Marriage and Family Therapists earn a median of $66,940 per year ($32.18/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 13.5% through 2035, with about 6,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 21-1013
- Community and Social Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Marriage and Family Therapist in four numbers
- Median pay
- $66,940a year, or $32.18/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $45KTop 10% $124K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +13.5%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+13.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +13.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,90076,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202576.3K
- Projected 203586.6K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 76.3K Projected 2035 86.6K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
Also advertised as: Clinical Therapist, Couple and Family Therapist, Family Specialist, Family Therapist, LCMFT (Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist), LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist).
Pay
How much do Marriage and Family Therapists make?
Every marriage and family therapist in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$66,940
Middle half earn $50,070 to $93,840
- 10th
- $44,650
- 25th
- $50,070
- 75th
- $93,840
- 90th
- $123,730
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $44,650 |
| 25th | $50,070 |
| Median | $66,940 |
| 75th | $93,840 |
| 90th | $123,730 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $66,940
- Median hourly wage
- $32.18/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $76,960
- People employed
- 66,740
Versus all US occupations
At $66,940, Marriage and Family Therapists earn 31% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $15,960 a year.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,300, this is 11% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $123,730 or more while the bottom 10% earn $44,650, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 41% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $141,960, and still leads at $129,112 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Marriage and Family Therapists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Hawaii | $141,960 | $129,112 | 220 |
| 2New Jersey | $92,150 | $84,693 | 4,040 |
| 3Georgia | $91,550 | $95,074 | N/A |
| 4Oregon | $91,520 | $88,544 | 850 |
| 5Connecticut | $86,250 | $83,245 | 260 |
| 6Utah | $84,980 | $85,956 | 2,390 |
| 7Virginia | $79,900 | $79,028 | 930 |
| 8Delaware | $76,580 | $76,727 | 400 |
| 9Minnesota | $72,470 | $73,483 | 4,870 |
| 10Maine | $71,680 | $73,859 | 180 |
Job outlook
Is Marriage and Family Therapist a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +13.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Marriage and Family Therapists | +13.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Marriage and Family Therapists to change 13.5% over 2025–2035, roughly 3.9× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 10,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,900 openings are projected each year, 9.0% of the 76,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Employment growth of marriage and family therapists is expected due to the increasing use of integrated care, which is the treatment of multiple issues at one time by a group of specialists. In providing integrated care, marriage and family therapists work with counselors such as substance abuse, behavior disorder, and mental health counselors to address clients' issues as a team.
Getting in
How to become a Marriage and Family Therapist
Marriage and family therapists typically need a master’s degree to enter the occupation. Every state requires therapists to be licensed.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Internship/residency
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
Full BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook entryThe work
What does a Marriage and Family Therapist do?
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.
Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat cognitive, behavioral, or similar disorders in the context of couples and other relationships.
Day-to-day 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.
- Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
- Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
- Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
- Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most marriage and family therapists work full time, but part-time work is common. Some therapists work evenings and weekends to accommodate their clients’ schedules.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where marriage and family therapists work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Offices of other health practitioners33%
- Individual and family services23%
- Self-employed workers11%
- Outpatient care centers10%
- State government, excluding education and hospitals6%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Offices of other health practitioners | 33% |
| Individual and family services | 23% |
| Self-employed workers | 11% |
| Outpatient care centers | 10% |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.8
- Speaking4.3
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Writing3.9
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Learning Strategies3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.8 |
| Speaking | 4.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.4
- Service Orientation4.1
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Coordination3.8
- Persuasion3.8
- Negotiation3.8
- Instructing3.5
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.4 |
| Service Orientation | 4.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.8 |
| Negotiation | 3.8 |
| Instructing | 3.5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Accounting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Billing and invoicing software
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Marriage and Family Therapist?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Marriage and Family Therapist |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 4 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social6.2
- Investigative5.3
- Artistic3.6
- Conventional2.9
- Enterprising1.8
- Realistic1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Marriage and Family Therapist
O*NET related occupations
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More community and social service careers
Median annual pay, with marriage and family therapists highlighted
- Healthcare Social Worker$67,880
- Geriatric Care Manager$67,880
- Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$66,270
- Health Education Specialist$64,070
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$60,280
- Community Health Worker$51,850
- Rehabilitation Counselor$46,850
- Social and Human Service Assistant$45,930
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 |
| Geriatric Care Manager | $67,880 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $66,940 |
| Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist | $66,270 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $60,280 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Marriage and Family Therapist appears on
Questions
Marriage and Family Therapist: frequently asked questions
How much do Marriage and Family Therapists make?
Marriage and Family Therapists earn a median of $66,940 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 31% above the $50,980 US median across all occupations. That works out at $32.18/hr. The middle half earn between $50,070 and $93,840. The top 10% earn $123,730 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Marriage and Family Therapist?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Marriage and Family Therapists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training.
Is Marriage and Family Therapist a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 13.5% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Marriage and Family Therapist do?
Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat cognitive, behavioral, or similar disorders in the context of couples and other relationships. A core O*NET task: ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors. Employers most often ask for Accounting software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Marriage and Family Therapists the most?
The highest state medians for Marriage and Family Therapists are Hawaii ($141,960), New Jersey ($92,150), Georgia ($91,550) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Marriage and Family Therapist?
O*NET scores Marriage and Family Therapists highest on the Social, Investigative and Artistic interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFJ, INFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.