Salary distribution
Where California marriage and family therapists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $47,730 and $91,660, with a median of $63,780.
Marriage and Family Therapists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 41 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $73,918. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 5 | $65,000 |
| Level II — qualified | 11 | $71,000 |
| Level III — experienced | 13 | $73,918 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 8 | $82,680 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Marriage and Family Therapists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinatown Service Center | Outpatient Therapist | 3 | $79,000 |
| SPECIAL SERVICE FOR GROUPS, INC. | Associate Marriage & Family Therapist | 3 | $68,328 |
| EdTheory LLC | ASSOCIATE MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST | 3 | $69,867 |
| Hilber Psychological Services APC | Marriage & Family Therapist | 2 | $62,400 |
| Partnerships for Trauma Recovery | Counseling Program Manager | 2 | $90,147 |
| North East Medical Services | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist | 2 | $122,372 |
| Santa Rosa Community Health | Primary Care Behavioral Health Clinician | 2 | $124,962 |
| Mind & Body Garden, A Psychological Corporation | Psychotherapist Staff | 2 | $88,900 |
| MEDENS HEALTH | MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST | 2 | $67,465 |
| CogDiversified Inc | Licensed Therapist | 2 | $72,800 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Marriage & Family Therapist at Hilber Psychological Services APC$62,400San DiegoDecided Nov 14, 2025I-203-25309-378432
- Mental Health Clinician at Asian Pacific Community Counseling$69,000SacramentoDecided Nov 7, 2025I-200-25304-353734
- Counseling Program Manager at Partnerships for Trauma Recovery$88,150BerkeleyWage Level IIIDecided Sep 25, 2025I-200-25261-319772
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist at North East Medical Services$140,973San FranciscoWage Level IVDecided Sep 23, 2025I-200-25259-310664
- Outpatient Therapist at Chinatown Service Center$71,000AlhambraWage Level IIDecided Aug 15, 2025I-200-25220-232131
- Primary Care Behavioral Health Clinician at Santa Rosa Community Health$124,961Santa RosaDecided Jul 31, 2025I-200-25205-198110
- Psychotherapist Staff at Mind & Body Garden, A Psychological Corporation$105,000Monterey ParkWage Level IVDecided Jun 25, 2025I-200-25168-103655
- MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST at JUDD PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES INC$74,880VALENCIAWage Level IVDecided Jun 23, 2025I-200-25166-094295
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
Marriage and Family Therapists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Marriage and Family Therapists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 21 certified offers. The most common variant is MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST at a median of $69,867.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST | EdTheory LLC | 11 | $69,867 |
| Associate Marriage & Family Therapist | SPECIAL SERVICE FOR GROUPS, INC. | 7 | $68,328 |
| Psychotherapist Staff | Mind & Body Garden, A Psychological Corporation | 3 | $90,000 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Marriage and Family Therapists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 41 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Healthcare leads with a median of $73,918.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Healthcare | SPECIAL SERVICE FOR GROUPS, INC. | 37 | $73,918 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Chinatown Service Center | 4 | $75,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 2 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2024 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
Internship/residency
On-the-job training
Internship/residency
Top skills (O*NET)
- 5.0 / 5
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge
- 4.9 / 5
Psychology
Knowledge
- 4.9 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.4 / 5
Social Perceptiveness
Technical
- 4.3 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.3 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
- 02
Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- 03
Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues.
- 04
Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations.
- 05
Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties.
- 06
Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation.
- 07
Confer with clients to develop plans for posttreatment activities.
- 08
Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+12.7%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Growing much faster than average
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for marriage and family therapists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Jose$88,950
- San Francisco$76,980
- Sacramento$72,810
- Los Angeles$64,420
- Riverside$60,780
- San Diego$48,950
Compare Marriage and Family Therapists pay across nearby states
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Marriage and Family Therapists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Marriage and Family Therapists in California is $63,780.
- How does California compare to the national median for Marriage and Family Therapists?
- The California median is -1.4% versus the BLS national figure of $64,710.
- What is the salary range for Marriage and Family Therapists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $44,430 and the 90th-percentile at $121,700, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Marriage and Family Therapists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 12.7% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Marriage and Family Therapists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.