All 17 of California's accredited master's MFT programs are ranked below, not just the ones with results to show. Every one is marked out of 100 on the same three things: what its graduates achieved, whether it disclosed that, and what the accreditor says about it.
Every accredited master's MFT program in California, ranked
All 17 of California’s accredited master's MFT programs carry a score out of 100. 11 have a full published record behind their outcomes component. Six publish nothing, so they forfeit the 60 points for results and cannot pass 40. That is a statement about disclosure, not about teaching.
- #1
Chapman University (MA)
Orange, CA
91.2
program score
Campus-basedMaster's8 scored cohortsWhat Chapman University publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time86.9%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field93.2%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure96.9%typical is 91.4%
From 8 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
Chapman University runs this degree from Orange, CA. The direction of travel is good: earlier cohorts graduated 83.5% on time, later ones 90.3%. Taking the last cohort with complete figures, its 2022-2023 intake of 28: 86% finished on time. Graduates reaching a license has risen over the window, 92% to 100%. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. Disclosure runs deeper than most, 8 cohorts complete out of 10 published. Next accreditation review falls in 2027. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 91.2 of 100, with 54.7 of 60 from a record covering 8 completed cohorts and 261 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2024-2025 28 in process in process in process 2023-2024 27 in process in process in process 2022-2023 28 86% in process in process 2021-2022 24 96% 100% 100% 2020-2021 28 96% 100% 100% 2019-2020 30 83% 83% 100% Score breakdown
- Outcomes 54.7/6091.1 across 8 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 8 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.6/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-05
261 students admitted since 2015
- #2
Alliant University - Sacramento (MA)
Sacramento, CA
90.9
program score
Campus-basedMaster's2 yearsAccredited since 7/1/20018 scored cohortsWhat Alliant University - Sacramento publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time81.3%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field98.8%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure94.6%typical is 91.4%
From 8 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
Alliant University teaches this one in Sacramento, CA over 2 years. Taking the last cohort with complete figures, its 2023-2024 intake of 11: 91% finished on time, 88% found relevant work, 100% reached licensure. Graduates reaching a license has risen over the window, 87.3% to 100%. Scale is the caveat: 139 students across the scored cohorts, against a median of 261 among accredited master's MFT programs in California. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. California carries 17 accredited master's programs, so a shortlist here can afford to be selective in a way it cannot in most states. Coursework named on its own page covers sex therapy. First accredited in 2001, with the next review due in 2027. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 90.9 of 100, with 54.1 of 60 from a record covering 8 completed cohorts and 139 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2025-2026 13 in process in process in process 2024-2025 13 in process in process in process 2023-2024 11 91% 88% 100% 2022-2023 15 87% 100% 100% 2021-2022 21 95% 100% 100% 2020-2021 14 79% 100% 100% Alliant University - Sacramento program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 54.1/6090.1 across 8 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 8 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.8/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-11
139 students admitted since 2015
- #3
Hope International University (MA)
Fullerton, CA
90.3
program score
Campus-basedMaster's2 yearsAccredited since May 1, 20089 scored cohortsWhat Hope International University publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time87%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field96.2%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure82.1%typical is 91.4%
From 9 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
The record here rests on cohorts of about 50 students. Individual years swing hard, though, from 36.4% in 2023-2024 to 100% in 2015-2016, so the average is doing some hiding. Direction of travel is the worry, falling from 98.6% in the earlier cohorts to 70.9% in the later ones. Jobs here run 4.5 times the national rate, so qualifying in California and staying put is a more realistic plan than it would be almost anywhere else. Disclosure runs deeper than most, 9 cohorts complete out of 10 published. Its licensure rate, 82.1% against 91.4% across the field, is the number to put to the program directly.
Why it sits here Scored 90.3 of 100, with 53.5 of 60 from a record covering 9 completed cohorts and 496 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2024-2025 39 in process in process in process 2023-2024 44 36.4% in process in process 2022-2023 66 80.6% 80% 83.3% 2021-2022 44 70.5% 100% 86.9% 2020-2021 52 96.2% 100% 92% 2019-2020 59 99% 100% 74.1% Hope International University program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 53.5/6089.2 across 9 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 9 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.8/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-11
496 students admitted since 2015
- #4
Alliant University - Irvine (MA)
Irvine, CA
88.7
program score
Campus-basedMaster's2 yearsAccredited since 7/1/20018 scored cohortsWhat Alliant University - Irvine publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time73.6%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field99.1%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure93.7%typical is 91.4%
From 8 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. The range behind that runs from about $46,350 to $130,340, and where you land in it is mostly a question of setting rather than of seniority.
