Which Northern California MFT program should I compare?
Programs from the Bay Area through Sacramento and the far north
Northern California
Northern California MFT programs from the Bay Area through Sacramento and the far north, with practical decision fields and complete school profiles.
How to use this list
This is a geographically broad market. A program in Redding solves a different practicum and commuting problem from one in Berkeley or San Jose.
Every school name opens a complete profile with sources, conflicts, student reality and unanswered questions.
17 programs
Cal Poly Humboldt
M.A. in Psychology: Counseling (Counseling Psychology, M.A.) · Arcata
FormatNot published
LengthNot published
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementplaced
Direct clinical hoursA minimum of 150 hours of direct (face-to-face) counseling experience with clients and 75 hours of advocacy and support must be earned prior to graduation.
M.S. in Counseling Psychology with MFT and/or PCC concentration · San Rafael
FormatIn-person; part-time, full-time, evening and weekend options
Length30–36 months
Published tuition83882.0
Practicum placementplaced
Direct clinical hoursA minimum of 500 hours of practicum is required of which 280 must be direct counseling for the MFT Concentration and PCC Concentration.
M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC), with an MFCC emphasis option · Palo Alto
FormatResidential hybrid (weekday evenings, on-campus or Zoom) OR distance/online (live Zoom + two in-person residencies)
Length9 quarters (~2 years)
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursThe program requires a minimum of 700 hours, including a minimum of 280 face-to-face client hours with the student working in the role of Counselor Trainee or Therapist Trainee
M.S. in Counseling: Concentration in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling · San Francisco
FormatIn-person
LengthPublished 2-year and 3-year roadmaps; department-reported average time to degree is 2.9 years (range 2–7).
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursStudents must put in a minimum of 700 hours of field placement for each specialization, with at least 280 hours of direct client contact.
Direct clinical hoursThe Board of Behavioral Sciences requires that students accrue a minimum of 225 hours of face-to-face counseling experience during the practicum experience (before graduation) [...] 75 hours can be client-centered advocacy (CCA), but the other 150 hours must be face-to-face hours
M.A. in Counseling Psychology (MFT track; LPCC track; joint MFT/LPCC track) · Santa Clara
FormatIn-person + online; full- and part-time pathways
Length3 years
Published tuition$65,340 estimated tuition
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursMFT: Supervised fieldwork experience with a minimum of 225 hours of face-to-face experience counseling individuals, families, or groups. Up to 75 hours may be gained performing client-centered advocacy. SCU-CPSY requires a total time at the site for the academic year to be at least 550 hours. LPCC: [...] a minimum of 280 face-to-face clinical hours.
FormatOnline + low-residency (two 10-day intensives per year — one in-person on campus at the start of Fall, one virtual synchronous at the start of Spring)
Length3 years
Published tuition$59,670 estimated tuition
Practicum placementstudent-sourced
Direct clinical hoursin California, a minimum of 225 supervised clinical hours are required for LMFT, and a minimum of 280 supervised direct counseling hours are required for LPCC
Length2 years as designed; 3-year option available by deferring practicum
Published tuition78600.0
Practicum placementassisted
Direct clinical hoursIn order to graduate, you need to accrue a minimum of 500 hours of supervised clinical experience, including 280 direct client hours.
M.S. in Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy · Berkeley
FormatOnline
Length2–6 years
Published tuitionNot published
Practicum placementstudent-sourced
Direct clinical hoursthe Practicum must include 150 hours of face-to-face/direct client counseling, and for those wishing to also qualify for the LPCC license, the Practicum must include 280 hours of face-to-face/direct client counseling
This page is generated from the same 78-program California registry as the statewide directory. Inclusion is rule-based, not paid. Cost appears only when a school publishes tuition; a per-unit estimate multiplies the published rate by the published degree units and excludes fees. “Not published” means the reviewed public sources did not establish the answer.
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