Marriage and family therapists working in the United States typically earn salaries in the range from $31,699 to $89,048 a year including bonuses and contributions from profit sharing according to the salary information reported by Payscale.
The basic annual salary for marriage and family counselors is generally in the range from $30,829 to $63,605. The yearly bonuses can amount to up to $2,027 and the reported earnings from profit sharing are usually in the range from none to $814 a year based on Payscale’s salary data.
Licensed marriage and family therapists are typically paid an income in the range from $35,127 to $117,468 a year. The basic annual income for these professionals generally ranges from $30,339 to $72,404 and the bonuses can amount to up to $4,027 a year according to Payscale.
Professionals with the certification of Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) are typically paid between $33,203 and $68,749 annually and those with the qualification of Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) earn an annual pay in the range from $32,210 to $60,000. Therapists with the certification of Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) generally make between $30,201 and $68,481 a year and those with the certification of Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) earn salaries in the range from $35,000 to $46,321 a year according to the salary data provided by Payscale. Marriage and family counselors employed at general hospitals generally make between $32,500 and $65,000 a year.
Average salary
The average salary for marriage and family therapists employed in the United States is $24,000 a year according to Indeed, $46,138 a year according to Payscale, $44,200 according to Recruiter.com, and $56,000 a year according to the salary data reported by CNN Money. The average yearly salary for licensed marriage and family therapists is $51,770 a year according to Payscale’s data. Based on CNN’s data, therapists can earn up to $120,000 a year, and the job outlook is very positive for this occupation, with an estimated employment growth rate of 41.2%.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a mean annual salary of $49,270 and a median yearly income of $46,670 for marriage and family therapists. 10% of the best paid therapists earn $75,120 a year or more and the 10% on the lower end of the pay scale earn $25,540 a year or less. The middle 50% of marriage and family therapists typically earn salaries in the range from $35,210 to $60,440 a year.
The average annual salary for marriage and family therapists can vary considerably from industry to industry. The salary data provided by the BLS reveals that the top paying industries for this occupation are state government, where therapists earn an average annual income of $64,830, followed by local government, where they make $57,090 a year on average, and home health care services, where the median annual salary for this profession is $56,520. Counselors working in employment services earn around $52,210 a year and those employed at general medical and surgical hospitals make $51,630 a year on average.
Marriage and family therapists working in individual and family services are paid $44,560 a year on average, those employed at outpatient care centers make $45,240 a year on average and professionals employed at other residential care facilities earn an average yearly salary of $37,580. Therapists working in community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services are paid an average annual income of $39,310 and those employed at offices of other health practitioners generally earn about $51,360 a year according to the salary figures provided by the BLS.
Salary by state
Marriage and family therapists’ annual salaries depend on geographical location among other factors and can vary considerably from state to state. Therapists based in California typically make between $37,762 and $76,375 a year, those employed in Texas are generally paid between $33,724 and $63,419 annually, and professionals working in Minnesota earn salaries in the range from $32,953 to $78,297 a year according to Payscale’s salary statistics.
Marriage and family counselors employed in Pennsylvania are typically paid between $29,672 and $50,000 a year and those working in Arizona earn an annual income in the range from $32,588 to $53,461. Therapists based in New York generally make between $38,103 and $66,228 a year and those employed in Washington report earning an annual pay in the range from $31,680 to $100,000 according to Payscale.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reveals that the states with the highest average annual income for marriage and family therapists are New Jersey, where the median yearly salary for this occupation is $67,870, followed by Wyoming, where therapists earn around $63,830 annually, and Hawaii, where they are paid $62,630 a year on average. Marriage and family counselors employed in Nevada make $58,200 a year on average and those based in Ohio are paid around $57,180 a year.
Marriage and family therapists based in California typically earn about $47,230 a year, those working in New Jersey are paid around $67,870 a year and professionals working in Delaware earn an average annual pay of $49,960 according to the BLS salary data.
Therapists based in Maryland make $45,880 a year on average, those working in Virginia earn around $45,370 a year and professionals employed in Florida earn an average yearly income of $43,390 according to the BLS.
The top paying states for marriage and family therapists, as reported by Recruiter.com, are Hawaii ($74,070), Rhode Island ($66,630), Georgia ($63,510), New Jersey ($60,920), Alaska ($60,700), Nevada ($60,510), and Missouri ($56,820).
The states with the lowest average annual income for this occupation are West Virginia ($30,640), Montana ($32,280), Tennessee ($33,010), Louisiana ($33,880), Oklahoma ($36,310), New Hampshire ($38,190), and Arizona ($38,360).
Salary by city
Marriage and family therapists’ salaries also vary from city to city. Therapists working in Los Angeles are generally paid between $39,632 and $67,449 annually, those based in San Diego earn salaries in the range from $30,913 to $65,931 a year, and professionals employed in Minneapolis typically make between $30,201 and $79,463 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Marriage and family therapists employed in Phoenix generally earn an annual income in the range from $33,971 to $44,000 and those based in New York are paid between $42,729 and $54,045 annually. Professionals working in Denver typically make between $33,600 and $54,000 a year and those employed in Dallas generally report earning an annual pay in the range from $36,172 to $62,312 according to Payscale.
Starting salary
The average starting salary for marriage and family therapists in their first year on the job is typically in the range from $29,933 to $50,335 a year according to Payscale’s salary data.
Therapists with less than a year of experience generally make between $20.17 and $35.61 per hour.
Salary range
Marriage and family therapists employed in the U.S. generally make between $32,000 and $48,00 a year according to the salary figures reported by Recruiter.com.
These professionals’ salaries depend on a wide range of factors, including work experience. Marriage and family therapists with 1 to 4 years of experience generally earn salaries in the range from $30,307 to $58,829 a year and those with 5 to 9 years of work experience under their belt are typically paid between $32,297 and $65,707 annually. Therapists with 10 to 19 years of professional experience make between $39,211 and $81,389 a year and those with 20 or more years of experience usually report earning an annual income in the range from $32,000 to $130,000 a year according to Payscale’s salary figures.
Area of specialty is another factor that can affect a therapist’s annual salary. Marriage and family therapists who specialize in counseling are generally paid between $30,895 and $64,826 a year, those specializing in case management typically make between $30,963 and $62,079 a year, and professionals specializing in clinical psychology earn an annual pay in the range from $30,201 to $69,041. Marriage and family counselors who specialize in emergency and trauma typically report earning a yearly income in the range from $30,617 to $61,958 according to Payscale’s salary figures.
In terms of industry, therapists working in counseling services are paid between $30,271 and $61,445 a year, those working at community mental health centers earn between $30,322 and $61,510 annually and professionals employed in the health care industry generally report earning an annual salary in the range from $30,521 to $80,131 according to Payscale.
Marriage and family counselors employed in social services typically make between $33,000 and $60,678 a year and those working in youth services are generally paid between $30,410 and $51,600 annually. Therapists working at clinical psychologists’ offices are usually paid between $35,508 and $104,296 a year and those employed at residential treatment facilities typically earn an annual pay in the range from $36,742 to $61,072 based on Payscale’s salary data.
Women earn salaries in the range from $30,470 to $61,130 a year and men typically make between $35,411 and $74,100 a year.
Benefits
Along with their basic annual salary and yearly bonuses, marriage and family therapists usually get a wide range of perks and benefits, and these can sometimes reflect their annual earnings.
Therapists who have 401(k) plans as part of their benefits package generally earn salaries in the range from $32,364 to $65,661 a year, those who have paid vacations and holidays usually make between $31,785 and $62,423 a year, and professionals who have paid sick leave are generally paid between $32,277 and $64,513 annually.
Marriage and family therapists who have life and disability insurance typically earn an annual income in the range from $31,572 to $59,964 and those who have 403(k) plans included in their benefits package are generally paid between $36,165 and $66,081 a year. Therapists who have a flexible work schedule report earning an income in the range from $31,427 to $65,468 a year and those who get reimbursement for education, training, tuition, or certification generally earn an annual pay in the range from $31,259 to $64,117 according to Payscale’s salary data.
The most popular benefits among these professionals are 401(k) plans, paid vacations, paid sick leave, life and disability insurance, flexible work schedule, casual dress and atmosphere at work, and reimbursement for professional training, education, and certification.
Hourly rate
The hourly rate for marriage and family therapists depends on a number of factors, including work experience. Therapists with 1 to 4 years of experience usually make between $14.84 and $93.33 per hour and those with 5 to 9 years of experience are generally paid between $21.46 and $118.64 per hour.
Professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience typically earn an hourly pay in the range from $20.09 to $97.44 and those with 20 or more years of professional experience are offered an hourly rate in the range from $23.65 to $155 according to Payscale’s salary data.
Marriage and family therapists with the certification of Licensed Marital and Family Therapist (LMFT) typically make between $17.99 and $102.41 per hour and those with the qualification of Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) are generally paid between $13 and $100 per hour according to Payscale.
In terms of area of specialty, therapists specializing in case management earn between $15.48 and $77.09 per hour and those specializing in counseling earn an hourly wage in the range from $17.88 to $101.70.
