The best online master's degrees in family counseling can lead to a rewarding career. PayScale reports that professionals with these degrees earn $51,000 per year on average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects demand for family counselors to expand 23% in just ten years. This above-average pace helps graduates find stable employment. Some counselors go on to earn doctorates and increase earning as professors or managers. Even without doctoral degrees, graduates can become clinical directors who make an average of $73,825 annually.
Those who are interested in psychology and want to help others may excel in counseling. Successful family counselors have natural empathy and excellent communication skills. Those who can understand body language and resolve conflicts with ease may also fare well. Students interested in this field may benefit from the convenience and lower costs of online learning.
Several factors influence how much someone can earn with an online master's degree in family counseling. Location and experience levels can help counselors make more per year. For example, the average family counselor in New Jersey earns $20,270 more than the country's mean. Family therapists in the top-paying states of Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, and Arizona make at least $64,000 per year on average. Counselors everywhere earn more as they gain experience. The most experienced therapists earn $70,000 annually on average; however, most therapists start at $40,000.
State | Employment | Annual Mean Wage |
---|---|---|
New Jersey | 4,220 | $74,130 |
Colorado | 770 | $68,200 |
Hawaii | N/A | $67,020 |
Maine | N/A | $66,360 |
Arizona | 1,510 | $64,480 |
United States | 42,880 | $53,860 |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Source: PayScale
An online master's degree in family counseling can lead to several career options, all of which help people in need. Many graduates become marriage and family therapists. Counselors with strong conflict resolution skills do well in this specialty. Rehabilitation counselors help patients with physical and mental disabilities learn to live independently. These counselors work in private offices, hospitals, and residential facilities. School and career counselors help children in crisis and design career paths for others.
Annual Median Salary: $48,790
Projected Growth Rate: 23%
These therapists must have master's degrees and the appropriate licenses to practice. They serve as objective, third-party participants in family troubles. Couples and families come to these therapists with issues, and therapists use evidence-based methods to resolve problems. Many family therapists work for themselves.
Annual Median Salary: $55,410
Projected Growth Rate: 13%
School counselors work with kindergarten through high-school students in educational institutions. They help learners develop strong academic, emotional, and social abilities. Career counselors work in high schools, colleges, job skills centers, and nonprofits. Most of these positions require master's degrees.
Annual Median Salary: $34,860
Projected Growth Rate: 13%
Like many mental health professions, rehabilitation counselors typically need master's degrees. They work in hospitals, physical rehabilitation centers, patient homes, and residential treatment centers to help people with disabilities cope with the emotional and social difficulties they face. They also lead group therapy and help patients find necessary resources.
Each online master's degree program in family counseling has its own curriculum with different electives, requirements, and specialties. However, some core counseling classes are required by most of these curricula. Below are some typical courses found in top online master's degree programs in family counseling.
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