What you’ll learn in this article…
- Only 13 of COAMFTE's 98 accredited master's programs are fully online.
- COAMFTE aligns with LMFT licensure, while CACREP mainly serves LPC and LMHC.
- BLS projects 14 percent growth in MFT jobs from 2025 to 2035.
COAMFTE-Accredited Marriage and Family Therapy Programs 2027
Compare accredited campus, hybrid and online MFT schools built for the LMFT licensure path

Does the accreditation on an MFT degree actually change how fast you get licensed? In many states, yes: boards that review coursework line by line for applicants from unaccredited programs will accept a COAMFTE-accredited degree as proof the education requirement is met.
That makes accreditation, not delivery format, the useful filter. It also creates a constraint worth facing early: COAMFTE listed 125 accredited programs at the end of 2025, and the overwhelming majority of the master's options are campus-based. Fully online accredited master's programs number in the low teens.
Applicants who need remote study are choosing from a short list, and most of those still require residencies or local practicum placements.
Accreditation is the organizing principle here, not delivery format, so campus, hybrid and fully online programs sit side by side in one list. That matters because most of the field's accredited training still happens on campus, and a ranking built only around online delivery would misrepresent where the accredited seats actually are. Where a program's COAMFTE status is candidacy or unverified in our records, we say so rather than rounding up.
Killeen, TX · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Texas residents seeking campus-based licensure
Texas A&M University-Central Texas runs a 60-credit Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy that is COAMFTE accredited and built around Texas licensure. Students train at the university's Community Counseling and Family Therapy Center and at partner clinical sites in the Killeen area. Admission runs across fall, spring and summer cycles, and the degree is delivered entirely on campus.
Provo, UT · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Faith-centered students drawn to doctoral research
BYU pairs a COAMFTE-accredited master's with a COAMFTE-accredited PhD, one of the few universities on this list offering accredited training at both levels. The master's spans 61 credit hours with 500 direct client-contact hours, and admitted students receive half tuition coverage. The PhD prepares graduates for academia, research and clinical leadership, and all students agree to the university's Honor Code.
Minneapolis, MN · ~$22,000/yr (est.)
Best for: Licensed counselors moving into academic research
The University of Minnesota Twin Cities offers a doctoral program in couple and family therapy for students who already hold a clinical master's degree. The curriculum combines systemic theory with quantitative and qualitative research training, and students see clients weekly under faculty supervision. Fellowships and assistantships provide substantial financial support, and the program is cohort-based and full-time.
San Francisco, CA · $5,000 – $10,000/yr (est.)
San Francisco State University's master's in counseling, with a concentration in marriage, family and child counseling, is built specifically for California's LMFT license. It is a 60-unit, in-person program with two academic years of field placement across a network of more than 150 community agencies. Our records do not verify COAMFTE accreditation for this program, so confirm current status with the university before applying.
Tallahassee, FL · ~$11,000/yr (est.)
Florida State University's COAMFTE-accredited PhD in marriage and family therapy sits in its college of education, health and human sciences and requires a clinical master's degree for entry. The 86-credit curriculum takes about four years, with clinical training at the Center for Couple and Family Therapy and internships in community settings. Admission is fall only, and the department also runs its own clinic for supervised practice.
College Park, MD · ~$18,000/yr (est.)
The University of Maryland College Park houses its COAMFTE-accredited MS in couple and family therapy inside the School of Public Health, which shapes the program's emphasis on family wellbeing at the population level. Students complete 45 to 51 credits depending on whether they choose the thesis or non-thesis route, and they train at the Center for Healthy Families. Entry is fall only with a December 1 deadline.
Tampa, FL · ~$10,000/yr (est.)
The University of South Florida offers a COAMFTE-accredited master's in marriage and family therapy alongside a hybrid graduate certificate for practicing clinicians. The master's runs two years across 60 credits with 12 months of field training and small cohorts, and it is accredited through 2030. The certificate is a 15-credit add-on for counselors, social workers and psychologists and does not qualify graduates for MFT licensure.
Las Cruces, NM · $7,000 – $19,000/yr (est.)
New Mexico State University's campus-based master's in marriage and family therapy trains clinicians to work with culturally diverse families across New Mexico and nationally. The curriculum pairs academic coursework with supervised clinical practice and a thesis option, and the program sits within family and consumer sciences. COAMFTE accreditation is not confirmed in our records, so verify status with the program before applying.
Orlando, FL · ~$9,000/yr (est.)
The University of Central Florida's marriage, couple and family therapy MA is accredited by CACREP in marriage, couple and family counseling; our records do not show COAMFTE accreditation for it. The 63-credit program includes 800 hours of clinical training that begins at the UCF Community Counseling and Research Center and continues at internship sites across Central Florida. It is designed for Florida LMFT licensure and delivered on campus.
