Marriage and Family Therapists
Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat cognitive, behavioral, or similar disorders in the context of couples and other relationships.
Is marriage and family therapists a good career?
It scores 31/100 and ranks #130 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- Pays above the U.S. median wage ($66,940)
- Faster-than-average projected growth (+12.6% through 2034)
Possible tradeoffs
- Typically requires a master's degree
What marriage and family therapists earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. marriage and family therapists earn between $50,070 and $93,840 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Strongest employment concentration
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- Typical education
- Master's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Internship/residency
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow much faster than average through 2034.
Education
To enter the occupation, marriage and family therapists need a master’s degree in psychology, marriage and family therapy, or a related mental health field from an accredited school.
Admissions requirements vary by program. Applicants may need to have completed specific coursework, such as counseling and statistics, or to have a bachelor’s degree in psychology or a related field.
Marriage and family therapy programs teach students about how marriages, families, and relationships function and how these relationships can affect mental and emotional health. Programs typically include a supervised practicum or internship where students gain experience working with clients.
Training
Candidates gain hands-on experience through postdegree supervised clinical work. During this training, they work under the supervision of a licensed counselor and learn to provide family therapy, group therapy, psychotherapy, and other therapeutic interventions directly to clients.
Licenses, certifications & registrations
All states require marriage and family therapists to be licensed. Licensure requires a master’s degree and completion of a state-specified number of hours of postdegree supervised clinical experience. In addition, therapists must pass a state-recognized exam and complete annual continuing education classes. Some states require passage of a jurisprudence exam.
Important qualities
Communication skills. Marriage and family therapists need to effectively convey ideas and listen to clients. Because they instruct clients on improving communication, it is important that they model effective communication themselves.
Compassion. Marriage and family therapists often work with people who are dealing with stressful and difficult situations, so they must be able to empathize with their clients.
Interpersonal skills. Marriage and family therapists must be able to work effectively with different types of people. They need to develop a rapport when working with clients to help them feel comfortable.
Organizational skills. Marriage and family therapists need to maintain records of client interactions. Therapists in private practice also must keep track of payments and work with insurance companies.
Related occupations
How much do marriage and family therapists make?
The national median wage is $66,940 a year, with the middle half earning between $50,070 and $93,840 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is marriage and family therapists a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 31 of 100 and ranks #130 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +12.6% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a marriage and family therapist?
The typical entry-level education is master's degree.
Where do marriage and family therapists earn the most?
Among states, Hawaii pays the highest median ($141,960). Local pay for every state and metro is below.