Massage Therapists
Also called: BCMT (Board Certified Massage Therapist), Bodywork Therapist, Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Clinical Massage Therapist, Deep Tissue Massage Therapist, Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP), Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), Masseur
Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints.
What massage therapists do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.
- Refer clients to other types of therapists when necessary.
- Perform other adjunctive therapies or treatment techniques in addition to massage.
- Consult with other health care professionals, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians, and psychologists, to develop treatment plans for clients.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Massage Therapists salary
The median annual wage for massage therapists is $58,450 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $33,640 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $100,200. The mean annual wage is $63,830.
The mean hourly wage of $30.00 is 4.1× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Massage Therapists (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $58,450 → in 3 years $64,800 → in 5 years $69,400 → in 10 years $82,400 (10-year range $70,900–$95,700). The model assumes pay growth of +3.5% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Massage Therapists
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Massage Therapists? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Massage Therapists
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Massage Therapists United States | リフレクソロジスト Japan | あんまマッサージ指圧師 Japan | アロマセラピスト Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $58,450 | ¥4.03M ≈ $25,607 | ¥4.54M ≈ $28,881 | ¥4.03M ≈ $25,607 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $82,400 | ¥5.42M | ¥6.00M | ¥5.44M |
| Outlook score | 76 | 55 | 56 | 58 |
| AI replacement risk | 18% Very low | 17% Very low | 13% Very low | 13% Very low |
| Workers | 99K | — | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Massage Therapists
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become massage therapists
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as massage therapists
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.