Evanston, IL · ~$55,000/yr (est.)
Northwestern University offers a COAMFTE-accredited master's in marriage and family therapy in both online and on-campus formats, making it one of the few fully online accredited options in the country. Online students complete 400 clinical hours plus 250 supervision hours at approved sites near their own communities and attend a credit-bearing immersion. The program is built around Illinois licensure eligibility, so students in other states should confirm their board accepts the coursework and clinical hours.
COAMFTE's 2025 year-end report lists 125 accredited programs: 95 master's, 27 mft doctoral programs and 3 post-degree.1 The Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education oversees MFT program accreditation and clinical training, and it sets the competency standards programs must meet.2
COAMFTE sits within the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) but operates as a semi-autonomous, self-governing body.2 It holds final authority over accreditation policies, procedures, elections and decisions, separate from AAMFT's membership side. A Memorandum of Agreement governs the relationship, and a revised version reported in 2023 clarified COAMFTE's independent role.3
The Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) recognizes COAMFTE for master's, doctoral and post-degree clinical training programs in the U.S. and Canada.3 CHEA's board accepted continued recognition at its May 13, 2024 meeting.4 COAMFTE's own materials do not establish a current U.S. Department of Education recognition decision, so treat CHEA as the confirmed credential. Programs are currently reviewed under Standards Version 12.5, published in August 2021 and effective January 1, 2022.5
COAMFTE accreditation is programmatic. It applies to one MFT program, not the whole university. Institutional (regional or national) accreditation covers the school overall, and COAMFTE requires master's and doctoral programs to sit inside an institution legally authorized to confer degrees. You need both, but one does not stand in for the other.
Be wary of language such as "COAMFTE-aligned" or "designed to meet COAMFTE standards." Neither means the program is accredited. Check the program's status directly with COAMFTE before you apply.
COAMFTE also accredits post-degree programs, which are certificate-level clinical training for people who already hold a graduate degree.5 That matters if you are weighing a post-master's certificate in marriage and family therapy route, though only a small number of these programs exist, so confirm any certificate's status individually.1
Accreditation questions come up early for anyone comparing marriage and family therapy programs, and the answers affect where you can apply and how you get licensed. The short answers below are a starting point. Each one points to the deeper section on this page where the details live.
COAMFTE's directory listed 98 accredited master's programs in marriage and family therapy as of August 21, 2026. Of those, 96 have a campus format, 16 are listed as hybrid, and only 13 are fully online. Because some programs appear under more than one format, the takeaway is the pattern, not a clean split. Across all accredited MFT programs, 96 of 127 are campus-based and just 31 are online or hybrid, so if you need a fully remote degree, start with that short list rather than assuming any accredited program will work.

COAMFTE accreditation is the quickest way through a state board's education review, but in most states it is not the only way in.
A licensing board has to confirm that an applicant's degree covered the right coursework and enough supervised clinical training. When a program holds COAMFTE accreditation, the board can accept that the curriculum and practicum were already vetted and skip the course-by-course audit. Applicants from non-accredited programs get a transcript review instead, which takes longer and can end with requests for extra coursework.
| State | Role of COAMFTE | Route for non-COAMFTE graduates |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | One qualifying pathway, not required1 | A CACREP Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling specialization begun on or after January 1, 2017 with the required internship or practicum; or an accredited MFT or related mental-health degree of at least 45 semester hours (programs begun before August 1, 2017) or 60 (begun on or after that date), plus required MFT course content |
| California | Accepted education pathway, alongside CACREP marital and family therapy accreditation2 | A master's or doctorate in MFT or a related field with substantially equivalent coursework and training, at least 45 semester hours (begun before August 1, 2017) or 60 (begun on or after) |
| Ohio | Programs accredited at the time of degree conferral are automatically approved3 | The board source reviewed here does not detail a substitute route; confirm with the board |
| Florida | Required for the standard LMFT pathway | The source identifies no coursework-equivalency or CACREP substitute |
The boards involved are the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, the California Board of Behavioral Sciences, the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board, and Florida's LMFT licensing authority. Rules change, so check the current LMFT license requirements by state with your state board before you enroll.
In Texas and California, a non-accredited degree can still lead to licensure, but you carry the burden of proving equivalency, including semester-hour minimums that depend on when your program began; the COAMFTE vs. CACREP comparison shows which accreditors boards accept. In Florida, the picture is stricter: the source describes COAMFTE as specifically required for the standard route. If you already know where you plan to practice, that state's rule should shape your MFT degree shortlist.
Graduates of COAMFTE programs generally face fewer hurdles when they relocate, because most boards recognize the credential without a fresh transcript audit. A graduate whose degree depends on a coursework checklist may have to rebuild that case for every new state, and in a state like Florida may find the door narrower. If a move is even a possibility in your future, COAMFTE accreditation is the safer choice.
