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The differences between child and family therapists and primary 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 primary therapist. Additionally, a primary therapist has an average salary of $59,826, which is higher than the $55,339 average annual salary of a child and 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 primary therapist are patients, social work, and group therapy sessions.
| Child And Family Therapist | Primary Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $55,339 | $59,826 |
| Hourly rate | $26.61 | $28.76 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 120,152 | 85,127 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
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.
Primary therapists are the main point of contact for patients concerning wellness and overall mental health. Those who choose this career path will be expected to supervise and manage efficient treatment according to plan, and to manage between six and eight patients at a time, keeping in constant communication with these patients and various specialists.
Child and family therapists and primary therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Child And Family Therapist | Primary Therapist | |
| Average salary | $55,339 | $59,826 |
| Salary range | Between $37,000 And $81,000 | Between $43,000 And $83,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Rafael, CA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County) | Appalachian Regional Healthcare |
| Best paying industry | Finance | Finance |
There are a few differences between a child and family therapist and a primary therapist in terms of educational background:
| Child And Family Therapist | Primary Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Master's Degree, 51% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Psychology |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between child and family therapists' and primary therapists' demographics:
| Child And Family Therapist | Primary Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8% | Male, 27.1% Female, 72.9% |
| 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, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 15% |