Marriage and Family Therapists Salary
The median pay for a marriage and family therapists in Rapid City, SD is $44,690/year ($21.48/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $51K for experienced workers.
So what does $45K get you in Rapid City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rapid City’s Regional Price Parity (89.2). 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 Rapid City
Pay for marriage and family therapists in Rapid City runs about 33% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,336/month, which is 42.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.2 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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 Rapid City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Sioux Falls | $49K | , |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $73K | , |
| St. Cloud | $72K | , |
| Duluth | $62K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rapid City, SD
Entry-level marriage and family therapists (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $51K or more, a $15K 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
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 Rapid City numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a marriage and family therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rapid City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 42.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,336/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 Rapid City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new marriage and family therapists typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,185/month. At HUD’s $1,336/month FMR, rent would take 61% 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 Rapid City?
Local pay runs 33% below the national median — $45K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Rapid City compare to the national average for marriage and family therapists?
Rapid City pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -33%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.2), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do marriage and family therapists make in Rapid City, SD?
The median is $44,690 a year, that works out to about $21 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,410, and experienced marriage and family therapists can clear $51,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Rapid City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,162/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,336/month, which eats 42.3% 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 Rapid City?
Rapid City has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median marriage and family therapists salary is worth about $50,101 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.