Massage Therapists Career, Salary and Skills
Massage Therapists have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $58,450 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 98,790. Wage data is published for 290 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
31-9011.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Not recorded
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$58,450
Hourly median
$28.10
Employment
98,790
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.62 | 3.12 |
| Speaking | 3.50 | 3.38 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.00 | 2.88 |
| Monitoring | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Active Learning | 2.75 | 2.88 |
Typical tasks
- Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
- Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
- 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.
Technology
- AppointmentQuest Online Appointment Manager
- ICS Software SammyUSA
- Land Software Customer Pro-File
- Massage Suite
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Scheduling software
- WinCity Custom Software WinCity Massage SOAP Notes
Massage Therapists salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Massage Therapists Salary in CAMedian $45,970 · Employment 14,600
- Massage Therapists Salary in FLMedian $49,680 · Employment 9,280
- Massage Therapists Salary in TXMedian $59,370 · Employment 8,630
- Massage Therapists Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $43,530 · Employment 5,680
- Massage Therapists Salary in New York, NYMedian $50,600 · Employment 5,420
- Massage Therapists Salary in ILMedian $60,490 · Employment 4,950
- Massage Therapists Salary in NYMedian $62,630 · Employment 4,500
- Massage Therapists Salary in COMedian $61,060 · Employment 3,950
- Massage Therapists Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $61,200 · Employment 3,890
- Massage Therapists Salary in WAMedian $87,360 · Employment 3,740
- Massage Therapists Salary in PAMedian $58,300 · Employment 2,990
- Massage Therapists Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $59,010 · Employment 2,930
Related careers
- DermatologistsNational median $328,730
- Naturopathic PhysiciansNational median $115,210
- Nurse PractitionersNational median $132,300
- Pediatric SurgeonsNational median $559,030
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation PhysiciansNational median $265,930
- Occupational TherapistsNational median $100,330
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except PediatricNational median $358,550
- ChiropractorsNational median $79,200
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.