Marriage and Family Therapists Salary
The median pay for a marriage and family therapists in Virginia is $79,900/year ($38.41/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $103K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $84,292 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 31.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Virginia?
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What this looks like in Virginia
Virginia sits well above the national pay line for marriage and family therapists, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $67K. Rent runs $1,646/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.6% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level marriage and family therapists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $103K or more, a $54K spread from bottom to top.
Marriage and Family Therapists salary by metro in Virginia
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $82K | +2% | 300 |
| Richmond | $52K | -35% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track marriage and family therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a marriage and family therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 32.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new marriage and family therapists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,983/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Virginia?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $80K here vs. $67K nationally.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for marriage and family therapists?
Virginia pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do marriage and family therapists make in Virginia?
The median is $79,900 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,720, and experienced marriage and family therapists can clear $103,330. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,043/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 32.6% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $84,292 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.