Marriage and Family Therapists: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of marriage and family therapists about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for marriage and family therapists to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of marriage and family therapists expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for marriage and family therapists.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Marriage and Family Therapists?
Do marriage and family therapists need a degree? What kind of experience do marriage and family therapists typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for marriage and family therapists to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Marriage and Family Therapists
Jobs Postings for Marriage and Family Therapists By Education
- Master's degree: 24,776 (45%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 10,252 (19%)
- No Education Listed: 10,206 (18%)
- Bachelor's degree: 5,863 (11%)
- High School or GED: 4,106 (7%)
A master's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of marriage and family therapists. According to job data, a master's degree was required for 45% of positions. In 19% of job listings a ph.d. or professional degree was required and in 18% of postings no education level was listed.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Marriage and Family Therapists
Jobs Postings for Marriage and Family Therapists By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 6,074 (39%)
- 2-3 Years: 8,178 (53%)
- 4-6 Years: 1,192 (8%)
- 7-9 Years: 77 (0%)
- 10+ Years: 50 (0%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for marriage and family therapists. In 53% of job postings for Marriage and Family Therapists, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 39% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 8% of job postings for marriage and family therapists.
What Kind of Degree Do Marriage and Family Therapists Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for marriage and family therapists, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 14 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective marriage and family therapists, and in 2023 a total of 234,436 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective marriage and family therapists.
Top Degree Programs for Marriage and Family Therapists
Top 5 Degree Programs for Marriage and Family Therapists (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Psychology, General. | 143,660 |
| Social Work. | 58,001 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Human Development and Family Studies, General. | 8,321 |
| Behavioral Sciences. | 4,777 |
| Marriage and Family Therapy/Counseling. | 3,898 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, General. | 2,454 |
| Human Development, Family Studies, and Related Services, Other. | 540 |
| Family Systems. | 432 |
| Business Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences. | 429 |
| Clinical Pastoral Counseling/Patient Counseling. | 177 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences/Human Sciences, Other. | 142 |
| Work and Family Studies. | 10 |
| Medical Family Therapy/Therapist. | 5 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Marriage and Family Therapists
Leverage advances in positive psychology and executive coaching to impact the development of individuals, teams, and communities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do Marriage and Family Therapists Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by marriage and family therapists to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for marriage and family therapists, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Marriage and Family Therapists
Based on 46,798 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Marriage and Family Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 17,176 | 37% |
| Mental Health | 16,591 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 16,484 | 35% |
| Social Work | 16,420 | 35% |
| Family Therapy | 15,310 | 33% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Marriage and Family Therapists
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9,868 | 21% |
| Leadership | 4,986 | 11% |
| Management | 4,381 | 9% |
| Planning | 4,371 | 9% |
| Scheduling | 4,065 | 9% |
Based on 46,798 job postings related to marriage and family therapists, psychology was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 37% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for mental health, treatment planning, social work, family therapy and behavioral health were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for marriage and family therapists, followed by leadership, management, planning, scheduling and ethical standards and conduct.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 17,176 | 37% |
| Mental Health | 16,591 | 35% |
| Treatment Planning | 16,484 | 35% |
| Social Work | 16,420 | 35% |
| Family Therapy | 15,310 | 33% |
| Behavioral Health | 12,022 | 26% |
| Psychotherapy | 7,955 | 17% |
| Crisis Intervention | 6,449 | 14% |
| Psychiatry | 6,346 | 14% |
| Case Management | 6,256 | 13% |
| Group Therapy | 5,928 | 13% |
| Telehealth | 5,276 | 11% |
| Substance Abuse | 4,995 | 11% |
| Clinical Psychology | 4,252 | 9% |
| Trauma Care | 4,100 | 9% |
| Discharge Planning | 3,784 | 8% |
| Marketing | 3,635 | 8% |
| Autism Spectrum Disorders | 3,478 | 7% |
| Billing | 3,460 | 7% |
| Behaviour Therapy | 3,380 | 7% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 9,868 | 21% |
| Leadership | 4,986 | 11% |
| Management | 4,381 | 9% |
| Planning | 4,371 | 9% |
| Scheduling | 4,065 | 9% |
| Ethical Standards And Conduct | 3,978 | 9% |
| Coordinating | 3,416 | 7% |
| Teaching | 2,825 | 6% |
| Writing | 2,808 | 6% |
| Advocacy | 2,801 | 6% |
| Customer Service | 2,712 | 6% |
| Presentations | 2,698 | 6% |
| Professionalism | 2,620 | 6% |
| Problem Solving | 2,590 | 6% |
| Good Driving Record | 2,280 | 5% |
| Time Management | 2,275 | 5% |
| Self-Discipline | 2,270 | 5% |
| Multilingualism | 2,234 | 5% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 2,110 | 5% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 2,110 | 5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about marriage and family therapists? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for marriage and family therapists.
What do marriage and family therapists do?
How much do marriage and family therapists make?
All Occupations
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has compiled data for dozens of in-demand jobs. Explore our full catalog of occupation data by visiting the link below.