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Best states for a child and family therapist
Quoted expert
Amanda Bakian
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for child and family therapists? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for child and family therapist jobs.In fact, our research shows that California is the best state for child and family therapists in America. The best city in America for child and family therapists with the highest pay is San Rafael, CA.
We figured that the best places for child and family therapist jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.California is the best state, and Fairbanks is the city with the highest pay for child and family therapists.
10 best states for child and family therapists in 2026
1. California
Total child and family therapist jobs: 7,420 Average annual salary: $61,386 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.18
2. Texas
Total child and family therapist jobs: 4,690 Average annual salary: $55,671 Lowest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
3. Oregon
Total child and family therapist jobs: 973 Average annual salary: $56,160 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location Quotient: 1.09
4. Minnesota
Total child and family therapist jobs: 1,287 Average annual salary: $59,727 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location Quotient: 0.9
5. North Dakota
Total child and family therapist jobs: 280 Average annual salary: $52,944 Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
6. Pennsylvania
Total child and family therapist jobs: 3,147 Average annual salary: $48,723 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $96,000 Location Quotient: 1.26
7. Alaska
Total child and family therapist jobs: 183 Average annual salary: $63,400 Lowest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.02
8. Washington
Total child and family therapist jobs: 1,873 Average annual salary: $54,088 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location Quotient: 1.19
9. Colorado
Total child and family therapist jobs: 1,408 Average annual salary: $53,614 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location Quotient: 1.1
10. Idaho
Total child and family therapist jobs: 349 Average annual salary: $53,418 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location Quotient: 0.99
Child and family therapist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a child and family therapist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a child and family therapist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $61,386 | $40,000 | 39,536,653 | 7,420 |
| 2 | Texas | $55,671 | $35,000 | 28,304,596 | 4,690 |
| 3 | Oregon | $56,160 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 973 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $59,727 | $41,000 | 5,576,606 | 1,287 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $52,944 | $39,000 | 755,393 | 280 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $48,723 | $24,000 | 12,805,537 | 3,147 |
| 7 | Alaska | $63,400 | $56,000 | 739,795 | 183 |
| 8 | Washington | $54,088 | $40,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,873 |
| 9 | Colorado | $53,614 | $38,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,408 |
| 10 | Idaho | $53,418 | $38,000 | 1,716,943 | 349 |
| 11 | Nevada | $50,335 | $34,000 | 2,998,039 | 427 |
| 12 | Kansas | $49,130 | $33,000 | 2,913,123 | 690 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $47,885 | $33,000 | 1,920,076 | 611 |
| 14 | Illinois | $49,571 | $30,000 | 12,802,023 | 2,741 |
| 15 | Alabama | $49,406 | $30,000 | 4,874,747 | 754 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $54,923 | $40,000 | 579,315 | 48 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $46,845 | $28,000 | 4,454,189 | 728 |
| 18 | Iowa | $47,219 | $31,000 | 3,145,711 | 787 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $46,681 | $29,000 | 5,795,483 | 1,138 |
| 20 | Utah | $50,215 | $36,000 | 3,101,833 | 503 |
| 21 | Indiana | $42,718 | $25,000 | 6,666,818 | 1,706 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $45,350 | $30,000 | 3,930,864 | 748 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $43,446 | $21,000 | 9,005,644 | 1,965 |
| 24 | Maryland | $42,427 | $21,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,614 |
| 25 | Arizona | $48,793 | $32,000 | 7,016,270 | 822 |
| 26 | Montana | $42,936 | $32,000 | 1,050,493 | 336 |
| 27 | New York | $40,527 | $19,000 | 19,849,399 | 3,233 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $45,566 | $25,000 | 1,815,857 | 104 |
| 29 | Georgia | $42,506 | $25,000 | 10,429,379 | 2,380 |
| 30 | Michigan | $40,964 | $23,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,669 |
| 31 | Virginia | $42,245 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,812 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $39,963 | $26,000 | 3,004,279 | 588 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $45,023 | $30,000 | 2,088,070 | 259 |
| 34 | Maine | $32,565 | $15,000 | 1,335,907 | 520 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $39,100 | $24,000 | 6,715,984 | 1,256 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $42,602 | $22,000 | 693,972 | 186 |
| 37 | Missouri | $37,857 | $24,000 | 6,113,532 | 1,349 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $37,226 | $17,000 | 1,059,639 | 165 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $41,323 | $26,000 | 2,984,100 | 207 |
| 40 | Delaware | $36,566 | $18,000 | 961,939 | 248 |
| 41 | Ohio | $37,641 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 2,003 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $31,362 | $14,000 | 6,859,819 | 2,601 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $37,686 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,944 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $40,224 | $28,000 | 869,666 | 120 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $39,547 | $34,000 | 1,427,538 | 139 |
| 46 | Connecticut | $34,683 | $16,000 | 3,588,184 | 491 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $40,118 | $24,000 | 4,684,333 | 308 |
| 48 | Florida | $34,214 | $19,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,796 |
| 49 | Vermont | $31,959 | $15,000 | 623,657 | 97 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $31,344 | $14,000 | 1,342,795 | 163 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $30,983 | $18,000 | 5,024,369 | 496 |
Highest paying states for child and family therapists
| Rank | State | Avg. Child And Family Therapist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | $61,386 |
| 2 | Texas | $55,671 |
| 3 | Oregon | $56,160 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $59,727 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $52,944 |
| 6 | Pennsylvania | $48,723 |
| 7 | Alaska | $63,400 |
| 8 | Washington | $54,088 |
| 9 | Colorado | $53,614 |
| 10 | Idaho | $53,418 |
| 11 | Nevada | $50,335 |
| 12 | Kansas | $49,130 |
| 13 | Nebraska | $47,885 |
| 14 | Illinois | $49,571 |
| 15 | Alabama | $49,406 |
| 16 | Wyoming | $54,923 |
| 17 | Kentucky | $46,845 |
| 18 | Iowa | $47,219 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | $46,681 |
| 20 | Utah | $50,215 |
| 21 | Indiana | $42,718 |
| 22 | Oklahoma | $45,350 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $43,446 |
| 24 | Maryland | $42,427 |
| 25 | Arizona | $48,793 |
| 26 | Montana | $42,936 |
| 27 | New York | $40,527 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $45,566 |
| 29 | Georgia | $42,506 |
| 30 | Michigan | $40,964 |
| 31 | Virginia | $42,245 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $39,963 |
| 33 | New Mexico | $45,023 |
| 34 | Maine | $32,565 |
| 35 | Tennessee | $39,100 |
| 36 | District of Columbia | $42,602 |
| 37 | Missouri | $37,857 |
| 38 | Rhode Island | $37,226 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $41,323 |
| 40 | Delaware | $36,566 |
| 41 | Ohio | $37,641 |
| 42 | Massachusetts | $31,362 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $37,686 |
| 44 | South Dakota | $40,224 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $39,547 |
| 46 | Connecticut | $34,683 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $40,118 |
| 48 | Florida | $34,214 |
| 49 | Vermont | $31,959 |
| 50 | New Hampshire | $31,344 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $30,983 |
Expert opinions on the best states for child and family therapists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for child and family therapists to find work opportunities?
Amanda Bakian
Research Associate Professor, University of Utah
My impression is that the job market for graduates with a degree in statistics is still likely to be strong in 2020 - demand for quantitative skills remain high, and work can be done remotely. In an academic setting, individuals with this skill set are in short supply.
Child and family therapist best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025