What to know about it
Alliant University runs this degree from Irvine, CA. Taking the last cohort with complete figures, its 2023-2024 intake of 16: 94% finished on time, 100% found relevant work, 100% reached licensure. Individual years swing hard, though, from 58% in 2019-2020 to 94% in 2023-2024, so the average is doing some hiding. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. Coursework named on its own page covers sex therapy. Studying here means being in Irvine, which is worth pricing before it is worth comparing. First accredited in 2001, with the next review due in 2027. Several cohorts are still running, 2 of them, the most recent entering in 2025-2026. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 88.7 of 100, with 51.9 of 60 from a record covering 8 completed cohorts and 171 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2025-2026 19 in process in process in process 2024-2025 15 in process in process in process 2023-2024 16 94% 100% 100% 2022-2023 18 83% 100% 94% 2021-2022 14 93% 100% 100% 2020-2021 16 69% 100% 94% Alliant University - Irvine program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 51.9/6086.5 across 8 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 8 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.8/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-11
171 students admitted since 2015
- #5
Alliant University - Los Angeles (MA)
Alhambra, CA
88.1
program score
Campus-basedMaster's2 yearsAccredited since 7/1/20018 scored cohortsWhat Alliant University - Los Angeles publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time71.4%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field100%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure91.4%typical is 91.4%
From 8 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Few states carry this work the way California does, at 11.5 times the typical state's rate per head and a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
Alliant University runs this degree from Alhambra, CA. Individual years swing hard, though, from 55% in 2020-2021 to 92% in 2017-2018, so the average is doing some hiding. The direction of travel is good: earlier cohorts graduated 71.3% on time, later ones 75.5%. Finishing is the hard part here rather than getting hired: 71.4% graduate on time, and 100% of those who do find relevant work. California employs 34,970 marriage and family therapists at a median of $67,300, which is the market a graduate of this program enters first. Coursework named on its own page covers sex therapy. First accredited in 2001, with the next review due in 2027. Several cohorts are still running, 2 of them, the most recent entering in 2025-2026. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 88.1 of 100, with 51.2 of 60 from a record covering 8 completed cohorts and 162 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2025-2026 15 in process in process in process 2024-2025 15 in process in process in process 2023-2024 11 82% 100% 100% 2022-2023 15 87% 100% 93% 2021-2022 18 78% 100% 87% 2020-2021 20 55% 100% 94% Alliant University - Los Angeles program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 51.2/6085.4 across 8 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 8 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.8/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-11
162 students admitted since 2015
- #6 Accredited with stipulations
Loma Linda University (MS)
Loma Linda, CA
86.4
program score
Campus-basedMaster'sFT 2 years, PT 3 yearsAccredited since May 19829 scored cohortsWhat Loma Linda University publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time91.8%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field86.7%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure89%typical is 91.4%
From 9 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
Loma Linda University has held accreditation on this degree since 1982. Individual years swing hard, though, from 80.6% in 2021-2022 to 100% in 2015-2016, so the average is doing some hiding. Placement has softened, from 92.3% in the earlier cohorts to 82.9% in the later ones. Direction of travel is the worry, falling from 98.5% in the earlier cohorts to 88.9% in the later ones. A concentration in play and expressive therapies sits alongside the core degree. Worth asking early about the assistantships and tuition remission it advertises, rather than waiting for an offer. Disclosure runs deeper than most, 9 cohorts complete out of 10 published. Stipulations are on file, meaning a fixed window to correct something. License eligibility is unaffected, and it is a fair question at interview.
Why it sits here Scored 86.4 of 100, with 53.7 of 60 from a record covering 9 completed cohorts and 181 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2024-2025 22 in process in process in process 2023-2024 15 100% 79% 79% 2022-2023 18 89.2% 93.3% 93.3% 2021-2022 26 80.6% 83.3% 96.1% 2020-2021 28 85.8% 75.9% 70.5% 2019-2020 9 89.1% 89.1% 89.1% Loma Linda University program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 53.7/6089.5 across 9 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 9 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 7.7/15accredited with stipulations, current term runs to 2029-11
181 students admitted since 2015
- #7
Alliant University - San Diego (MA)
San Diego, CA
86
program score
Campus-basedMaster's2 yearsAccredited since 7/1/20018 scored cohortsWhat Alliant University - San Diego publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time64.1%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field97.8%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure94.2%typical is 91.4%
From 8 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. The range behind that runs from about $46,350 to $130,340, and where you land in it is mostly a question of setting rather than of seniority.
