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.
Marriage and family therapists diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders, whether cognitive, affective, or behavioral, within the context of marriage and family systems. The role reports a median annual salary of $63,780 in the US and is projected to grow 13% over the next decade (faster than average). Entry typically requires a Master's degree, and shows low AI exposure (0.37 on a 0-1 scale) — the role's core work resists automation. The most in-demand skills for the role include counselling methods, legal requirements in the social sector, client-centred counselling, supervision of persons, social sciences.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £44,550 a year for Social workers (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £39,517 to £49,959 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2461). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Marriage and family therapists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
No single fixed route is listed for this career. These Indian degrees lead to it, according to the US CIP–SOC education-to-occupation crosswalk; open a degree for its entrance exams and colleges.[1]
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Social Work — BSW, Bachelor of Social Work (three years, or four years with research)
Entrance exams: CUET-UG
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- CIP 2020 – SOC 2018 crosswalk (NCES / BLS) (read on 2026-09-27)
1 open listing on our jobs board → Recent listings whose job title matches this career. Some jobs in this career are advertised under other titles.
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Therapy and Counseling
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Sociology and Anthropology
- English Language
- Administrative
- Law and Government
- Philosophy and Theology
A day in the life
You start the morning reviewing notes before your first session, a couple struggling to communicate since the birth of their child. In the session you ask careful questions that help each partner name what they feel and why, and you teach them a simple way to listen without interrupting. Mid-morning you see a family whose teenager has stopped going to school, observing how they speak to each other and gently pointing out the patterns that keep them stuck. After lunch you update case files and progress notes, then talk with a school counsellor and a doctor about another family's treatment plan. Later you meet a client who is finishing therapy to plan how they will cope on their own. Writing notes after every session can feel tedious. But when a family that arrived angry and silent leaves talking and even laughing together, you know the work matters.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- 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.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Marriage and family therapists do?
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.
What does a typical day look like in Marriage and family therapists?
You start the morning reviewing notes before your first session, a couple struggling to communicate since the birth of their child. In the session you ask careful questions that help each partner name what they feel and why, and you teach them a simple way to listen without interrupting. Mid-morning you see a family whose teenager has stopped going to school, observing how they speak to each other and gently pointing out the patterns that keep them stuck.
How much does Marriage and family therapists earn?
The median annual salary for Marriage and family therapists in the US is $63,780.
What is the job outlook for Marriage and family therapists?
The role is projected to grow 13% over the next decade (faster than average). Current US employment is approximately 77,800 workers.
How do I become marriage and family therapists?
The typical entry education is a Master's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Marriage and family therapists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include counselling methods, legal requirements in the social sector, client-centred counselling, supervision of persons, social sciences, cognitive behavioural therapy. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Marriage and family therapists?
Our AI-durability model gives Marriage and family therapists a score of 0.37 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at low AI exposure — the role's core work resists current-generation automation. It's a comparatively AI-durable choice within its field.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Marriage and family therapists has high barrier to entry — highly gated — a graduate degree or extended training/apprenticeship is typically required.