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Massage Therapists

Stacks well

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$58,450

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$34k – $100k

Job outlook

+15% (much faster than average)

AI exposure

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $93,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Massage Therapists

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Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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How to qualify

EstimateLicense required

Cost to qualify

$8,200–$23,000

Time to qualify

2.2 yr

Renewal

$75/yr

  1. 1

    Associate degree (community college)

    Degree

    Two years at in-district rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $4,050/yr, plus ~$1,200/yr books & supplies.

    $8,000–$22,000 · 2 years source

  2. 2

    National & state licensure

    License

    A national board/registry exam plus a state license application (the NCLEX pattern). Exact exam and fees depend on the role and state.

    $200–$1,000 · 2 months · varies by state · renews every 2 yr source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Massage Therapists" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Massage Therapists

    Entry / Junior

    $33,640

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Massage Therapists

    Established

    $58,450

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Massage Therapists

    Senior

    $79,325

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
  • •Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
  • •Maintain massage areas by restocking supplies or sanitizing equipment.
  • •Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
  • •Develop and propose client treatment plans that specify which types of massage are to be used.

Fields of study

Any field

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.