What to know about it
The record here rests on cohorts of about 38 students. Individual years swing hard, though, from 46% in 2018-2019 to 86% in 2023-2024, so the average is doing some hiding. Finishing is the hard part here rather than getting hired: 64.1% graduate on time, and 97.8% of those who do find relevant work. Coursework named on its own page covers sex therapy. Several cohorts are still running, 2 of them, the most recent entering in 2025-2026. Disclosure runs deeper than most, 8 cohorts complete out of 10 published. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 86 of 100, with 49.1 of 60 from a record covering 8 completed cohorts and 375 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2025-2026 48 in process in process in process 2024-2025 36 in process in process in process 2023-2024 29 86% 100% 100% 2022-2023 33 64% 100% 100% 2021-2022 43 67% 94% 87% 2020-2021 39 64% 100% 94% Alliant University - San Diego program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 49.1/6081.9 across 8 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 8 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.8/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-11
375 students admitted since 2015
- #8
Alliant University (MA)
Irvine, CA
84.5
program score
OnlineMaster's2 yearsAccredited since 7/1/20017 scored cohortsWhat Alliant University publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time61.3%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field94.6%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure93.3%typical is 91.4%
From 7 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
Alliant University teaches this one in Irvine, CA over 2 years. The direction of travel is good: earlier cohorts graduated 52.3% on time, later ones 60%. Finishing is the hard part here rather than getting hired: 61.3% graduate on time, and 94.6% of those who do find relevant work. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. Coursework named on its own page covers sex therapy. Disclosure runs deeper than most, 7 cohorts complete out of 9 published. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 84.5 of 100, with 47.6 of 60 from a record covering 7 completed cohorts and 1038 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2025-2026 137 in process in process in process 2024-2025 190 in process in process in process 2023-2024 134 69% 90% 94% 2022-2023 139 63% 93% 95% 2021-2022 111 48% 95% 93% 2020-2021 166 69% 96% 94% Score breakdown
- Outcomes 47.6/6079.4 across 7 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 7 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 11.8/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2027-11
1038 students admitted since 2015
- #9
The Chicago School (MA)
Los Angeles, CA
82.4
program score
Blended or hybridMaster's3 yearsAccredited since 11/01/20227 scored cohortsWhat The Chicago School publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time52.3%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field97.8%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure87%typical is 91.4%
From 7 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Few states carry this work the way California does, at 11.5 times the typical state's rate per head and a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
The Chicago School has been accredited on this degree since 2022, and now admits about 99 students a cohort. Direction of travel is the worry, falling from 55.7% in the earlier cohorts to 51.7% in the later ones. Finishing is the hard part here rather than getting hired: 52.3% graduate on time, and 97.8% of those who do find relevant work. Applicants are told the GRE is not required. Six or more completed cohorts is enough history to trust the pattern rather than the latest year.
Why it sits here Scored 82.4 of 100, with 45.1 of 60 from a record covering 7 completed cohorts and 858 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2024-2025 95 in process in process in process 2023-2024 109 in process in process in process 2022-2023 92 in process in process in process 2021-2022 93 57% 100% 95% 2020-2021 102 42% 98% 88% 2019-2020 77 56% 96% 87% Score breakdown
- Outcomes 45.1/6075.2 across 7 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 7 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 12.3/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2028-11
858 students admitted since 2015
- #10 Accredited with stipulations
National University (MA)
San Diego, CA
71
program score
OnlineMaster's4.5 years5 scored cohortsWhat National University publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time42.5%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field97.1%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure53.9%typical is 91.4%
From 5 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
Few states carry this work the way California does, at 11.5 times the typical state's rate per head and a median of $67,300. The range behind that runs from about $46,350 to $130,340, and where you land in it is mostly a question of setting rather than of seniority.
What to know about it
National University teaches this one in San Diego, CA over 4.5 years. The direction of travel is good: earlier cohorts graduated 37.9% on time, later ones 49.2%. Finishing is the hard part here rather than getting hired: 42.5% graduate on time, and 97.1% of those who do find relevant work. Curriculum runs to 30 credits. A concentration in trauma sits alongside the core degree. Coursework named on its own page covers solution-focused therapy, sex therapy and medical family therapy. Expect scheduled time on campus whatever the delivery mode suggests. Much of the published table is still pending, 5 cohorts complete out of 10. Stipulations are on file, meaning a fixed window to correct something. License eligibility is unaffected, and it is a fair question at interview.
