Marriage and Family Therapists: salary, outlook & degrees
Diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. Apply psychotherapeutic and family systems theories and techniques in the delivery of services to individuals, couples, and families for the purpose of treating such diagnosed nervous and mental disorders.
Middle half $50,070–$93,840. 66,740 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
90% hold a bachelor's or higher. Those with one: $49,520.
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 6,900 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Extensive preparation (usually a graduate degree).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Degrees that lead to this career
What workers ages 25-34 in this job studied, among those with a bachelor's or higher. This is what people actually did, not a requirement.
| Field of bachelor's degree | Share | Degree pages |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 38% | Psychology |
| Family And Consumer Sciences | 6% | Human Development and Family Studies · Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services |
| Political Science And Government | 5% | Political Science |
| Counseling Psychology | 3% | — |
| Social Work | 3% | Social Work |
| Sociology | 3% | Sociology |
| Theology And Religious Vocations | 3% | Theology / Ministry · Bible Studies |
| Biology | 2% | Biology |
| Fine Arts | 2% | — |
| Liberal Arts | 2% | Liberal Arts / General Studies |
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata (ages 25-34, employed, bachelor's or higher; top 10 fields); EducationGuide calculation.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $141,960 |
| New Jersey | $92,150 |
| Georgia | $91,550 |
| Oregon | $91,520 |
| Connecticut | $86,250 |
| Utah | $84,980 |
| Virginia | $79,900 |
| Delaware | $76,580 |
| Minnesota | $72,470 |
| Maine | $71,680 |
| New Mexico | $70,630 |
| Ohio | $70,240 |
| Maryland | $69,900 |
| Kansas | $68,710 |
| Massachusetts | $67,370 |
| California | $67,300 |
| Iowa | $67,180 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,040 |
| Arizona | $65,290 |
| New York | $64,430 |
| Arkansas | $64,340 |
| Vermont | $62,780 |
| Idaho | $62,700 |
| Nebraska | $62,610 |
| Illinois | $60,970 |
| Colorado | $60,700 |
| Missouri | $60,440 |
| New Hampshire | $60,030 |
| Alaska | $60,010 |
| Washington | $60,000 |
| Oklahoma | $57,670 |
| Indiana | $56,810 |
| Florida | $56,400 |
| West Virginia | $55,700 |
| South Carolina | $55,430 |
| Kentucky | $52,420 |
| Michigan | $52,270 |
| Mississippi | $51,440 |
| Alabama | $49,990 |
| North Carolina | $48,100 |
| Montana | $46,960 |
| Tennessee | $46,700 |
| Texas | $46,300 |
| South Dakota | $44,870 |
| Wisconsin | $37,870 |
Florida metro areas
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach$58,660
- Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater$50,440
- Jacksonville$49,420
- Cape Coral-Fort Myers$48,690
- North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota$76,910
- Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford$50,770
Virginia metro areas
- Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk$81,870
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria$95,460
- Kingsport-Bristol$60,880
- Richmond$52,000
California metro areas
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$71,110
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$49,610
- Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$75,030
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$95,110
- Fresno$74,970
- Bakersfield-Delano$71,010
- Stockton-Lodi$69,960
- Santa Rosa-Petaluma$84,080
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Knowledge used
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Sociology and Anthropology
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
Work styles
- Empathy
- Sincerity
- Cooperation
- Integrity
- Dependability
People in this job tend to have Social (helping), Investigative (analytical) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Marriage and Family Therapists: questions
How much do marriage and Family Therapists make?
Marriage and Family Therapists earn a U.S. median $66,940 a year; the middle half earn $50,070 to $93,840 (BLS, May 2025). Workers ages 25-34 in this job earn a median $49,747 (Census ACS 2020-2024).
Is marriage and Family Therapists a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 13.5% from 2025 to 2035, with about 6,900 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a marriage and Family Therapist?
BLS lists the typical entry education as master's degree. Among workers ages 25-34 with a bachelor's, the most common field of degree is psychology (38%).
How much do marriage and Family Therapists make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $56,400 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $66,940 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 21-1013. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Marriage and Family Therapists: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/marriage-and-family-therapists.