Marriage and Family Therapists Salary
The median pay for a marriage and family therapists in Cleveland, OH is $41,840/year ($20.12/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $158K for experienced workers. Note: the mean (average) wage is $68K, significantly higher than the median. This typically reflects a mix of employment settings including academic and private practice positions. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $44,549 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month, about 44.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $42K get you in Cleveland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About marriage and family therapists
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What this looks like in Cleveland
Pay for marriage and family therapists in Cleveland runs about 37% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,279/month, which is 43.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for marriage and family therapistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for marriage and family therapists in metros near Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $60K | $63K |
| Columbus | $82K | $85K |
| Toledo | $64K | $70K |
| Pittsburgh | $64K | $68K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level marriage and family therapists (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $158K or more, a $116K spread from bottom to top.
Marriage and Family Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Marriage and Family Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $142K | +112% | 220 |
| New Jersey | $92K | +38% | 4,040 |
| Georgia | $92K | +37% | N/A |
| Oregon | $92K | +37% | 850 |
| Connecticut | $86K | +29% | 260 |
| Utah | $85K | +27% | 2,390 |
| Virginia | $80K | +19% | 930 |
| Delaware | $77K | +14% | 400 |
| Minnesota | $72K | +8% | 4,870 |
| Maine | $72K | +7% | 180 |
| New Mexico | $71K | +6% | 160 |
| Ohio | $70K | +5% | 460 |
| Maryland | $70K | +4% | 460 |
| Kansas | $69K | +3% | 190 |
| Massachusetts | $67K | +1% | 600 |
| California | $67K | +1% | 34,970 |
| Iowa | $67K | +0% | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $66K | -1% | 2,350 |
| Arizona | $65K | -2% | N/A |
| New York | $64K | -4% | 770 |
| Arkansas | $64K | -4% | 80 |
| Vermont | $63K | -6% | N/A |
| Idaho | $63K | -6% | 140 |
| Nebraska | $63K | -6% | 260 |
| Illinois | $61K | -9% | 860 |
| Colorado | $61K | -9% | 900 |
| Missouri | $60K | -10% | 390 |
| New Hampshire | $60K | -10% | 70 |
| Alaska | $60K | -10% | 60 |
| Washington | $60K | -10% | N/A |
| Oklahoma | $58K | -14% | N/A |
| Indiana | $57K | -15% | 510 |
| Florida | $56K | -16% | 930 |
| West Virginia | $56K | -17% | 90 |
| South Carolina | $55K | -17% | 380 |
| Kentucky | $52K | -22% | 330 |
| Michigan | $52K | -22% | 590 |
| Mississippi | $51K | -23% | 140 |
| Alabama | $50K | -25% | 190 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -28% | 1,400 |
| Montana | $47K | -30% | 100 |
| Tennessee | $47K | -30% | 1,440 |
| Texas | $46K | -31% | 1,380 |
| South Dakota | $45K | -33% | 80 |
| Wisconsin | $38K | -43% | 180 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track marriage and family therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Cleveland numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a marriage and family therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 43.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for marriage and family therapists in Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new marriage and family therapists typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,510/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is marriage and family therapist a high-paying job in Cleveland?
Local pay runs 37% below the national median — $42K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for marriage and family therapists?
Cleveland pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $45K — below the national median.
How much do marriage and family therapists make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $41,840 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $41,840, and experienced marriage and family therapists can clear $157,860. The mean (average) is $68,320, reflecting that some workers earn substantially more. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,935/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 43.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a marriage and family therapists salary go in Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median marriage and family therapists salary is worth about $44,549 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do marriage and family therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.