How to Become a Marriage Counselor

5 Steps to Becoming a Marriage Counselor

FAQ on Becoming a Marriage Counselor

Marriage Counselor Salary & Job Growth

Anyone considering a career as a marriage counselor is probably interested in how quickly the field is growing. The good news is that wages have been growing steadily over the past decade, and they’re expected to continue growing over the next decade. There’s also a growing demand for marriage counselors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 23% growth in positions by 2026.

Marriage counselors are either paid an annual salary or an hourly rate, depending on the position they have. In 2017, the median salary for a marriage counselor was $48,790 a year, or $23.45 per hour. As marriage counselors gain more experience, they can start to shift their career into niche fields. Specializations can often lead to higher salaries and better job security.

The demand for marriage counselors will continue to grow as the population grows. Marriage counseling is becoming more common across the nation, particularly in densely populated areas. While rural areas may not be ideal, large urban areas are bound to see a growing demand for marriage counselors.

Finding a Marriage and Family Therapist Program

The first step to a successful career is finding the right program. Different schools have different programs, and for a career that requires as much education as marriage counseling, choosing the right program is an important step.

When looking for a marriage counselor program, you’ll want to consider several factors. As with most programs, cost is a huge consideration. Also, students who need to support a family or earn money while pursuing their degree may want to study online to avoid commuting. Online study can also be more affordable than the traditional on-campus approach. Other students may want to take an accelerated program to minimize the amount of time they spend in school. For those planning on specializing, it’s a good idea to find a school that offers degrees, licensure or real-world experience in that area.

Here’s something to help you narrow your search for the right marriage counselor program.

Marriage Counselor Associations & Groups

Here are some of the top organizations for marriage counselors:

Resources for Marriage Counselors

Whether you’re already a marriage counselor or you’re planning to become one in the future, plenty of resources are available to help you see where you can take your career. Here are some resources meant for marriage counselors.

Careers In Psychology

An organization that focuses on helping psychologists with their careers. You can find open positions around the nation through their site.

Association of Marital & Family Therapy Regulatory Boards

The AMFTRB offers different charts to let marriage counselors know how to continue their education, earn licensure in another state and more.

Psychotherapy.net

A leader in continuing education for all therapists, you can find resources to help you further your career or gain additional experience.

Lasting: Marriage Health App

What are your current or future clients looking at? There are plenty of marriage counseling apps people use, and they could give you more insight on what people are looking for from a counselor.

O*NET OnLine

Want to know what being a marriage counselor is all about? O*NET breaks down the ins and outs of what a marriage counselor does on a day-to-day basis, from asking clients about feelings to working with medical software.

Related Careers at a Glance

Become Team

Contributing Writer

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