Marriage and Family Therapists Salary
The median pay for a marriage and family therapists in Wisconsin is $37,870/year ($18.21/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $70K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.33), which stretches that salary to about $40,146 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,202/month, about 46.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Wisconsin. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $38K get you in Wisconsin?
About marriage and family therapists
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What this looks like in Wisconsin
Pay for marriage and family therapists in Wisconsin runs about 43% below the U.S. median of $67K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,202/month, which is 45.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.33 (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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Wisconsin
Entry-level marriage and family therapists (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $70K or more, a $35K spread from bottom to top.
Marriage and Family Therapists salary by metro in Wisconsin
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison | $35K | -8% | N/A |
Compare to other states
Track marriage and family therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Wisconsin numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a marriage and family therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Wisconsin?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 45.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,202/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/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 Wisconsin?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new marriage and family therapists typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,099/month. At HUD’s $1,202/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Wisconsin?
Local pay runs 43% below the national median — $38K here vs. $67K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Wisconsin compare to the national average for marriage and family therapists?
Wisconsin pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $67K — that’s -43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $40K — below the national median.
How much do marriage and family therapists make in Wisconsin?
The median is $37,870 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,980, and experienced marriage and family therapists can clear $69,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Wisconsin?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,623/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,202/month, which eats 45.8% 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 Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has a Regional Price Parity of 94.33 (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 $40,146 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.