Therapy Session Rates by CPT Code

Understanding your market

To survive in any industry, you need to charge an amount that enables you to stay in business. That’s Business 101. At the same time, both you and your clients need to feel that your fees are fair. But without knowing what the “market rate” is in your area, it’s difficult to feel confident that your rate is fair.

The market rate, also known as the going rate for a session of therapy, refers to the range of rates which vary by locality. While this information is just one of many data points you should consider when setting your rate, it’s arguably one of the most important.

For some professions, you can get the market rate from a 2-minute web search. Unfortunately, for therapists, it’s not quite as easy. The reason for this is simple: We live in a society that is close-lipped when it comes to money. Plus, rates tend to be very personal since it associates a value with your service. If your rate is too low, does that mean you offer less value? If your rate is too high, are you not delivering the care that drew you to your practice in the first place?

U.S. median session rates

Among the three CPT codes we included in this study, the initial intake interview (CPT code 90791) had the highest median session rate at $150. Since this is generally a more lengthy session, it makes sense that the rate is highest. The national median rates for the other two CPT codes,  90834 (45 minutes of psychotherapy) and 90837 (60 minutes of psychotherapy) were $125 and $130, respectively as shown in Figure 1.
FIGURE 1. National median session rates for CPT code 90791, 90834, and 90837: 2018

Guide

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While national median rates are a good overview, if you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, the most expensive U.S. city to live in, the rates at the city-level, included in the full report, will be more reliable and provide a more accurate “market rate.”

  NOTE: Asterisks indicate small sample size, so rates may be less reliable.

Our friends at Zencare published a similar study that found rates to be in the same range as ours for New York City.

Additional resources

Another way to think about setting your rate is to calculate all your practice expenses and then determine your rate based on this information. For example, your rates may be too low based on the amount of your monthly business expenses (e.g., rent, liability insurance, continuing education, and practice management software). To truly have a successful practice, you need to be profitable.

To this end, we created a downloadable Income Calculator to help you determine a session rate that will cover your monthly expenses.

Additionally, here are some related articles to consider regarding your practice’s overall financial health:

• Tips to Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice (Part 1 of 2)
• Tips to Improve the Financial Health of Your Practice (Part 2 of 2)
• New! Session Rate Calculator to find your optimal rate

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