Massage therapists

Detailed Occupation

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2021 Workforce

134k

Average Age

Estimated Job Growth

20.6%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$28,262

Average Male Salary

$32,073

Average Female Salary

$27,212

About

Massage therapists are most often employed by the Nail salons & other personal care services industry. The average yearly wage for Massage therapists was $28,262 in 2021.

The locations that employ the most Massage therapists are Eagle, Summit, Grand & Jackson Counties PUMA, CO, Mukilteo & Everett (Southwest) Cities PUMA, WA, and Monterey Park & Rosemead Cities PUMA, CA. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Massage therapists are Eagle, Summit, Grand & Jackson Counties PUMA, CO, Monterey Park & Rosemead Cities PUMA, CA, and Mukilteo & Everett (Southwest) Cities PUMA, WA.

Photo by Ahmed Rabea

Healthcare Support Occupations Service Occupations

Employment and salary information for the Massage therapists workforce. Massage therapists workforce in 2021 was 133,511 people, of which 78.4% were women and 21.6% were men. Massage therapists are paid most in Dubuque City PUMA, IA but are relatively concentrated in Eagle, Summit, Grand & Jackson Counties PUMA, CO.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

28,837

Male Workforce

± 4.17k

104,674

Female Workforce

± 7.94k

The Massage therapists workforce in 2021 was 133,511 people (78.4% women and 21.6% men). This implies an average annual growth of 23.2% between 2014 (108,372) and 2021 (133,511).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Massage therapists.

During 2021, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were Iowa ($47,026), Nevada ($43,822), and North Dakota ($36,537).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$28,262

AVERAGE WAGE

#472 in the ranking (2021)

$59,596

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2021, Massage therapists earned an average of $28,262, $31,333 less than the average national salary of $59,596

The graph shows the ranking of Massage therapists in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2021.

Wage Distribution

Gender

0.376

WAGE GINI

In 2021, Massage therapists had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.376, which is lower than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Massage therapists (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Massage therapists compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Massage therapists and on wages for those in the field. Nail salons & other personal care services is the industry that employs the most Massage therapists, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Massage therapists, by average wage, is Traveler accommodation ($41,417).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

134k

2021 Workforce

± 8,967

−2.31%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 9.67%

This graphic shows the share of Massage therapists employed by various industries. Nail salons & other personal care services employs the largest share of Massage therapists at 74.9%, followed by Amusement & Recreation with 17.1% and Offices of chiropractors with 7.94%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Massage therapists in the US. The workforce of Massage therapists in 2021 was 133,511 people, with 78.4% woman, and 21.6% men. The average age of male Massage therapists in the workforce is 42.3 and of female Massage therapists is 41.9, and the most common race/ethnicity for Massage therapists is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Massage therapists in 2021 was 133,511 people, with 78.4% woman, and 21.6% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 25 to 29 years (18,488 people), 30 to 34 years (18,444 people), and 35 to 39 years (17,593 people). Among them they concentrated 40.9% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2021, 14% of Massage therapists workers were Hispanic and 86% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (70.6%), Puerto Rican (14.7)%, and Cuban (14.7)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2021, 70.2% of the Massage therapists workforce were White, of which 80.2% were women and 19.8% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Asian (10.8%) and Black (7.95%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Massage therapists from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Massage therapists is Business but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2021 were Visual & Performing Arts.

Among the necessary skills for Massage therapists, Speaking stands, but the revealed comparative advantage (RCA) shows that Massage therapists need more than the average amount of Service Orientation.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Massage therapists in 2021 (counting all academic degrees) were Business (4,096 people), Visual & Performing Arts (3,672 people), and Health (3,255 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Massage therapists workers were Some college (43,367 people), High School or Equivalent (28,726 people), and Associates Degree (24,805 people).

The graphic shows the Massage therapists workforce by gender and educational level.

Skills

Chart

Value

Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for Massage therapists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Massage therapists need many skills, but most especially Speaking, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness.

Projections

Projections on job growth for Massage Therapists from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Massage Therapists are expected to see a growth of 20.6% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow more than the national average.

Job Growth

20.6%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Massage therapists. This profession is expected to grow more than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.