Why it sits here Scored 71 of 100, with 38.3 of 60 from a record covering 5 completed cohorts and 3964 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2024-2025 343 in process in process in process 2023-2024 418 in process in process in process 2022-2023 495 in process in process in process 2021-2022 596 in process in process in process 2020-2021 459 in process in process in process 2019-2020 351 57.3% 96.3% 51.1% National University program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 38.3/6063.9 across 5 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 5 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 7.7/15accredited with stipulations, current term runs to 2029-11
3964 students admitted since 2015
- #11 Accredited with stipulations
Loma Linda University (MS)
Loma Linda, CA
67.3
program score
OnlineMaster'sFT 2.5 years, PT 3.5 yearsAccredited since November 20213 scored cohortsWhat Loma Linda University publishes about its graduates, against the median for comparable programs - Finish on time54.7%typical is 71.4%
- Working in the field63.6%typical is 97.1%
- Reached licensure54.2%typical is 91.4%
From 3 completed cohorts the program published itself. The mark on each bar is the median for comparable programs.
Where it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. The range behind that runs from about $46,350 to $130,340, and where you land in it is mostly a question of setting rather than of seniority.
What to know about it
Accredited since 2021, delivered fully online over 2.5 years full-time. Year to year it holds a narrow band, 50.4% to 58%. Taking the last cohort with complete figures, its 2023-2024 intake of 15: 55% finished on time, 0% found relevant work, 0% reached licensure. At 2.5 years full-time it asks longer than most here, where the median is 2 years. Scale is the caveat: 58 students across the scored cohorts, against a median of 261 among accredited master's MFT programs in California. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. A concentration in play and expressive therapies sits alongside the core degree. Worth asking early about the assistantships and tuition remission it advertises, rather than waiting for an offer. Next accreditation review falls in 2029. Stipulations are on file, meaning a fixed window to correct something. License eligibility is unaffected, and it is a fair question at interview.
Why it sits here Scored 67.3 of 100, with 34.6 of 60 from a record covering 3 completed cohorts and 58 students.
Cohort by cohort
Cohort Admitted Graduated Placed Licensed 2024-2025 20 in process in process in process 2023-2024 15 55% 0% 0% 2022-2023 14 58% 100% 80% 2021-2022 9 50.4% 90% 86% Loma Linda University program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 34.6/6057.7 across 3 completed cohorts
- Transparency 25/25publishes 3 completed cohorts at the address COAMFTE lists
- Standing 7.7/15accredited with stipulations, current term runs to 2029-11
58 students admitted since 2015
- #12
Daybreak University (MA)
Anaheim, CA
23
program score
Blended or hybridMaster'sWhere it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. The range behind that runs from about $46,350 to $130,340, and where you land in it is mostly a question of setting rather than of seniority.
What to know about it
Daybreak University runs this degree from Anaheim, CA, blended. No licensure rate is published, so the score rests on graduation and placement alone, as it does for 6 of the 17 programs here. A concentration in sex and intimacy sits alongside the core degree. Tuition on its own page runs to $300 a credit before fees. Next accreditation review falls in 2030. Three completed cohorts is a thin record, so ask what the years still in progress look like.
Why it sits here A score of 23 out of 100 with the outcomes component empty. Read it as the ceiling for a program that has not disclosed, not as a verdict on how it teaches.
Daybreak University program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 0/60no completed-cohort outcomes published
- Transparency 10/25publishes a document with a table we could not read as cohort data
- Standing 13/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2030-05
-
- #13
San Diego State University (MS)
San Diego, CA
20.7
program score
Campus-basedMaster'sWhere it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
San Diego State University runs this degree from San Diego, CA. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. With no published outcomes to read, the questions to put to this accredited program directly are its graduation rate for the last three cohorts, how many of those graduates are licensed, and why the figures are not on its site. Publishing this data is a condition of the accreditation the program holds, so its absence is worth a question rather than a shrug. Three completed cohorts is a thin record, so ask what the years still in progress look like.
Why it sits here 20.7 of 100. The program forfeits the 60 points attached to published results by not publishing any, and keeps what transparency and standing earn it.
