Marriage and Family Therapists pay in California
$79,440avg. a year
$38.19 an hour · 34,970 employed
Marriage and Family Therapists in California earn an average of $79,440 a year. That is $2,480 (3%) more than the U.S. average of $76,960. The best-paying metro area is San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA at $105,320.
$67,300Median pay
$38.19Average hourly
+43%Avg. pay since 2020
#10Of 45 states
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for marriage and family therapists by metro area. Swipe to see all 22.
11,180 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$105,320
$50.64 an hour
250 jobs
Napa, CA
$100,790
$48.46 an hour
3150 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$97,720
$46.98 an hour
4
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$95,400
$45.87 an hour
5290 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$93,930
$45.16 an hour
6220 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$93,290
$44.85 an hour
790 jobs
Chico, CA
$90,700
$43.61 an hour
850 jobs
El Centro, CA
$84,500
$40.63 an hour
91,380 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$84,310
$40.54 an hour
10310 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$84,160
$40.46 an hour
11130 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$83,810
$40.29 an hour
12640 jobs
Fresno, CA
$83,550
$40.17 an hour
13350 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$80,090
$38.51 an hour
14210 jobs
Redding, CA
$78,970
$37.97 an hour
15130 jobs
Visalia, CA
$78,720
$37.85 an hour
16140 jobs
Salinas, CA
$78,570
$37.78 an hour
17240 jobs
Modesto, CA
$78,510
$37.75 an hour
1813,200 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$77,240
$37.14 an hour
1950 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$76,860
$36.95 an hour
20
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$75,210
$36.16 an hour
21
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$66,140
$31.80 an hour
225,350 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$65,440
$31.46 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Marriage and Family Therapists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California marriage and family therapists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $61k$61k–$68k$68k–$75k$75k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $76,960 | $37.00 |
| California | $79,440 | $38.19 |
| Oregon | $102,390 | $49.23 |
| Arizona | $74,150 | $35.65 |
Related jobs in California
- Substance Abuse, Behavioral Disorder, and Mental Health Counselors$69,080
- Social and Human Service Assistants$55,100
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers$71,940
- Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors and Advisors$93,610
- Healthcare Social Workers$93,840
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers$91,050
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do marriage and family therapists make in California?
The average is $79,440 a year, and the median is $67,300. That is $2,480 (3%) more than the U.S. average of $76,960.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$38.19 an hour on average; the median is $32.35.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($105,320), followed by Napa, CA ($100,790). The lowest average among 22 metro areas with data is San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA ($65,440).
How does California rank?
California ranks #10 of 45 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 21-1013. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national marriage and family therapists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.