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A comprehensive look at COAMFTE-accredited degrees, costs, clinical training, and career outcomes at LLU
Loma Linda University's MS in Marital and Family Therapy is one of a handful of COAMFTE-accredited master's programs in California housed within a major health sciences university. Located in the Inland Empire, the program operates under a Seventh-day Adventist institutional mission that shapes its clinical training philosophy, coursework, and community partnerships.
Students can choose between on-campus and online delivery formats, both carrying the same accreditation. Embedded certificate options in Play Therapy and Drug and Alcohol Counseling let students add clinical specializations without extending their timeline significantly. With per-unit costs that place LLU in the mid-to-upper range for private California MFT programs, the financial calculus matters: California's median LMFT salary hovers near $60,000 in early career years, making debt load a decisive factor in program selection.
Here is a snapshot of the key details you need to know about Loma Linda University's MS in Marital and Family Therapy. This COAMFTE-accredited, on-campus program is built for faith-friendly students seeking clinical depth within a respected health sciences ecosystem.
Loma Linda University's MS in Marital and Family Therapy holds COAMFTE accreditation that spans more than 20 years, placing it among the longest-accredited MFT programs in California.1 The program is housed in the School of Behavioral Health and is designed to meet California licensure requirements for marriage and family therapy.2 Those credentials alone put it on a short list of serious options for aspiring LMFTs. But whether it is the right program for you depends on how well you align with its academic model, its clinical training structure, and, importantly, its faith-based culture.
Loma Linda's MFT program benefits from deep institutional investment in whole-person care, a philosophy rooted in the university's stated mission to continue the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ.1 That orientation shapes the curriculum, the clinical training sites, and the campus environment. If you are drawn to a program that explicitly integrates spirituality and health, this is a genuine differentiator.
Loma Linda University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution, and its Christian environment emphasizes integrated learning, respect for all persons, and compassionate whole-person care.3 In practice, this means the university may require students to agree to a lifestyle covenant and participate in chapel or worship activities. Faith-based perspectives are woven into coursework rather than treated as an elective add-on. Students interested in comparing another faith-integrated option may want to explore the BYU MFT program, which operates within a Latter-day Saint framework.
For students who share or respect that worldview, the environment can feel supportive and cohesive. For students who do not identify with a religious tradition, the experience may feel restrictive. Before applying, take these steps:
If you are looking for a secular training environment, or if the lifestyle expectations feel incompatible with your values, other COAMFTE-accredited programs in California can deliver comparable clinical preparation without the faith component. Similarly, if cost flexibility is your top priority, cheapest MFT programs at public universities may stretch your budget further. Loma Linda is a strong choice when you want rigorous MFT training inside a faith-integrated, health-sciences-oriented university, but it is not the only path to a California LMFT license.
Understanding the full cost of a graduate MFT program before you apply is essential, and Loma Linda University is transparent enough to publish annual cost-of-attendance figures. That said, tuition rates shift each academic year, mandatory fees vary by delivery format, and financial aid packages differ from student to student. Below is what we can confirm for the 2026, 2027 cycle, along with clear guidance on where to verify every dollar.
For the on-campus MS in Marital and Family Therapy, the university's published cost of attendance for 2026-2027 lists tuition and fees at approximately $46,881 per year.1 Books and supplies add roughly $4,500 per year on top of that figure.1 Because the program typically spans two to three years depending on clinical placement timelines, total out-of-pocket costs can climb well above $100,000 before living expenses. If overall affordability is your primary concern, it is worth comparing Loma Linda against affordable online MFT programs to see where private-university pricing falls on the spectrum.
These numbers come directly from Loma Linda's Student Financial Services tuition schedule and the School of Behavioral Health program page, which are the only authoritative sources you should rely on. Third-party aggregators sometimes lag a full year behind, so always cross-check against the university's own pages.
Loma Linda offers its MS in Marital and Family Therapy in both online and on-campus formats, both carrying COAMFTE accreditation.2 However, admissions to the online cohort were listed as closed for 2026-2027 at the time of this writing.2 Whether online students pay a different per-unit rate, or whether certain mandatory fees (health insurance, clinical placement fees, technology fees) are waived for distance learners, is not consistently published in a single location.
The strongest move you can make is to contact LLU's financial aid office directly by phone or email. Ask specifically about:
Getting these answers in writing protects you from surprises after you have already committed.
Loma Linda participates in federal financial aid programs, so completing the FAFSA is a necessary first step. The university also maintains its own scholarship and assistantship offerings through the School of Behavioral Health. Beyond institutional aid, it is worth checking the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) website and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for scholarship listings or fee-reduction programs. These organizations do not typically publish tuition for specific schools, but they occasionally curate funding opportunities targeted at MFT students.
Tuition rates at Loma Linda, like most private universities, tend to increase each academic year. The figures cited here reflect 2026-2027 published estimates. If you are planning to start in a future term, confirm the exact academic year your costs will fall under and ask the financial aid office whether any rate lock or tuition guarantee applies for continuing students. A two or three percent annual increase may seem minor, but compounded over two to three years it materially changes your total investment.