San Diego State University program page The address COAMFTE lists for its outcome data
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 0/60no completed-cohort outcomes published
- Transparency 7.5/25publishes a document with no cohort table in it
- Standing 13.2/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2030-11
-
- #14
University of San Diego (MA)
San Diego, CA
20.7
program score
Campus-basedMaster'sWhere it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
University of San Diego runs this degree from San Diego, CA. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. No licensure rate is published, so the score rests on graduation and placement alone, as it does for 6 of the 17 programs here. Nothing here is published, so ask the program for it: three years of graduation rates, what share of those graduates reached licensure, and where that data sits if not at the address the accreditor lists. A part-time route exists, so the advertised length is not the only timetable. Next accreditation review falls in 2030. Three completed cohorts is a thin record, so ask what the years still in progress look like.
Why it sits here Scored 20.7 of 100 on transparency and accreditation standing alone. The 60 points for published results are unearned because this program publishes none, which is a fact about its disclosure and not a measurement of its teaching.
University of San Diego program page The address COAMFTE lists for its outcome data
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 0/60no completed-cohort outcomes published
- Transparency 7.5/25publishes a document with no cohort table in it
- Standing 13.2/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2030-11
-
- #15
California State University - Northridge (MS)
Northridge, CA
20.5
program score
Campus-basedMaster'sWhere it leads in California
Qualifying here means qualifying into one of the densest markets in the country: 11.5 times the jobs per head of a typical state, paying a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
California State University runs this degree from Northridge, CA. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. A part-time route exists, so the advertised length is not the only timetable. Completion turns on a thesis or clinical project, not coursework alone. Coursework named on its own page covers cognitive behavioral therapy and internal family systems. Ask this accredited program for the numbers it has not posted, specifically graduation and licensure across recent cohorts. A program that has them will send them, and one that hesitates has told you something. The disclosure is not optional under COAMFTE accreditation, so read the gap as something to raise with the program, not as something unremarkable. Three completed cohorts is a thin record, so ask what the years still in progress look like.
Why it sits here 20.5 of 100, all of it from transparency and standing. Nothing is deducted for poor results here; the 60 points that results carry are simply not claimed, because none are published.
California State University - Northridge program page The address COAMFTE lists for its outcome data
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 0/60no completed-cohort outcomes published
- Transparency 7.5/25publishes a document with no cohort table in it
- Standing 13/15accredited without conditions, current term runs to 2030-05
-
- #16
The Chicago School (MA)
Los Angeles, CA
13.1
program score
OnlineMaster'sWhere it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. The range behind that runs from about $46,350 to $130,340, and where you land in it is mostly a question of setting rather than of seniority.
What to know about it
The Chicago School runs this degree from Los Angeles, CA, fully online. No licensure rate is published, so the score rests on graduation and placement alone, as it does for 6 of the 17 programs here. 17 of the programs ranked here are in California, and this is one of them. Applicants are told the GRE is not required. Ask this accredited program for the numbers it has not posted, specifically graduation and licensure across recent cohorts. A program that has them will send them, and one that hesitates has told you something. Three completed cohorts is a thin record, so ask what the years still in progress look like.
Why it sits here A score of 13.1 out of 100 with the outcomes component empty. Read it as the ceiling for a program that has not disclosed, not as a verdict on how it teaches.
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 0/60no completed-cohort outcomes published
- Transparency 0/25has no disclosure link on file with the accreditor
- Standing 13.1/15accredited without conditions, no renewal date on file
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- #17 Accredited with show-cause
Touro University Worldwide (MMFT)
Los Alamitos, CA
12.3
program score
OnlineMaster'sWhere it leads in California
California is one of the few states where this license is genuinely concentrated, carrying 11.5 times the jobs per head of the typical state, at a median of $67,300. Ten per cent earn under $46,350 and ten per cent over $130,340, a spread driven more by whether you are salaried or in practice than by years served.
What to know about it
Touro University Worldwide runs this degree from Los Alamitos, CA, fully online. No licensure rate is published, so the score rests on graduation and placement alone, as it does for 6 of the 17 programs here. Curriculum runs to 72 credits. Publishing this data is a condition of the accreditation the program holds, so its absence is worth a question rather than a shrug. Show-cause status is on file, the most serious of the three accredited states. Graduates stay license-eligible, and it is the first thing to raise with the program.
Why it sits here A score of 12.3 out of 100 with the outcomes component empty. Read it as the ceiling for a program that has not disclosed, not as a verdict on how it teaches.
