Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) Salary

How much do marriage and family therapists make?

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the average salary of MFTs (also known as marriage and family counselors) in the United States in 2022 was $63,300.

The table below compares the salaries of MFTs to other counseling occupations in Oregon and the U.S. As with all professions, individual earnings differ based on industry, geographic location, experience, education, and other factors. In 2017, the lowest paid 10 percent of MFTs in the U.S. earned less than $31,390, while the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $81,760.

Counseling Occupations Oregon Annual
Mean Wage
U.S Annual
Mean Wage
Difference
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors $70,740 $64,200
$6,540
Marriage and Family Therapists $67,440 $63,300
$4,140
Rehabilitation Counselors $47,910 $46,020
$1,890
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors $60,980 $56,230
$4,750
Counselors, All Other $53,390 $49,770 $3,620

U.S. Mean Annual Wage for Marriage and Family Therapists (USD)

Source: Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, Bureau of Labor Statistics

Family counselor directs a father holding his daughter to an iPad on the table

Job Outlook for Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs)

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that employment of marriage and family therapists will grow 22% between 2019 and 2029, "much faster" than the average growth rate for all occupations.

Growth is expected due to the increasing use of integrated care, which is a treatment of multiple problems at one time by a group of specialists. In providing integrated care, marriage and family therapists are working with counselors such as substance abuse, behavior disorder, or mental health counselors, to address patients' issues as a team.

From the 2019 employment estimate of 66,200 people working as marriage and family therapists in the U.S., a 22% increase would mean that an additional 14,800 jobs would be added, bringing the total up to 80,900 by 2029.