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The differences between marriage and family therapists and mental health 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 marriage and family therapist and a mental health therapist. Additionally, a marriage and family therapist has an average salary of $57,856, which is higher than the $50,259 average annual salary of a mental health therapist.
The top three skills for a marriage and family therapist include social work, patients and crisis intervention. The most important skills for a mental health therapist are social work, patients, and mental health.
| Marriage And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Yearly salary | $57,856 | $50,259 |
| Hourly rate | $27.82 | $24.16 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 114,361 | 114,386 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Marriage and family therapists are health professionals who are licensed to diagnose and treat mental and emotional disorders of married couples and families. These therapists are required to treat patients with issues such as child and adolescent behavioral problems, depression and anxiety, and marital conflicts. They must observe the interaction of people within units while evaluating and resolving their issues with relationships. Marriage and family therapists must also guide their clients to go through transitional crises such as divorce or death.
The job of mental health therapists is to guide individuals, groups, couples, and families with problems that are impacting their well-being and mental health. Their duties and responsibilities include encouraging clients to talk about their experiences, examining issues that may affect mental health such as substance abuse and bullying, and assisting clients in defining their goals and action plans. Mental health therapists are also responsible for developing therapeutic processes, referring clients to other services or resources like psychologists, and helping them adjust to life changes.
Marriage and family therapists and mental health therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Marriage And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average salary | $57,856 | $50,259 |
| Salary range | Between $41,000 And $80,000 | Between $35,000 And $70,000 |
| Highest paying City | Bensalem, PA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Pennsylvania | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | Henderson Behavioral Health | Tykes And Teens |
| Best paying industry | Government | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a marriage and family therapist and a mental health therapist in terms of educational background:
| Marriage And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 57% | Master's Degree, 49% |
| Most common major | Psychology | Social Work |
| Most common college | California State University - Long Beach | California State University - Long Beach |
Here are the differences between marriage and family therapists' and mental health therapists' demographics:
| Marriage And Family Therapist | Mental Health Therapist | |
| Average age | 41 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 24.3% Female, 75.7% | Male, 23.3% Female, 76.7% |
| 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% |