Marriage and Family Therapist salary
From 96 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 21-1013: Marriage and Family Therapists
At a glance
- Mostly Level II (mid-level). 29% of Marriage and Family Therapist filings are Level II, compared with 42% across all H-1B filings.
- Median up 50% since FY2020. From $48,000 in FY2020 to $72,197 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Marriage and Family Therapist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 96 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Marriage and Family Therapist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 21-1013, Marriage and Family Therapists). The median base salary is $72,565, 41% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $60,000 and $83,200. The most common wage level is Level II (mid-level), at 29% of filings.
Is your Marriage and Family Therapist offer competitive?
Enter the base salary in your offer. We compare it with certified H-1B filings for Marriage and Family Therapist jobs, nationally or in one metro area.
Enter a salary to see where it falls.
Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 28% of filings
Mid-level · 29% of filings
Senior · 29% of filings
Expert · 13% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $51,334 | 25 |
| Level II · Qualified | $69,867 | 26 |
| Level III · Experienced | $77,999 | 26 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $80,746 | 12 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Marriage and Family Therapist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 3 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $73,258 | 27 |
| San Francisco, CA | $89,075 | 14 |
| Chicago, IL | $46,667 | 12 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Marriage and Family Therapist does
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.
Typical tasks
- Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors.
- Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner.
- 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.
- Determine whether clients should be counseled or referred to other specialists in such fields as medicine, psychiatry, or legal aid.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Marriage and Family Therapists (21-1013.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Marriage and Family Therapists), the median annual wage was $66,940 in May 2025, with 66,740 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $72,565, 8% higher.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $46,072 | $44,650 |
| 25th percentile | $60,000 | $50,070 |
| Median | $72,565 | $66,940 |
| 75th percentile | $83,200 | $93,840 |
| 90th percentile | $97,140 | $123,730 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $46,072 |
| 25th | $60,000 |
| 50th (median) | $72,565 |
| 75th | $83,200 |
| 90th | $97,140 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $48,000 | $41,226 | $65,000 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $48,651 | $40,100 | $59,739 | 18 |
| FY2022 | $53,622 | $48,690 | $62,000 | 31 |
| FY2023 | $65,146 | $54,362 | $70,860 | 35 |
| FY2024 | $64,012 | $58,000 | $72,038 | 48 |
| FY2025 | $72,721 | $60,000 | $84,550 | 62 |
| FY2026 | $72,197 | $60,320 | $77,693 | 34 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Marriage and Family Therapist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Marriage and Family Therapist jobs is $72,565 (96 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $60,000 and $83,200.
What does an entry-level Marriage and Family Therapist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $51,334. Level I accounts for 28% of Marriage and Family Therapist filings.
Do H-1B Marriage and Family Therapists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($72,565) is 8% higher than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($66,940, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.