COAMFTE and CACREP both signal quality, but they point toward different licenses. COAMFTE is built for the LMFT route, while CACREP is built mainly for professional counseling licenses such as the LPC or LMHC. A CACREP Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling degree can sometimes open the LMFT door too, but only where a state board explicitly allows it, so read the table below as a starting point and confirm the details with your board.
| Factor | COAMFTE (LMFT path) | CACREP (LPC/LMHC path) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary license target | Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) | Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC); the Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling specialty can also lead to the LMFT in some states |
| Governing association | Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education, affiliated with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy | Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, the accreditor for the counseling profession |
| Relational and systemic training | Core of the entire curriculum: couples, families and relationship systems | Grounded in individual counseling; relational depth comes mainly from the Marriage, Couple, and Family specialty |
| Clinical hour focus | Supervised practice centered on relational work with couples and families | Supervised practicum and internship in general counseling; some states set extra couple and family hours for LMFT eligibility |
| Oregon | Graduate degree from a COAMFTE-accredited MFT program meets the LMFT education requirement | Fully CACREP-accredited Marriage, Couple, and Family specialty degree also meets the LMFT education requirement |
| Texas | Master's or doctorate in MFT from a COAMFTE-accredited program is an accepted LMFT route | Marriage, Couples, and Family Counseling degree qualifies only if the program began on or after January 1, 2017 and included at least 12 months or 9 semester hours of practicum or internship, with 300+ hours (150 direct-client, 75 with couples and families). Older programs or shorter practicums do not qualify |
| Virginia | Accepted LMFT education route, plus required coursework and residency | Accepted LMFT education route, plus required coursework, a 2,000-hour residency (1,000 hours with couples or families), 200 supervision hours and at least 21 months |
| California | Accepted LMFT preparation | California State University, Sacramento's Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling program was evaluated to meet both LMFT and LPCC requirements |
| Dual licensure examples | Generally aimed at the LMFT only | Western Kentucky University prepares students for LPCC and LMFT; the University of Florida's program leads toward LMFT and/or LMHC after two years of post-degree supervision |
| What to do before enrolling | Confirm your state's LMFT board accepts the program | If you want both licenses, check the LMFT and LPC/LMHC board rules in your state before you commit |
Northwestern University's COAMFTE-accredited online MFT program requires one mandatory 3-day in-person residency in the Chicago area before clinical work begins. That requirement is a useful reminder that accredited training rarely happens entirely on a screen.
Most MFT programs meeting COAMFTE accreditation standards are campus-based, where students attend classes in person and complete clinical hours in on-campus or affiliated clinics. Hybrid and online options reduce the number of required visits but do not remove them entirely. At Northwestern, live HD virtual classrooms include real-time role-playing and mock sessions, so online students must attend scheduled synchronous classes and plan for their local time zone. Capella's online program uses its GuidedPath format, which one secondary source describes as asynchronous, though current sources do not confirm whether any live class sessions are mandatory. Capella also requires two in-person residencies before site-based learning, with each session lasting roughly four and a half to five days. Students considering campus formats generally attend practicum through university clinics or affiliated agencies, while online and hybrid students need to coordinate local sites earlier in the enrollment process.
Even fully online learners complete practicum and internship face to face at an approved site in or near their own community. Northwestern students complete 400 clinical hours over six consecutive quarters, including 100 relational hours, and dedicated placement specialists help locate an approved site. Capella requires at least 300 internship hours, including 300 direct client-contact hours and at least 100 relational hours across four internship courses. Sources do not establish whether Capella assigns placement support or expects students to secure sites themselves.
Abilene Christian University's COAMFTE-accredited online Master of MFT is described as a 60-credit program taking about 33 months with a 12-month internship. Current sources do not specify whether Abilene Christian coordinates practicum placement or requires students to arrange sites independently. Touro University Worldwide also appears among COAMFTE-accredited online programs, but carries an "Accredited with show cause" designation, and its current residency, scheduling, and placement details are not clearly documented. Because state authorization rules vary, out-of-state applicants should confirm that an online program can enroll students in their state before applying.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, employment of marriage and family therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2025 to 2035. That national increase is expected to add about 10,300 jobs, lifting the field from 76,300 to 86,600 positions.
Accreditation is the lens for this page, so this directory keeps the same standard while casting a wider net. The entries below span master's, doctoral and certificate pathways in cities across the country, some campus-based, some hybrid, a few fully online. Accreditation terms are reviewed on a rolling basis, so confirm the current COAMFTE status of any program in the official directory before you apply. A few programs here hold CACREP accreditation rather than COAMFTE, which matters if you are aiming for the LPC or LMHC route instead of the LMFT license.