Marriage and family therapists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Marriage and family therapists in the United States earn a median salary of $66,940 per year — about $32 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 78K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +13%.
AI & Automation Risk
While the work is increasingly digital via telehealth and involves significant information processing, the core value of therapy lies in human-to-human empathy, trust, and the navigation of complex interpersonal dynamics. AI will likely automate administrative tasks and provide diagnostic support, but the high-stakes emotional nature of family and marriage counseling provides a significant barrier to full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Honolulu, HIBEST VALUE | $141,960 | Above avg (111.0) | $127,937 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $109,200 | Below avg (92.9) | $117,590 |
| St. George, UT | $101,510 | Average (97.3) | $104,304 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $101,460 | Average (100.1) | $101,401 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $102,910 | Average (101.6) | $101,321 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $91,260 | Below avg (95.9) | $95,135 |
| New Haven, CT | $99,070 | Above avg (104.6) | $94,750 |
| Wichita, KS | $83,730 | Below avg (88.9) | $94,136 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $92,150 | Average (98.9) | $93,215 |
| Mankato, MN | $83,100 | Below avg (91.0) | $91,364 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $90,900 | Average (99.8) | $91,102 |
| Bend, OR | $94,140 | Above avg (103.6) | $90,863 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $88,810 | Average (98.2) | $90,408 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $92,150 | Above avg (103.2) | $89,310 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $95,460 | Above avg (108.9) | $87,671 |