,150), Georgia ($91,550). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.