Marriage and Family Therapists salary in the U.S.
Marriage and Family Therapists in the U.S. earn a median of $66,940 a year ($32.18 an hour), based on BLS data for 66,740 workers.
Pay ranges from $44,650 for the lowest-paid 10% to $123,730 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $76,960, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for marriage and family therapists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| 25th percentile | $50,070 | $24.07 |
| Median | $66,940 | $32.18 |
| 75th percentile | $93,840 | $45.12 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $123,730 | $59.49 |
| Average (mean) | $76,960 | $37.00 |
Half of marriage and family therapists earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,578.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,789.17 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,574.62 |
| Weekly | $1,287.31 |
| Hourly | $32.18 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $66,940 salary, see how much house you can afford at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Marriage and Family Therapists salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $141,960 | 220 |
| New Jersey | $92,150 | 4,040 |
| Georgia | $91,550 | n/a |
| Oregon | $91,520 | 850 |
| Connecticut | $86,250 | 260 |
| Utah | $84,980 | 2,390 |
| Virginia | $79,900 | 930 |
| Delaware | $76,580 | 400 |
| Minnesota | $72,470 | 4,870 |
| Maine | $71,680 | 180 |
| New Mexico | $70,630 | 160 |
| Ohio | $70,240 | 460 |
| Maryland | $69,900 | 460 |
| Kansas | $68,710 | 190 |
| Massachusetts | $67,370 | 600 |
| California | $67,300 | 34,970 |
| Iowa | $67,180 | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,040 | 2,350 |
| Arizona | $65,290 | n/a |
| New York | $64,430 | 770 |
| Arkansas | $64,340 | 80 |
| Vermont | $62,780 | n/a |
| Idaho | $62,700 | 140 |
| Nebraska | $62,610 | 260 |
| Illinois | $60,970 | 860 |
| Colorado | $60,700 | 900 |
| Missouri | $60,440 | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $60,030 | 70 |
| Alaska | $60,010 | 60 |
| Washington | $60,000 | n/a |
| Oklahoma | $57,670 | n/a |
| Indiana | $56,810 | 510 |
| Florida | $56,400 | 930 |
| West Virginia | $55,700 | 90 |
| South Carolina | $55,430 | 380 |
| Kentucky | $52,420 | 330 |
| Michigan | $52,270 | 590 |
| Mississippi | $51,440 | 140 |
| Alabama | $49,990 | 190 |
| North Carolina | $48,100 | 1,400 |
| Montana | $46,960 | 100 |
| Tennessee | $46,700 | 1,440 |
| Texas | $46,300 | 1,380 |
| South Dakota | $44,870 | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $37,870 | 180 |
Best-paying metro areas for marriage and family therapists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $141,960 | 190 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $109,200 | 90 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $102,910 | 130 |
| St. George, UT | $101,510 | 140 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $101,460 | n/a |
| New Haven, CT | $99,070 | 30 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,460 | 260 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $95,110 | 1,180 |
| Bend, OR | $94,140 | 80 |
| Vallejo, CA | $93,810 | 150 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $92,150 | 270 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $92,150 | 370 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $91,260 | 110 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $91,130 | 2,800 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $90,900 | 40 |
Metro areas with the most marriage and family therapists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,200 | $71,110 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 5,350 | $49,610 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,800 | $91,130 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 2,110 | $78,640 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,380 | $75,030 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,180 | $95,110 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 890 | $86,550 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | 730 | $88,810 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 670 | $61,360 |
| Fresno, CA | 640 | $74,970 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | 560 | $47,650 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 470 | $77,850 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 430 | $69,830 |
| Ogden, UT | 410 | $81,550 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 370 | $92,150 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors | $59,350 | $28.53 |
| Social and Human Service Assistants | $45,930 | $22.08 |
| Child, Family, and School Social Workers | $59,550 | $28.63 |
| Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors | $64,330 | $30.93 |
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 | $32.63 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers | $60,280 | $28.98 |
| Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other | $56,730 | $27.28 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 | $22.52 |
| Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists | $66,270 | $31.86 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 | $30.80 |
| Social Workers, All Other | $71,900 | $34.57 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 | $24.93 |
| Counselors, All Other | $50,860 | $24.45 |
| Clergy | $60,810 | $29.24 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 21-1013. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a marriage and family therapists make in the U.S.?
The median salary for marriage and family therapists in the U.S. is $66,940 a year, or $32.18 an hour. Pay ranges from $44,650 for the lowest-paid 10% to $123,730 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid marriage and family therapists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of marriage and family therapists in the U.S. earn at least $123,730 a year. The top 25% earn $93,840 or more.
What is the starting pay for marriage and family therapists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $44,650 a year, and a quarter of marriage and family therapists earn $50,070 or less.
How many marriage and family therapists work in the U.S.?
About 66,740 marriage and family therapists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.