How much does a family therapist make?
a year · about $32 an hour
A typical family therapist in the United States makes $66,940 a year, about $32 an hour, about the same as a typical US worker (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).
What do they do?
Family therapists listen to a person, couple, or family, ask questions, and help them make a plan for handling feelings or relationship problems. Between sessions, they write private notes and may coordinate care with other specialists.
Did you know? Surprise: About half of the care marriage and family therapists provide is one-on-one, not a whole family sitting together.
Is that a lot?
Compared with jobs you knowIf 100 people had this job
Most earn between $44,650 and $123,730How do you become one?
In the U.S., the usual path is a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s in marriage and family therapy or a related field with a supervised internship. Afterward, complete supervised clinical hours and pass your state’s licensing exam.
School needed: Graduate degree or long training
Good for people who like helping and teaching and figuring things out
Why does pay differ?
In the U.S., experienced therapists and those with extra credentials or sought-after skills may earn more. Pay also changes by location and employer setting, while full-time versus part-time hours—and evening or weekend appointments—can affect total earnings.
Where does it pay most?
Highest in New Jersey ($92,150), lowest in Tennessee ($46,700).
See every state
Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.
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Data table and sources
| Lower earner (10th from bottom) | Typical person (median) | Higher earner (10th from top) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|---|
| $44,650 | $66,940 | $123,730 | about 67,000 |
| State | Typical person (median) | People in this job |
|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $92,150 | about 4,000 |
| Oregon | $91,520 | about 850 |
| Utah | $84,980 | about 2,000 |
| Minnesota | $72,470 | about 5,000 |
| Massachusetts | $67,370 | about 600 |
Official definition: 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. Excludes “Psychologists” (19-3032 through 19-3039) and “Social Workers” (21-1020).
Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine
Pages used for the text
- www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/marriage-and-family-therapists.htm
- www.aamft.org/AAMFT/About_AAMFT/About_Marriage_and_Family_Therapists.aspx
- www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2015/article/wage-differences.htm
Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY