Marriage and Family Therapists
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.
Also called: Clinical Therapist · Counselor · Family Therapist · Human Relations Counselor · Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) · Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC)
Median pay (national)
$63,780
$42,610–$111,610 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
65,870
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+12.6%
~7,700 openings/yr
Typical entry
Master's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for marriage and family therapists shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $111,610 versus $42,610 at the bottom 10% — 2.6x. The median of $63,780 leaves roughly 75% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +12.6% from 2024 to 2034 — much faster than the 3% average for all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 7,700 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 45 states with released data, Hawaii pays the most for this role (median $135,870, +113% vs the national median), while Wisconsin sits lowest at $34,700 — a 292% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Google Meet, Zoom as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Science
- Mathematics
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
- Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
- Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
- Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
- Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
- Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
- Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
- Provide instructions to clients on how to obtain help with legal, financial, and other personal issues.
Tools & technology
- Google Meet
- Zoom
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Microsoft Teams
- Advantage Software Psych Advantage
- American Medical Billing Software PMA
- Anasazi Software Client Data System
- Beaver Creek Software The THERAPIST
- Blueberry Harbor Software Clinical Record Keeper
- Care Paths eRecord
- Casamba Smart
- Cornucopia Software Practice MAGIC
- DocuTrac QuicDoc
- eMDs Medisoft
- EZ2Bill Confidant
- EZClaim medical billing software
Knowledge areas
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sociology and Anthropology
- English Language
- Administrative
- Law and Government
- Philosophy and Theology