Compare online master in marriage and family therapy (MFT) degree programs

What does a marriage and family therapist do?

Marriage counselors and family therapists help families and couples confront issues and conflicts that are negatively affecting their relationships, work-life-balance, and home environment. Equipped with a wide range of interpersonal and psychological skills, these professionals are often called upon to aid patients who are dealing with depression and anxiety, are suffering through a loss of a loved one, or are affected by substance abuse of a family member or partner. Licensed marriage and family therapists leverage their expertise in active listening and behavior analysis to develop strategies that improve their clients’ quality of life.

Admissions requirements for a marriage and family therapy program

Online masters in marriage and family therapy programs typically require you to have earned a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university as well as to have maintained a minimum grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Full admissions requirements vary by school and some programs may include standardized test scores such as the GRE. However, these test scores may be waived depending on the institution.

A personal statement, letters of recommendation, a résumé, work experience, and official transcripts are typically required as part of the application process. Be sure to explore the specific requirements for any masters in marriage and family therapy programs in which you are interested by requesting information from the universities or learning more on their admissions web pages.

Masters in marriage and family therapy online curriculum

Masters in marriage and family therapy curricula vary depending on the program, university, course schedule, and available specializations or concentrations that are offered. Generally speaking, MFT curricula cover a range of topics in therapy and counseling that include human sexuality, psychotherapy, ethics, and mental health evaluation.

Depending on the program, masters in marriage and family therapy curricula may also include a variety of concentrations or specializations that allow you to further tailor your education to your unique career goals. Online MFT programs may cover subjects like:

• Counseling

• Diversity and Inclusion

• Ethics of counseling

• Mediation

• Mental health 

• Psychotherapy

• Sexuality and Intimacy

• Social work

Marriage and family therapist salary

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for marriage and family therapists was $49,880 in 2021.^{Footnote 1} In addition, the growth rate and the job outlook of marriage and family therapists from 2021 to 2031 is 14%,^{Footnote 1} which is much faster than average. It is important to note that the highest 10 percent those professionals earned more than $96,520.^{Footnote 1}

What are the highest paying MFT jobs?

With a masters in marriage and family therapy, you can pursue a wide range of career opportunities across fields in healthcare, government, consulting, or nonprofit to name a few. Here are some of the median annual wages for marriage and family therapists in the top industries in which they worked, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:^{Footnote 1}

• State government, excluding education and hospitals: $77,960

• Outpatient care centers: $57,930

• Offices of other health practitioners: $49,630

• Individual and family services: $48,340

How to become a marriage and family therapist online

While exploring your options to become a marriage and family therapist online, it's important to consider the types of skills and experience that could make you successful in treating your future patients. The soft and hard skills that marriage and family therapists typically exhibit in their day-to-day duties include:

• Communication

• Compassion

• Conflict resolution

• Critical thinking

• Interpersonal skills

• Listening skills

• Mediation

• Observational research

• Problem solving

Earning your master’s degree in marriage and family therapy or a related field is the first step toward becoming a marriage and family therapist. Be sure to explore available online programs that fit your unique career goals.

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Find the best MFT program for your marriage and family therapist career

When choosing the program that’s right for your marital and family therapy career, you might consider the ranking or reputation of the school, flexible nature of online schedules, available academic or career resources, job placement rates, or other factors that are important to you.