Child and family therapist vs family therapist

The differences between child and family therapists and family therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a child and family therapist and a family therapist. Additionally, a child and family therapist has an average salary of $55,339, which is higher than the $50,774 average annual salary of a family therapist.

The top three skills for a child and family therapist include social work, diagnosis and mental health. The most important skills for a family therapist are social work, patients, and rehabilitation.

Child and family therapist vs family therapist overview

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Therapist
Yearly salary	$55,339	$50,774
Hourly rate	$26.61	$24.41
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	120,152	106,982
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

What does a child and family therapist do?

Child and family therapists are therapists who specialize in treating traumatized children due to neglect or abuse. They always formulate various techniques and activities to treat their patients and help improve the affected family's quality of living while maintaining confidentiality and following HIPAA laws and agency policies and procedures. During treatment, they monitor the progress of their patients and adjust the treatment accordingly. They also train youth counselors to maintain open communication with their families to know the cause and resolve problems faster.

What does a family therapist do?

A Family Therapist works with couples and families to help ameliorate marital and family issues. They can work in hospitals, treatment programs, government agencies, health organizations, and private practices.

Child and family therapist vs family therapist salary

Child and family therapists and family therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Therapist
Average salary	$55,339	$50,774
Salary range	Between $37,000 And $81,000	Between $37,000 And $67,000
Highest paying City	San Rafael, CA	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	Alaska	Oregon
Best paying company	Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County)	Dignity Health
Best paying industry	Finance	Health Care

Differences between child and family therapist and family therapist education

There are a few differences between a child and family therapist and a family therapist in terms of educational background:

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Therapist
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 51%	Bachelor's Degree, 47%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Child and family therapist vs family therapist demographics

Here are the differences between child and family therapists' and family therapists' demographics:

	Child And Family Therapist	Family Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%	Male, 25.8% Female, 74.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 7.0% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 13.9% Asian, 4.6% White, 68.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between child and family therapist and family therapist duties and responsibilities

Child and family therapist example responsibilities.

Develop and lead DBT base therapy groups for children and adolescents in residential treatment.
Train in HIPAA as well as an understanding of BCBA professional standards.
Create, implement, and monitor behavior programs under supervision of a BCBA.
Conduct psychological testing for social security disability, vocational rehabilitation, and hospital inpatient populations.
Perform occasional psychosocial rehabilitation services.
Perform occasional psychosocial rehabilitation services.

Family therapist example responsibilities.

Complete documentation to medicaid standards.
Create maximum billable Medicaid hours and submitting necessary paperwork for Medicaid billing.
Apply behavioral analysis instruction for a student with autism concentrating on communication, socialization, self-help skills and community skills.
Receive and process referrals from DCF and community-base case managers for individuals suspect as substance abusers.

Child and family therapist vs family therapist skills

Common child and family therapist skills

Social Work, 21%
Diagnosis, 8%
Mental Health, 6%
Individual Therapy, 6%
Community Resources, 5%
Behavioral Health, 5%

Common family therapist skills

Social Work, 27%
Patients, 6%
Rehabilitation, 4%
Community Resources, 4%
Mental Health Issues, 4%
Group Therapy, 3%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Child And Family Therapist
Child And Family Therapist vs Family Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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