Maeve Institute · Free for associates

Is your pay fair?

Pre-licensed therapists are often told to be grateful for hours and not ask questions. Put in two numbers from your offer and see where the money from every session goes: to you, to running the practice, and to the owner.

Your offer

$
What insurance or the client pays. Ask the practice, or estimate.
$
If you're paid a percentage, multiply it by the number above.
$/month
Leave at 0 if the practice includes it.
% of revenue
Billing, software, marketing, admin, and supervision if it's included. Ask the practice. If you don't know, 20% is a rough starting estimate for a telehealth group practice.

Every session, where the money goes

  • YouYour pay per session$0
  • Running the practiceBilling, software, marketing, admin, supervision$0
  • The ownerProfit, and payment for the risk of owning the business$0

Free resources

What I wish someone had told me as an associate

Ten questions to ask before you sign

  1. Am I paid a split, a flat rate or a salary?
  2. Is my split based on what's billed or what's actually collected?
  3. Am I paid for no-shows and late cancellations?
  4. Is supervision included? How many hours a week?
  5. Am I a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor?
  6. How are referrals assigned, and how fast does a caseload usually fill?
  7. Is there a minimum caseload, and what happens if I don't meet it?
  8. Are notes, trainings and team meetings paid?
  9. Who handles billing, denials and credentialing?
  10. What changes when I'm fully licensed?

Red flags worth pausing on

  • You can't see what was billed or collected for your sessions.
  • Your pay is clawed back when a claim is denied.
  • A non-compete or non-solicit that would keep you from practicing after you leave.
  • A low split and paying for your own supervision.
  • Penalties for missing a caseload quota.
  • "You'll get paid when insurance pays," with no timeline.
  • Nobody can explain how raises work.

What a practice's share should cover

  • Steady referrals and marketing
  • Billing, claims and credentialing
  • An EHR, telehealth platform and scheduling
  • Supervision toward your license
  • Malpractice coverage, or clarity on who pays it
  • Training, consultation and a team you can call on

If a practice keeps a bigger share, it should be giving you more of this.

A note from Marisa

You have more power than you think.

I started as an associate too, fresh out of school, paying for supervision and not sure what I was allowed to ask for. Most of what I learned about fair pay, I learned the hard way. I built these resources so you don't have to.

Asking questions about your pay doesn't make you difficult. It makes you a professional. And you have time to find a place that treats you like one.

Marisa Derr, LMFT

See associate roles at Maeve Ask me a question

This calculator gives estimates for comparing offers, not tax, legal or financial advice. Running costs vary a lot by practice, so ask for real numbers when you can. For W-2 roles the practice also pays payroll taxes and any benefits on top of your pay. The ranges shown are a rough guide, not a standard.