The bottom line: never rely on a single source or a prior year's numbers. Verify your costs through LLU's official Student Financial Services page and a direct conversation with their financial aid team before making your enrollment decision.
Tuition is only part of the picture. When you add mandatory university fees, clinical placement expenses, and books, the total investment climbs well beyond the per-unit sticker price. This breakdown shows every major cost component so you can plan realistically.
Loma Linda University's MS in Marital and Family Therapy is built on a curriculum that balances theoretical depth, clinical competence, and research literacy. Students move through a structured sequence of coursework before entering an intensive clinical training phase, and the program offers embedded certificate tracks that let you specialize without tacking on extra semesters.
The foundational curriculum covers the pillars you would expect from a COAMFTE-accredited program, plus content shaped by LLU's mission of whole-person care:
Two certificate options fold into the degree without necessarily extending your timeline: a Play Therapy Certificate and a Drug and Alcohol Counseling Certificate. Each certificate carries its own 200-hour clinical requirement, but the hours can overlap with standard practicum placements when the site and population align. One certificate's tuition is waived when pursued alongside the MS degree, a significant cost advantage if you know you want a specialization. A Medical Family Therapy specialization is also available, reflecting LLU's deep integration with its academic medical center.3
For students who want even broader preparation, a dual MS/MS+C track combines the MFT degree with a counseling credential.
Clinical training spans roughly nine months and requires 500 total supervised clinical contact hours, of which at least 200 must involve couple or family therapy. Supervision is rigorous: 100 total supervision hours, with at least 50 of those conducted through observable formats such as live supervision or video review. Weekly individual supervision is mandatory, and the program maintains a supervision-to-client-contact ratio of 1:5, meaning you receive one hour of supervision for every five hours of direct client work. Both individual and group supervision formats are used. For context on how these numbers compare to post-degree LMFT supervised clinical hours requirements, the in-program hours give you a strong head start.
Placement sites reflect the university's clinical ecosystem. Students may train at the LLU Behavioral Health Institute, community mental health agencies, school-based clinics, or medical family therapy settings connected to Loma Linda University Medical Center. The department coordinates placements rather than leaving students to arrange sites entirely on their own, though preferences and career goals factor into matching.
If you are enrolled in the online track, you are not required to relocate to the Inland Empire for your practicum. Instead, you secure placements locally in your own community at sites that must be approved by the program.3 This makes the online format genuinely workable for students outside Southern California, but it does require proactive effort: you will need to identify agencies willing to host MFT trainees and work with the department to ensure the site meets COAMFTE standards. All supervision requirements, including observable-data supervision, still apply regardless of format.
Getting into Loma Linda University's MS in Marital and Family Therapy program requires careful preparation, but the admissions criteria are straightforward compared to many graduate programs. Here is what you need to know before you apply.
Loma Linda expects the following from every applicant:1
The GRE is not required for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle.1 This is a significant advantage for applicants who prefer to invest their preparation time elsewhere. If you are weighing other options without a standardized test requirement, our directory of MFT programs without GRE covers dozens of COAMFTE-accredited alternatives. Since GRE policy is one of the most frequently searched questions about this program, it is worth confirming directly with LLU admissions if you are applying for a later cycle, as policies can change.
The on-campus MS in Marital and Family Therapy program has a priority deadline of April 15, 2026 for Fall 2026 entry.4 The on-campus cohort typically enrolls 18 to 22 students, while the online cohort is smaller, generally ranging from 10 to 15 students.2 These modest cohort sizes mean that competition for seats is real, even if the program does not publicly disclose an acceptance rate. Applying before the deadline and submitting a polished, complete application gives you the best chance.
One other detail worth noting: LLU charges no application fee, which removes a common financial barrier and makes it easy to include the program in your application strategy.4
Despite Loma Linda's identity as a Seventh-day Adventist institution, the MFT program does not require a pastoral reference or a personal faith statement as part of the application.2 The university's mission is rooted in whole-person care, and that ethos shapes the program's clinical philosophy, but admissions are open to applicants of all backgrounds. You should, however, be comfortable learning within a values-driven academic environment that integrates spirituality and health.
Loma Linda does not publish a formal acceptance rate for the MFT program. However, the combination of small cohort sizes (roughly 30 to 37 total seats across both formats), COAMFTE accreditation, and the university's strong clinical reputation in Southern California means the applicant pool regularly exceeds available spots. A solid GPA, thoughtful personal statement, and strong references are your best tools for standing out. If your GPA is borderline, emphasize upward academic trends and relevant clinical or volunteer experience in your application materials.
Loma Linda University offers its MS in Marital and Family Therapy in two distinct formats: a traditional on-campus track and a fully online track. Both carry COAMFTE accreditation and confer the same degree, so your choice comes down to lifestyle, location, and timeline rather than credential quality.1
The on-campus track follows a structured weekly schedule, with classes held on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the first year and Mondays and Wednesdays during the second year. The program is designed to be completed in approximately 24 months.2
The online track uses a cohort model that blends synchronous (live) sessions with asynchronous coursework.3 Because the pacing is slightly more spread out, plan on roughly 30 months to finish. One notable advantage: the online format does not require any on-campus intensives or residencies. Clinical practicum hours are completed locally in your own community, which means you never need to travel to the Loma Linda campus.
