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Marriage & Family Therapist

$63,780
median pay per year
full range coming in the next data update

What the job actually is

Counsel individuals, couples, and families to work through relationship and mental health problems.

Where you work

Offices, clinics, or remote

The hours

Full time, some evenings

By the numbers

May 2024–25 BLS wage data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$63,780
per year
What most earn
range coming soon
Openings a year
~7,700
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+13%
Much faster than average
Working in the U.S.
77,800
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

How you get in

Typical starting education

Master's degree

Training path: Master's plus supervised clinical hours.

License or certification

Requires a master's degree, supervised clinical hours, and a state MFT license.

What it takes

ListeningEmpathyAssessmentCommunication

The honest take

Counsels couples and families through relationship and mental health struggles.

Standard Occupational Classification 21-1013. Pay, employment, and outlook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wage survey and 2024–34 employment projections). See something off? Tell us.