Career Counselors vs Marriage & Family Therapists
Median pay is about $3k higher for Marriage & Family Therapists. The usual entry education is master's for Career Counselors and master's plus license for Marriage & Family Therapists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Career Counselors | Marriage & Family Therapists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $64,330 | $66,940, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $51,270, higher | $50,070 |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $82,870 | $93,840, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +2.9% Growing | +14% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 27,800 | 6,900 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Master's | Master's plus license |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Very high | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 91st pct | 80th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking, active learning.
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Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.