If you live outside California, state-authorization rules matter. The on-campus program is open to students from all U.S. states, territories, and international locations. The online program, however, is limited to residents of California and states where Loma Linda holds authorization through the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA). International students are not eligible for the online track. Before applying online, confirm that your state appears on LLU's current approved list, because SARA participation can change.1
Total estimated program costs for the 2026 to 2027 academic year are close but not identical:
The online track runs a few thousand dollars less overall, though the savings are modest relative to the total investment. Both tracks qualify for federal financial aid. For a broader look at pricing across COAMFTE-accredited online MFT programs, our tuition comparison can help you benchmark LLU against other options.
Consider the on-campus track if you live in or plan to relocate to the Inland Empire region, want the fastest path to completion, or prefer face-to-face classroom interaction. The online track is the stronger choice if you are a working professional, live elsewhere in California or an approved SARA state, and need the flexibility of remote learning without campus residency requirements.
Regardless of format, you will graduate with the same COAMFTE-accredited MS degree, positioning you for LMFT licensure on the same footing as your on-campus peers.
Graduating from a COAMFTE-accredited program is one of the strongest foundations you can build for a successful career as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT). Loma Linda University's MS and DMFT programs are both designed to meet California licensure requirements, which positions graduates to move directly into the post-degree supervised experience phase without needing to fill curricular gaps.12 Understanding what comes after graduation, and what earning potential looks like in your target market, helps you evaluate whether the investment makes sense.
California's Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) requires aspiring LMFTs to complete a qualifying graduate degree, accumulate 3,000 hours of supervised professional experience (with specific sub-hour requirements for direct client contact), and pass two licensing examinations: the California Law and Ethics Exam and the national Marriage and Family Therapy examination administered through the AMFTRB. Because both the MS and DMFT at Loma Linda carry COAMFTE accreditation, the coursework is aligned with these regulatory standards.34 Graduates typically begin accruing supervised hours as Associate Marriage and Family Therapists (AMFTs) immediately after earning their degree.
For program-specific outcome data such as graduation rates, licensure exam pass rates, and employment rates, check Loma Linda University's MFT program website for a dedicated program outcomes or student achievement page. COAMFTE-accredited programs are expected to publish this data, and you can also find it through the COAMFTE program directory. If the numbers are not posted online, contact the program's administrative office directly. Do not rely on third-party aggregators that may be outdated.
To get the most current salary figures for Marriage and Family Therapists, visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov) and search for the occupation under SOC code 21-1013. You can filter results by state to see California-specific median wages, which have historically run well above the national median for this profession. For an even more localized picture, look for the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan statistical area (MSA) within the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics tool. This MSA covers the communities closest to Loma Linda's campus and gives you a realistic baseline for what early-career and mid-career LMFTs earn in the Inland Empire.
Keep in mind that salary data varies by work setting. Therapists in private practice, hospital-integrated behavioral health programs, and school-based systems may see significantly different compensation. Doctoral-level graduates (DMFT holders) may qualify for supervisory, academic, or specialized clinical roles that carry higher earning ceilings.
Because program-level outcome data and regional salary figures are updated on different cycles, treat any single number you encounter as a snapshot rather than a guarantee. Cross-reference multiple authoritative sources:
If you are comparing Loma Linda's outcomes against other programs, make sure you are looking at comparable cohort years and that data definitions match. Graduation rates calculated over different time windows, for instance, are not apples-to-apples. Browsing COAMFTE-accredited programs across institutions can help you benchmark outcomes and identify realistic comparison points.
The strongest argument for a COAMFTE-accredited program in California is that the state has one of the largest and most active MFT labor markets in the country. Demand for licensed therapists in the Inland Empire has been fueled by population growth, expanded insurance parity laws, and integrated care models in the region's health systems. Loma Linda's proximity to its own medical center and affiliated clinics also creates a clinical training pipeline that can translate into employment connections after licensure.
That said, weigh tuition costs against realistic post-licensure earnings in your intended practice setting. Once you hold your LMFT license, you will also need to stay current with LMFT continuing education requirements by state. Reaching full licensure takes time, typically two or more years of supervised post-degree work at associate-level pay, before you access LMFT-level compensation. A clear-eyed look at the numbers, drawn from the sources above, will help you determine whether Loma Linda's program represents a sound return on your educational investment.
Loma Linda University occupies a distinct middle ground among California MFT programs. It is neither the most affordable nor the most prestigious option, but its integration with a major health system and its faith-based clinical philosophy create a niche that few competitors can match. The comparison below frames LLU against two common archetypes to help you weigh cost, format, and fit.
Choosing an MFT program is a significant investment of time, money, and energy. Use this decision framework to determine whether Loma Linda University is the right fit for your goals, values, and circumstances.
Below are answers to the most common questions prospective students ask about the MFT program at Loma Linda University. Each answer draws on the program details, tuition figures, and admissions information covered earlier in this guide.