Marriage and family therapists specializing in clinical psychology are generally paid between $15.10 and $77.57 per hour and those specializing in emergency and trauma earn an hourly pay in the range between $15.46 and $145.44 based on Payscale’s salary data.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a mean hourly wage of $23.69 and a median hourly salary of $22.44 for this occupation. 10% of marriage and family therapists earn $12.28 per hour or less and the 10% on the higher end of the scale are offered an hourly rate of $36.11 or more. The middle 50% of marriage and family therapists generally make between $16.93 and $29.06 per hour according to the BLS.
The hourly pay for these professionals can vary significantly from industry to industry. Marriage and family therapists working in individual and family services earn $21.42 per hour on average, those employed at outpatient care centers are paid $21.75 per hour on average, and professionals working at offices of other health practitioners earn an average hourly salary of $24.69. Therapists employed by the state government are paid around $31.17 per hour and those working for the local government make $27.45 per hour on average according to the salary data provided by the BLS.
Marriage and family therapists working in home health care services earn around $27.17 per hour, those working in employment services make $25.10 per hour on average, and professionals employed at general medical and surgical hospitals earn an average hourly wage of $24.82. Therapists working at other residential care facilities are paid around $18.07 per hour and those working in community food and housing, and emergency and other relief services earn a median hourly pay of $18.90 according to the BLS data.
The hourly wage can also vary from state to state. Marriage and family therapists working in California earn around $22.71 per hour, those employed in Florida are paid around $20.86 per hour, and professionals based in New Jersey make $32.63 per hour on average. Therapists working in Virginia earn an average hourly salary of $21.81, those employed in Maryland are paid around $22.06 per hour and professionals based in Delaware earn $24.02 per hour on average.
Marriage and family therapists working in Wyoming are paid $30.69 per hour on average and those employed in Ohio earn around $27.49 per hour. Therapists based in Hawaii earn an average hourly salary of $30.11 and those working in Nevada make $27.98 per hour on average based on the salary figures reported by the BLS.
Other income factors
The salaries of marriage and family therapists can also vary depending on the size of the company or organization that employs them. Therapists working for organizations with 1 to 9 employees generally report earning an income in the range from $29,967 to $61,748 a year, those working for organizations that employ between 10 and 49 people are usually paid between $30,622 and $62,874 annually, and professionals working for organizations with 50 to 199 employees earn salaries in the range from $34,746 to $53,582 a year.
Marriage and family therapists working for organizations that employ between 200 and 599 people typically make between $33,448 and $68,291 a year and those working for companies with 600 to 1,999 employees generally earn an annual income in the range from $38,103 to $69,810 according to Payscale’s data.
Therapists’ salaries also vary depending on the type of employer. Professionals working for private practices and firms are usually paid between $30,091 and $66,978 annually, those employed by companies generally make between $30,446 and $69,325 a year, and therapists employed by non-profit organizations typically report earning salaries in the range from $31,615 to $58,299 a year.
Marriage and family therapists working at hospitals are generally paid between $34,052 and $72,640 annually, those employed by schools and school districts typically earn between $37,000 and $65,000 a year, and professionals working for other organizations report earning an income in the range from $34,000 to $48,980 a year. Therapists who are self-employed generally make between $24,417 and $130,000 a year, those working for the state or local government are paid between $32,090 and $87,262 annually, and professionals employed by the federal government typically report earning an annual income in the range from $51,097 to $60,335 according to Payscale’s salary data.
Academic degree can also affect a therapist’s annual salary. Marriage and family therapists with a Master of Arts (MA) in Marriage and Family Therapy typically earn between $31,779 and $63,616 a year, those with a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy are generally paid between $29,799 and $62,577 annually, and professionals with an MA in Counseling Psychology earn an annual income in the range from $38,302 to $76,522 according to Payscale.
Therapists with an MA in Counseling typically make between $33,633 and $76,354 a year, those with an MA in Psychology are paid between $34,048 and $90,500 a year, and professionals with an MA in Clinical Psychology report earning salaries in the range from $30,201 to $64,365 a year. Marriage and family therapists with a bachelor’s degree make between $26,451 and $58,326 a year and those with a Doctorate (PhD) are paid between $40,976 and $73,500 annually.
Marriage and family therapists with a Master of Social Work (MSW) in Social Work typically make between $30,201 and $58,108 a year and those with a MSW in Clinical Social Work (CSW) earn an income in the range from $38,000 to $59,780 a year. Therapists with a Master of Science in Counseling earn between $32,913 and $39,138 a year and those with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Psychology report earning an annual pay in the range from $38,884 to $48,834 according to Payscale.