Couples therapist vs child and family therapist

The differences between couples therapists and child 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 couples therapist and a child and family therapist. Additionally, a couples therapist has an average salary of $95,051, which is higher than the $55,339 average annual salary of a child and family therapist.

The top three skills for a couples therapist include couples therapy, private practice and adolescents. The most important skills for a child and family therapist are social work, diagnosis, and mental health.

Couples therapist vs child and family therapist overview

	Couples Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Yearly salary	$95,051	$55,339
Hourly rate	$45.70	$26.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	23,353	120,152
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 55%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Couples therapist vs child and family therapist salary

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

	Couples Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Average salary	$95,051	$55,339
Salary range	Between $59,000 And $151,000	Between $37,000 And $81,000
Highest paying City	-	San Rafael, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Everymind (formerly Mental Health Association Of Montgomery County)
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between couples therapist and child and family therapist education

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

	Couples Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 55%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	Boston University	California State University - Long Beach

Couples therapist vs child and family therapist demographics

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

	Couples Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 28.6% Female, 71.4%	Male, 19.2% Female, 80.8%
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 couples therapist and child and family therapist duties and responsibilities

Couples therapist example responsibilities.

Manage ventilator and BiPAP's and create or update care plans per patient needs.
Perform occasional psychosocial rehabilitation services.
Perform occasional psychosocial rehabilitation services.

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.

Couples therapist vs child and family therapist skills

Common couples therapist skills

Couples Therapy, 30%
Private Practice, 19%
Adolescents, 14%
Family Therapy, 12%
Cognitive Behavioral, 9%
Assessment Methods, 8%

Common child and family therapist skills

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

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

Updated January 8, 2025

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