Play therapist vs child and family therapist

The differences between play 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 play therapist and a child and family therapist. Additionally, a play therapist has an average salary of $92,351, which is higher than the $55,339 average annual salary of a child and family therapist.

The top three skills for a play therapist include social work, children birth and cognitive behavioral. The most important skills for a child and family therapist are social work, diagnosis, and mental health.

Play therapist vs child and family therapist overview

	Play Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Yearly salary	$92,351	$55,339
Hourly rate	$44.40	$26.61
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	23,449	120,152
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 51%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Play therapist vs child and family therapist salary

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

	Play Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Average salary	$92,351	$55,339
Salary range	Between $61,000 And $137,000	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 play therapist and child and family therapist education

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

	Play Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 58%	Master's Degree, 51%
Most common major	Psychology	Psychology
Most common college	California State University - Long Beach	California State University - Long Beach

Play therapist vs child and family therapist demographics

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

	Play Therapist	Child And Family Therapist
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 11.9% Female, 88.1%	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 play therapist and child and family therapist duties and responsibilities

Play therapist example responsibilities.

Manage ventilator and BiPAP's and create or update care plans per patient needs.
Organize and perform behavioral therapies for a child with autism.
Work with identify pre-school handicap children in order to meet the goals and objectives of their IEP's.
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.

Play therapist vs child and family therapist skills

Common play therapist skills

Social Work, 21%
Children Birth, 17%
Cognitive Behavioral, 14%
Autism, 11%
Therapy Services, 3%
Language, 3%

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
Play Therapist
Play Therapist vs Child And Family Therapist

Updated January 8, 2025

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