Occupation salary profile

Massage Therapists

SOC 31-9011 BLS OEWS May 2025

Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.

National median · BLS
$58,450
▲ +0.86% YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$63,830
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
98,790
Jobs (BLS)
Highest-paying state (cost-adjusted) Loading…
Most jobs Loading…
Highest-paying metro (cost-adjusted) Loading…

Check your salary

Enter your pay and a location to see where you stand against BLS and H-1B pay, your estimated take-home pay, and your purchasing power.

Pay range for Massage Therapists

Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.

Percentile All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay$33,640
25th$43,480
Median (50th)$58,450
75th$78,320
90th — top pay$100,200

Hourly ⇄ annual pay

Type in either box; the other updates instantly.

Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on hrs/week × weeks/year = 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035

Job outlook for Massage Therapists

BLS projects employment of massage therapists to grow 15.3% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations. About 20,400 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.

Jobs 2025 → 2035
155,400 → 179,100
+23,700 jobs
Projected change
+15.3%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
20,400
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
Postsecondary nondegree award
No related experience required
Self-employed
35.6% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 3)
Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Fastest-growing jobs → Best-paying jobs that need a postsecondary certificate (nondegree award) →

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035 · BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook →

Skills & tools

Skills needed for Massage Therapists

How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.

Top skills
  • Active Listening3.6
  • Speaking3.5
  • Service Orientation3.1
  • Social Perceptiveness3.1
  • Critical Thinking3.0
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.0
  • Reading Comprehension3.0
  • Complex Problem Solving2.9
  • Monitoring2.9
  • Active Learning2.8
Top knowledge areas
  • Customer and Personal Service4.0
  • English Language3.1
  • Biology3.1
  • Medicine and Dentistry3.0
  • Psychology2.9
  • Education and Training2.8
  • Therapy and Counseling2.7
  • Sales and Marketing2.4
Software and technology used
Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft WordAppointmentQuest Online Appointment ManagerICS Software SammyUSALand Software Customer Pro-FileMassage SuiteScheduling softwareWinCity Custom Software WinCity Massage SOAP Notes

Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).

Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.

About the job

What massage therapists do

  • Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
  • Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
  • Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
  • Maintain massage areas by restocking supplies or sanitizing equipment.
  • Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.
  • Develop and propose client treatment plans that specify which types of massage are to be used.
  • Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.
  • Maintain treatment records.
Also called
Certified Massage Therapist (CMT)Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP)Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT)Registered Massage Therapist (RMT)BCMT (Board Certified Massage Therapist)Bodywork TherapistClinical Massage TherapistMedical Massage PractitionerMMT (Medical Massage Therapist)Soft Tissue Specialist
More job titles for this occupation (8)
Deep Tissue Massage TherapistMasseurMasseuseMassotherapistMechanotherapistRolferSpa Massage TherapistSwedish Masseuse

Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.