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Massage Therapy

A program that prepares individuals to provide relief and improved health and well-being to clients through the application of manual techniques for manipulating skin, muscles, and connective tissues. Includes instruction in Western (Swedish) massage, sports massage, myotherapy/trigger point massage, myofascial release, deep tissue massage, cranio-sacral therapy, reflexology, massage safety and emergency management, client counseling, practice management, applicable regulations, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Massage Therapy Majors Are Earning

Those studying Massage Therapy can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	3,558
Associate’s Degree	390
Bachelor’s Degree	13
Master’s Degree	7,068

What Massage Therapy Majors Need to Know

Programs in Massage Therapy emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Massage Therapy graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Massage Therapy emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Massage Therapy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Massage Therapy careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Massage Therapy graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.9 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Massage Therapy professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Adobe Presenter	Computer based training software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Image scanning software	Optical character reader OCR or scanning software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Calendar and scheduling software	Calendar and scheduling software	—
Dental software	Medical software	—
Blackboard Learn	Computer based training software	—
Articulate Rapid E-Learning Studio	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Massage Therapy graduates include:

• Dietetics Teacher
• Dental Laboratory Technology Teacher
• Surgery Teacher
• Neurology Teacher
• Activity Therapy Teacher
• Veterinary Medicine Teacher
• Home Care and Home Health Aides Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Service Teacher
• Instructor
• Gastroenterology Teacher
• Dentistry Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Associate Professor
• Urology Teacher
• Respiratory Therapy Instructor

What Can You Do With a Massage Therapy Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Massage Therapy commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Massage Therapy graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	31.5%
Master’s degree	21.3%
Doctoral degree	14.7%
Post-doctoral training	11.3%
Bachelor’s degree	9.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.5%
Some college courses	3.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.6%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Massage Therapy?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 75% of Massage Therapy degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	8,274	75.0%
Men	2,755	25.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Massage Therapy graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	4,487	40.7%
Asian	478	4.3%
Hispanic or Latino	2,891	26.2%
Black or African American	1,890	17.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native	81	0.7%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	55	0.5%
Two or More Races	494	4.5%
Race Unknown	589	5.3%
International Students	64	0.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Massage Therapy Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Massage Therapy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$20,348
4 years	$22,219
5 years	$24,335

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $24,335 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Massage Therapy Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Massage Therapy graduates earn a median of $22,219 four years after completion — about 42% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services	11,197
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Asian Bodywork Therapy	140
Somatic Bodywork	28
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services, Other	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.