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Salary comparison

Marriage and Family Therapists vs. Social and Human Service Assistants: Who Earns More?

Marriage and Family Therapistss out-earn Social and Human Service Assistantss by $21K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Marriage and Family Therapistss land at $66,940 and Social and Human Service Assistantss at $45,930. The education gap is real: marriage and family therapist programs typically require master's degree, while social and human service assistant programs require master's degree. Top-paying state for Marriage and Family Therapistss is Hawaii ($141,960); for Social and Human Service Assistantss it's District of Columbia ($59,460).

Marriage and Family Therapists
Social and Human Service Assistants
Median salary
$66,940
$45,930
Hourly rate
$32.18/hr
$22.08/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$44,650
$34,200
Senior level (90th %)
$123,730
$63,290
Education required
Master's degree
Master's degree
U.S. employment
66,740
437,860
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Community & Social
Community & Social
Top-paying state
Hawaii
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Marriage and Family Therapists median pay.

State
Marriage and Family Therapists
Social and Human Service Assistants
New Jersey
$92,150
$48,420
Oregon
$91,520
$51,230
Minnesota
$72,470
$49,940
Maine
$71,680
$47,710
Maryland
$69,900
$47,210
Massachusetts
$67,370
$47,130
California
$67,300
$51,090
New York
$64,430
$47,190
Idaho
$62,700
$47,540
Illinois
$60,970
$46,950
Colorado
$60,700
$47,690
New Hampshire
$60,030
$46,950
Alaska
$60,010
$47,360
Washington
$60,000
$54,770
Wisconsin
$37,870
$47,500

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Marriage and Family Therapistss or Social and Human Service Assistantss?

Marriage and Family Therapistss earn more nationally. The median is $66,940 for Marriage and Family Therapistss versus $45,930 for Social and Human Service Assistantss, a difference of $21K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Marriage and Family Therapists or Social and Human Service Assistants?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Marriage and Family Therapists or Social and Human Service Assistants?

Marriage and Family Therapists typically requires master's degree. Social and Human Service Assistants requires master's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Marriage and Family Therapistss get paid the most?

Hawaii is the top-paying state for Marriage and Family Therapistss at $141,960/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Marriage and Family Therapists vs. Social and Human Service Assistants pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In New Jersey, Marriage and Family Therapistss earn $92,150 vs. $48,420 for Social and Human Service Assistantss. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Marriage and Family Therapists salary breakdownView →Full Social and Human Service Assistants salary breakdownView →Best cities for Marriage and Family Therapistss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Social and Human Service Assistantss by take-home payExplore →How to become a marriage and family therapistsGuide →How to become a social and human service assistantsGuide →