MFT Program Tuition in California

Total cost for every BBS-approved Marriage and Family Therapy program · 71 programs · Updated June 2026

California recognizes a wide range of Marriage and Family Therapy master's degrees for LMFT licensure, and their total cost varies enormously, from roughly $18,000 at the public California State University campuses to more than $150,000 at the most expensive private programs. This page lists all 71 BBS-approved programs by total cost, most affordable first, grouped into price tiers, so you can see what an entire MFT degree actually costs before you apply. Every program here is drawn from a complete directory of all 71 California MFT programs, with no ads, affiliate links, or paid placements.

The figures below estimate full-program tuition, not the per-year or per-course price. Public California State University programs are by far the most affordable, usually around $18,000 to $22,000 for California residents, because state funding subsidizes tuition. Private and nonprofit programs set their own tuition and run from the high $30,000s into six figures. The most expensive options on this list, including the University of Southern California at about $152,000, along with Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, and the University of San Diego near or above $100,000, cost roughly eight times the least expensive CSU option for the very same license.

A higher price does not guarantee better clinical training, and a lower price does not mean a weaker program, so weigh tuition against timeline, practicum support, and how much real skill practice the program builds in. Some programs that cost more still leave you to find your own practicum site, which can add months of unpaid effort to your timeline.

Tuition is only part of the real cost. Budget for campus residencies and travel in hybrid programs, books, BBS application and exam fees, and the months of largely unpaid supervised hours after graduation. Many programs offer scholarships, assistantships, or federal financial aid that lower the true price, so check each program's aid options before comparing sticker numbers. Always confirm a program's current tuition directly with the school, because published figures change from year to year. One program, Golden Gate University, does not publish a single program-wide tuition figure, so it appears at the end marked Not listed.

Want to compare on more than price? See the complete California MFT Program Directory comparing all 71 BBS-approved programs side by side.

Programs listed: 71 · Sorted by total cost, lowest first · Updated June 2026 · Source: California BBS approved-program list

Most affordable: $20,000 to $40,000 (25 programs)

CSU Chico

Selective small-cohort public in Northern California.

Total Cost
~$18,000-$22,000
Timeline
3+ years
Program Format
On-Campus
GRE
Not disclosed
Practicum
Both in-house and student-sourced

Read the CSU Chico program review

Mid-range: $40,000 to $70,000 (27 programs)

Higher cost: $70,000 to $100,000 (14 programs)

Most expensive: $100,000 and up (4 programs)

Tuition not published (1 program)

Frequently asked questions

How much does an MFT degree cost in California?

Total cost ranges from about $18,000 to $22,000 at the public California State University campuses, for California residents, up to roughly $152,000 at the most expensive private program. Most private and nonprofit programs fall between about $40,000 and $90,000. These are full-program tuition estimates, so always confirm the current figure directly with the school, because tuition changes from year to year.

What are the most affordable MFT programs in California?

The public California State University programs are the least expensive, usually around $18,000 to $22,000 for California residents. Examples include San Diego State University, Sonoma State University, and the many CSU campuses. A few lower-cost private and online options also exist, such as Rhombus University at about $25,000, Daybreak University at about $36,100, and Touro University Worldwide at about $37,800.

Why do MFT program costs vary so much in California?

The biggest driver is public versus private funding. State support keeps CSU tuition low for residents, while private and nonprofit schools set their own per-unit or per-year tuition. Program length, residency requirements, and location add further differences. The license you earn is the same LMFT credential regardless of what you paid for the degree.

Is financial aid or scholarship support available for MFT programs?

Yes. Many California MFT programs offer scholarships, graduate assistantships, or federal financial aid through FAFSA at schools that participate in federal aid, all of which can lower the real cost well below the published tuition. Aid varies widely by program, so check each school's options directly.

What costs are there beyond tuition?

Plan for more than the sticker tuition. Hybrid programs add travel and lodging for in-person residencies, and every program adds books, BBS application and exam fees, and the months of largely unpaid supervised clinical hours you complete after graduation on the path to licensure. Factor these into the true cost when you compare programs.

What is the cheapest MFT program in California?

The lowest published total cost in this directory is CSU East Bay at about $19,200, followed closely by the other public California State University campuses, most of which run roughly $18,000 to $22,000 for California residents. These public programs cost far less than private and online options because state funding subsidizes resident tuition. Confirm the current figure with the school, since tuition changes from year to year.

How this directory is built and maintained

Source of the school list. Every program on the California Board of Behavioral Sciences approved-program list for the LMFT educational requirement is included, with no exceptions or omissions.

Date the BBS list was last checked. June 2026. We re-check the list on a recurring schedule and after any major BBS announcement.

How tuition is calculated. Total cost is the published per-unit tuition multiplied by the unit count required for the BBS-eligible MFT degree, plus any program-specific required fees disclosed on the school's own website. Public California State University tuition is shown as a range that reflects in-state per-unit charges across recent years. A range written "$X to $Y" indicates a program with multiple tracks at different totals, and a "~" prefix marks a published estimate rather than a quoted price.

How unknown values are handled. Where a school does not publish a value, the field shows "unknown" or "Not listed." We do not impute, estimate, or interpolate missing values, and we do not drop a school because data is missing. Golden Gate University, which publishes no single program-wide tuition figure, appears at the end marked Not listed.

Whether program pages were checked manually. Yes. Each program's own admissions, curriculum, and tuition pages were read by a person, not collected by automated scraping.

How corrections are handled. Any school, prospective student, current student, or faculty member can request a correction by emailing mabundez@sentio.org. We respond within five business days, and corrections supported by the school's own published materials are made immediately.

Order does not imply endorsement. On this page programs are grouped into price tiers and sorted by total cost, lowest first. The order reflects price only, not quality, and requesting a correction or contacting us for any reason has no effect on whether or where a program appears.

Independence. Sentio University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and operates its own MFT program, which is listed in this directory on the same terms as every other program. The directory contains no paid placements, no affiliate links, no sponsored entries, and no advertising of any kind.

Last verified: June 2026
Maintained by: Mikaela Abundez, Director of Student Services, Sentio University. Contact: mabundez@sentio.org