Marital Therapist Salaries

Marital and family therapists have several options in the setting they choose to work. Dependent on the setting the salaries can slightly vary. Many private practice marital therapists work less hours and average a higher annual salary.

The marital therapists working in organizations or state funded programs typically work longer hours and receive lower annual salaries. The private practice therapist earns approximately $58k a year and the non private therapists earns $54k a year doing the same job.

The percentage of marital therapists that work in private practice is approximately 45%. A therapist working in a private practice office will generally have a higher percentage of private pay clients.

There are many different indicators that play a part in the salary average for the MFT’s. MFT’s that hold dual certifications and degrees will average approximately $6k above than the average.

The marital therapists that are Caucasian make up about 93%, however, the African American marital therapists average around $60k and above while their Caucasian counterparts earn $54k and below.

Here are some variances in salary according to the 2002 AAMFT Practice Research Survey:

MFT and Similar Therapist Positions and Salaries

• Clinical, counseling, and school psychologists - $65,981
• Marriage and Family Therapist - $46,092
• Mental Health Counselors - $43,970
• Medical and Health Services Managers - $88,072
• Psychotherapist - $43,570
• Clinical Therapist - $41,347
• Clinical Psychologist - $60,000
• Mental Health Program Manager - $61,964
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker - $55,843

Average Salary by Age

• Younger than 30 - $33,333
• 31-40 - $43,941
• 41-50 - $57,258
• 51-60 - $57,787
• 61 and Older - $50,581

Salary by Setting

• Organizational $46,850
• Private Practice $58,797
• Both - $55,710

Salaries by One or Two Licenses

• Single Licensed MFTs - $52,786
• Dual Licensed MFTs -- $58,093

Salaries by Race

• White -- $53,750
• Minority -- $60,273
• Not Specified/Unknown - $73,000

The Educational Earnings Difference

There is a distinct difference between those marital therapists that obtain master’s degrees and are clinicians than those whom earn a doctoral. The marital therapist that obtained a higher educational degree seems to also receive a larger percentage of private pay clients as opposed to those with only master’s degrees. Here are some pay examples based on education:

Salaries by Degree

• Clinical Masters' -- $55,625
• Clinical Ph.D. - $86,200

The industry in the past was flooded with women marital therapist. Men have begun to respond to the need for managed care such as marital therapy. The women were earning almost equal to the male pay scale. This has recently changed as men have increased their rankings in marital therapy. The male MFT is generally willing to work longer hours and push for the private practice. The private pay in the private practice is where a large percent of income is earned by the marital therapist.

The differences in salaries are definitely present. Many MFT’s are aware of the various pay scale differences and choose accordingly. Whether the MFT is a male or female, racially different, different levels of education, age differences, or where they practice, the marital and family therapists are still desperately needed in the counseling field.