Benchmark Salary Information

  • The number of Marriage and Family Therapists currently employed in Santa Cruz-Watsonville is 130.
  • Marriage and Family Therapists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville earn an average of $68,060 per year or $32.72 per hour.
  • The percentage of California Marriage and Family Therapists who work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville is 1%.
  • The percentage of U.S. Marriage and Family Therapists who work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville is less than 1%.

Rankings for Santa Cruz-Watsonville

  • Ranks #6 in California for salary and #11 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #17 in California for the number of psychologists employed.
  • Ranks #22 in the nation for salary and #16 when adjusted for cost-of-living.
  • Ranks #57 in the nation for the number of psychologists employed.

Compared to California

Santa Cruz-Watsonville Marriage and Family Therapists earn an average of $68,060 or $32.72 per hour which is 14% more than the California average salary of $59,320.

AverageSanta Cruz-WatsonvilleCalifornia% Difference
Hourly Wage$32.72$28.5214.73%
Annual Salary$68,060$59,32014.73%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Compared to the U.S.

Santa Cruz-Watsonville Marriage and Family Therapists earn an average of $68,060 or $32.72 per hour which is 14% more than the U.S. average salary of $59,660.

AverageSanta Cruz-WatsonvilleU.S.%
Hourly Wage$32.72$28.6914.05%
Annual Salary$68,060$59,66014.08%
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Adjusted for Cost-of-Living

When adjusted for cost-of-living, Marriage and Family Therapists in Santa Cruz-Watsonville earns an average annual salary of $62,201 which compares to the California average annual salary of $59,320. per year.

Cost-of-living in Santa Cruz-Watsonville is 9% higher than the California average, which means Santa Cruz-Watsonville residents have an overall higher cost for food, housing, utilities and transportation compared to California average.

  • California average salary is $59,320.
  • California cost-of-living adjusted salary is $53,742.
  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville average salary is $68,060.
  • Santa Cruz-Watsonville cost-of-living adjusted salary is $62,201.
LocationAverage Annual WageCost of LivingAdjusted COL Wage
Santa Cruz-Watsonville$68,060109.42%$62,201
California$59,320110.38%$53,742
U.S.$59,660$59,660
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Ranges for Education and Experience

In Santa Cruz-Watsonville, 50% of Marriage and Family Therapists earn between $43,890 and $101,550 a year, depending on factors such as level of education, experience, location and place of employment.

About 10% of Marriage and Family Therapists earn more than $101,550, which is a rate for highly skilled, experienced and educated Marriage and Family Therapists.

Approximately 10% of Marriage and Family Therapists earn under $38,600, a rate generally reserved for less experienced or entry level Marriage and Family Therapists.

PercentExperienceEmployedAnnual Salary
10%Less than a Year13Under $38,600
15%2 – 4 years20$38,600 – $43,890
25%5 – 9 years32$43,890 – $61,330
25%10 – 14 years32$61,330 – $101,550
15%15 – 20 years20$61,330 – $101,550
10%20+ years13Above $101,550
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

Salary Compared to Related Professions

With an average annual salary of $68,060, Santa Cruz-Watsonville Marriage and Family Therapists tend to earn less than Clinical and Counseling Psychologists ($101,310), School Psychologists ($95,160), Health Care Social Workers ($80,990), and Social Workers ($69,210).

However, Marriage and Family Therapists tend to earn more than Substance Abuse Counselors ($54,150).

TitleAnnual Salary
Clinical and Counseling Psychologists$101,310
School Psychologists$95,160
Health Care Social Workers$80,990
Social Workers$69,210
Marriage and Family Therapists$68,060
Substance Abuse Counselors$54,150
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Department of Commerce – 2022*

FAQ for Santa Cruz-Watsonville Marriage and Family Therapists

The number of Marriage and Family Therapists currently employed in Santa Cruz-Watsonville is 130.

Marriage and Family Therapists earn an average of $68,060 per year or $32.72 per hour in Santa Cruz-Watsonville.

When adjusted for Cost of Living in Santa Cruz-Watsonville Marriage and Family Therapists earn an average of $62,201 per year or $30 per hour.

The types of psychologists that are paid the highest annual salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville are Clinical and Counseling Psychologists($101,310), School Psychologists($95,160), Health Care Social Workers($80,990).


Additional Salary Reports for Marriage and Family Therapists in California cities and Metros and U.S. States.

Official Data Sources for Marriage and Family Therapists: Salary Data | Projected Employment | Cost of Living Data