Touro University Worldwide program page Its published outcome table
Score breakdown
- Outcomes 0/60no completed-cohort outcomes published
- Transparency 10/25publishes a document with a table we could not read as cohort data
- Standing 2.3/15accredited with show-cause, current term ran to 2026-05 and is due for review
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How is this ranking of California MFT programs ordered?
This ranking of California MFT programs is ordered mostly by disclosure. Of the 17 accredited master's programs in the state, eleven report outcomes and six do not, and the gap in the scores below is chiefly that difference rather than a difference in teaching. Every program is marked out of 100 on the same three things: what its graduates achieved (60 points), whether it published that at the address the accreditor lists (25), and the standing of its accreditation (15).
Nothing is redistributed away from a program that publishes no results. The alternative is perverse, because it would put every silent program above every program honest enough to report a middling year.
A low score here is a statement about disclosure, not a measurement of teaching. A program that has published no graduation rate is given none, no estimate and nothing borrowed from a peer, and its card says so in those words. Publishing the data is a condition of accreditation, so what is being marked down is a requirement the program agreed to and has not met.
For the full scoring model, including what it refuses to measure, see the methodology.
What do marriage and family therapists earn in California?
Marriage and family therapists in California earn a median of $67,300, against $66,940 nationally, on Bureau of Labor Statistics figures for May 2025. That is $360 above the national figure , and 16th highest of the 45 states that publish one. The range runs from about $46,350 at the tenth percentile to $130,340 at the ninetieth.
The state employs 34,970 of them, which is 4.47 times the national rate per head of population. A base of that size means the median above is a market rate, not an artefact of two or three large employers. The salary page puts California against the other states and against each work setting.
How do you get licensed as an MFT in California?
You get licensed as an MFT in California by starting with a qualifying master's degree, and with 17 accredited programs in the state that is a step you can take without moving. The hour counts, coursework rules and examination requirements that follow are the California board's to set and to change, and this page does not reprint them, because a stale figure copied from a directory is worse than no figure at all.
A state board treats an accredited MFT degree as settled, which is the practical argument for insisting on one and the reason this page lists only accredited master's programs. Qualifying here also means qualifying into an unusually dense market: California carries 4.47 times the national rate of these jobs per head, so staying after graduation is a more realistic plan than it is in most states.
Ask the California state board two things in writing: what it counts as a qualifying degree, and how it treats supervised hours accrued out of state. Those answers shape the choice between accredited programs more than any brochure will.
Both halves of that are covered elsewhere: the route on the career page, the scoring on the methodology page.
MFT programs in California by city
7 cities in California have a page of their own, each covering the programs based there and what the job pays in that metropolitan area rather than statewide. Programs in the rest of the state are on this page and nowhere else.
Where else can you study if California does not have what you want?
Where else you can study is worth knowing even though California gives you enough to choose between, with 17 accredited programs in state.
The nearest alternatives with accredited master's MFT programs are Colorado (three), Nevada (one), Oregon (two). 17 states have no accredited programs at this level at all, which is the gap the accredited distance programs exist to fill.
The distance master's ranking lists the programs open to you wherever in California you live.
Widen it further and the national ranking covers all 59 programs with a publishable record.
Cities near California with their own page
These sit elsewhere in the west, and each has a page covering the programs based there and what the job pays in that metropolitan area rather than statewide.
Common questions about MFT programs in California
How many accredited master's MFT programs are in California?
Can you get licensed as an MFT in California with an online degree?
What do marriage and family therapists earn in California?
Should you study in California or move for a program?
Where do these figures come from?
The figures here come from the record each fact belongs to. What is accredited is the accreditor's to state, what a program achieved is that program's to publish, and what the work pays is the federal survey's to measure.
- COAMFTE Directory of Accredited Programs Accredited programs in California, their level, city and status. Read 2026-08-21.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release, SOC 21-1013, all California postholders.
- Ranking methodology The three factors, their weights, and the eligibility floor.
Show all 16 program pages cited
Chapman University (MA) Alliant University - Sacramento (MA) Loma Linda University (MS) Hope International University (MA) Alliant University - Irvine (MA) Alliant University - Los Angeles (MA) Alliant University - San Diego (MA) Alliant University (MA) The Chicago School (MA) National University (MA) Loma Linda University (MS) California State University - Northridge (MS) Daybreak University (MA) San Diego State University (MS) Touro University Worldwide (MMFT) University of San Diego (MA)