Marriage and Family Therapists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Community and Social Service · SOC 21-1013 · O*NET 21-1013.00
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 fall under the Community and Social Service category in the U.S. occupational classification. Marriage and Family Therapists earn a median salary of $63,780 per year, ranking in the top 41% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +12.6% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do marriage and family therapists earn?
The median annual wage for marriage and family therapists is $63,780. That puts marriage and family therapists at #331 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $42,610 |
| 25th percentile | $48,600 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $63,780 |
| 75th percentile | $85,020 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $111,610 |
| Median hourly wage | $30.66/hr |
Is marriage and family therapists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for marriage and family therapists is +12.6%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 77K positions in 2024 to 87K in 2034, a net change of 10K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.
What do marriage and family therapists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working marriage and family therapists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- 2.Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
- 3.Provide public education and consultation to other professionals or groups regarding counseling services, issues, and methods.
- 4.Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- 5.Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
- 6.Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
- 7.Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
- 8.Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
Top skills for marriage and family therapists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become marriage and family therapist?
The standard path into marriage and family therapists begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about marriage and family therapists
What is the median salary for marriage and family therapists?
The median annual salary for marriage and family therapists is $63,780 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is marriage and family therapists a growing career?
BLS projects +12.6% growth for marriage and family therapists from 2024 through 2034, which is fast growth projected to grow faster than the US average.
What education does my child need to become marriage and family therapist?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to marriage and family therapists?
Related occupations within the Community and Social Service category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.