Marriage and Family Therapists
Machines can already do 35% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 54%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Marriage and Family Therapists in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 35% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2033, and 54% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 66,740 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $66,940 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 70% for contact with people.
- Also called: Clinical Therapist, Couple and Family Therapist, Family Specialist, Family Therapist.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Counsel clients on concerns, such as unsatisfactory relationships, divorce and separation, child rearing, home management, or financial difficulties | 20% | 32% to 50% | |
| Ask questions that will help clients identify their feelings and behaviors | 15% | 32% to 50% | |
| Encourage individuals and family members to develop and use skills and strategies for confronting their problems in a constructive manner | 15% | 22% to 42% | |
| Maintain case files that include activities, progress notes, evaluations, and recommendations | 13% | 63% to 81% | |
| Diagnose mental and emotional disorders in clients | 7% | 32% to 50% | |
| Develop and implement individualized treatment plans addressing family relationship problems, destructive patterns of behavior, and other personal issues | 6% | 32% to 55% | |
| Collect information about clients, using techniques such as testing, interviewing, discussion, or observation | 6% | 50% to 72% | |
| Confer with other counselors, doctors, and professionals to analyze individual cases and to coordinate counseling services | 4% | 27% to 46% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills marriage and family therapists use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers53% of tasks by 2035 · US median $60,280
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $63,970
- Emergency Medicine Physicians47% of tasks by 2035 · US median $335,550
- Psychiatric Technicians32% of tasks by 2035 · US median $45,130
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Marriage and Family Therapists?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2033. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of marriage and family therapists?
Machines can do 35% of the tasks of marriage and family therapists today and 54% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 21-1013.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Marriage and Family Therapists: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/marriage-and-family-therapists/