Becoming a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in Idaho

How to Become a Marriage Family Therapist in Idaho

Idaho state law doesn’t require that the program hold specialty accreditation, but you can be sure a program meets national curriculum standards if it is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education (COAMFTE) or the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP), so it’s worth considering these options.

Some of the courses you’ll take within a marriage and family counseling graduate degree include:

• Human development
• Marriage and family studies
• Assessment, diagnosis, and treatment for mental disorders
• Professional ethics
• Marriage and family therapy

If a busy, professional life or geographical barriers limit your ability to attend in-person classes, you’ll enjoy the many MFT graduate programs that are now offered in a hybrid/blended or online format. These programs, which combine the rigor of an on-campus program with the convenience of online study, make a career as an LMFT well within reach.

Learn more about Idaho MFT degrees.

If you already hold a master’s degree or higher in another related field like psychology, social work, psychiatric nursing, or ministry, you may earn licensure through a non-standard process that includes completing a post-graduate training program in marriage and family therapy.

Other Requirements for Family Therapist License in Idaho

After earning a graduate degree from an accredited program in marriage and family therapy, you’ll need to complete at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience that includes 2,000 hours of direct client contact, of which at least 1,000 of those hours must be in contact with either couples or families.

Once this requirement has been satisfied, you’ll need to apply with the Idaho Licensing Board of Professional Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists and pay the $120 application fee. Once the Board reviews and approves your application, you can apply to take the national exam developed by the Association of Marital & Family Therapy Regulatory Boards (AMFTRB).

Upon passing the AMFTRB, the Board will issue you a license to practice marriage and family therapy in Idaho.

LMFTs in Idaho are required to complete at least 20 CEUs every year, including three units of law and ethics.

Marriage and Family Therapist Job Outlook and Salary

As of May 2022, marriage and family therapists in Idaho earned a median salary of $60,280, while those with considerable experience in the profession earned salaries that more closely reflected the 75^th – 90^th percentile which, during this time, was $71,610 - $74,970.

Between 2020 and 2030, the number of marriage and family therapist jobs in Idaho is projected to grow by 25%, which far outpaces the national projected growth rate of 14% (between 2021 and 2031). During this ten-year period ending in 2030, the state expects about 80 annual job openings in this profession due to a blend of new job growth, retirements, and natural job turnover.

Research Additional Psychology Professional Licenses Granted by Idaho

While you’re learning about a career in marriage and family therapy, you may also consider finding out more about similar professions and their salaries and education requirements:

• Learn more about becoming a psychologist in Idaho: Requires a PhD or PsyD; clinical and counseling psychologists in Idaho earned a median salary of $64,720 as of May 2022, while the top earners in the state (75^th - 90^th percentile) earned between $85,600 - $165,060.
• Learn more about becoming a licensed counselor in Idaho: Requires a master’s degree with a focus in the specialty; substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors in Idaho earned a median salary of $55,520 as of May 2022, while the most experienced (75^th – 90^th percentile) earned about $65,320 - $79,310.
• Learn more about becoming a social worker in Idaho: Requires a master’s in social work; mental health and substance abuse social workers earned a median salary of $45,860 as of May 2022, while those in 75^th – 90^th percentile earned about $61,090 - $79,560. Child, family, and school social workers in Idaho earned slightly more at the median level, at $51,010, while those in the 75^th – 90^th percentile earned about $59,720 - $78,430 during this time.

2022 US Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET (a website sponsored by the US Department of Labor) job market trends and salary figures for clinical and counseling psychologists, marriage and family therapists, substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors, mental health and substance abuse social workers, and child, family, and school social workers are based on national data, not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Data accessed July 2023.

Schools with MFT Degree Programs Accepting Students from Idaho