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 (111.4) | $127,405 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $109,200 | Below avg (92.9) | $117,560 |
| St. George, UT | $101,510 | Below avg (96.7) | $104,937 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $101,460 | Average (100.5) | $100,974 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $102,910 | Above avg (103.5) | $99,388 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $91,260 | Below avg (93.6) | $97,504 |
| Mankato, MN | $83,100 | Below avg (87.6) | $94,812 |
| New Haven, CT | $99,070 | Above avg (105.4) | $94,032 |
| Wichita, KS | $83,730 | Below avg (89.4) | $93,636 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $92,150 | Average (98.9) | $93,170 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $88,810 | Below avg (95.7) | $92,761 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $90,900 | Average (101.0) | $90,018 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $92,150 | Average (102.4) | $89,974 |
| Bend, OR | $94,140 | Above avg (105.3) | $89,422 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $86,550 | Average (97.1) | $89,094 |