SalariesWhat the occupation covers
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).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 21-1013.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $44,650 | $3,721 | $859 | $21.47 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $50,070 | $4,172 | $963 | $24.07 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $66,940 | $5,578 | $1,287 | $32.18 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $93,840 | $7,820 | $1,805 | $45.12 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $123,730 | $10,311 | $2,379 | $59.49 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Marriage and Family Therapists is $66,940, which is 31% higher. Among the 17 occupations of the field Community and Social Service, it ranks number 3 by median pay. With 66,740 jobs, it makes up about 4.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($76,960) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Marriage and Family Therapists pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($141,960), New Jersey ($92,150) and Georgia ($91,550). The lowest was in Wisconsin ($37,870), South Dakota ($44,870) and Texas ($46,300). The most jobs were in California (34,970), Minnesota (4,870) and New Jersey (4,040). The occupation is most concentrated in California, where its share of all jobs is 4.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 220 | $141,960 | $127,570 | $68.25 |
| New Jersey | 4,040 | $92,150 | $90,310 | $44.30 |
| Georgia | not published | $91,550 | $83,300 | $44.02 |
| Oregon | 850 | $91,520 | $102,390 | $44.00 |
| Connecticut | 260 | $86,250 | $103,870 | $41.47 |
| Utah | 2,390 | $84,980 | $93,610 | $40.86 |
| Virginia | 930 | $79,900 | $74,850 | $38.41 |
| Delaware | 400 | $76,580 | $74,480 | $36.82 |
| Minnesota | 4,870 | $72,470 | $73,980 | $34.84 |
| Maine | 180 | $71,680 | $73,910 | $34.46 |
| New Mexico | 160 | $70,630 | $71,940 | $33.96 |
| Ohio | 460 | $70,240 | $86,810 | $33.77 |
| Maryland | 460 | $69,900 | $77,890 | $33.61 |
| Kansas | 190 | $68,710 | $71,920 | $33.03 |
| Massachusetts | 600 | $67,370 | $80,880 | $32.39 |
| California | 34,970 | $67,300 | $79,440 | $32.35 |
| Iowa | 240 | $67,180 | $72,120 | $32.30 |
| Pennsylvania | 2,350 | $66,040 | $67,890 | $31.75 |
| Arizona | not published | $65,290 | $74,150 | $31.39 |
| New York | 770 | $64,430 | $67,260 | $30.98 |
| Arkansas | 80 | $64,340 | $68,730 | $30.93 |
| Vermont | not published | $62,780 | $67,470 | $30.19 |
| Idaho | 140 | $62,700 | $65,510 | $30.15 |
| Nebraska | 260 | $62,610 | $65,640 | $30.10 |
| Illinois | 860 | $60,970 | $68,510 | $29.31 |
| Colorado | 900 | $60,700 | $80,100 | $29.18 |
| Missouri | 390 | $60,440 | $66,250 | $29.06 |
| New Hampshire | 70 | $60,030 | $67,210 | $28.86 |
| Alaska | 60 | $60,010 | $69,880 | $28.85 |
| Washington | not published | $60,000 | $68,080 | $28.84 |
| Oklahoma | not published | $57,670 | $60,130 | $27.73 |
| Indiana | 510 | $56,810 | $62,490 | $27.31 |
| Florida | 930 | $56,400 | $64,890 | $27.12 |
| West Virginia | 90 | $55,700 | $60,720 | $26.78 |
| South Carolina | 380 | $55,430 | $61,000 | $26.65 |
| Kentucky | 330 | $52,420 | $56,560 | $25.20 |
| Michigan | 590 | $52,270 | $56,220 | $25.13 |
| Mississippi | 140 | $51,440 | $53,520 | $24.73 |
| Alabama | 190 | $49,990 | $54,170 | $24.03 |
| North Carolina | 1,400 | $48,100 | $57,090 | $23.13 |
| Montana | 100 | $46,960 | $54,580 | $22.58 |
| Tennessee | 1,440 | $46,700 | $49,050 | $22.45 |
| Texas | 1,380 | $46,300 | $59,350 | $22.26 |
| South Dakota | 80 | $44,870 | $46,380 | $21.57 |
| Wisconsin | 180 | $37,870 | $45,960 | $18.21 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Social Workers, All Other$71,900 a year
- Healthcare Social Workers$67,880 a year
- Probation Officers and Correctional Treatment Specialists$66,270 a year
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$64,330 a year
- Health Education Specialists$64,070 a year
Common questions
How much do Marriage and Family Therapists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $66,940 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $44,650 and the highest-paid 10% more than $123,730.
How many people work as Marriage and Family Therapists?
About 66,740 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.