Best degree programs for Massage Therapists, ranked by enrollment
4 college programs and 358 schools train Massage Therapists. Compare graduates per year, cost and pay, $58,450 median wage, 98,790 U.S. jobs. Federal data.
4 college programs at 358 schools train massage therapists, graduating 10,830 people a year (IPEDS completions). The largest is Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage. The job pays a median of $58,450 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About massage therapists
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.
Fields of study that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level, the tier our program pages are built on. Numbers are graduates per year.
4 degree programs that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are College Scorecard figures for people who finished the program, reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. That is a different measurement from the occupation-wide wages further down this page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massagemain feeder CIP 51.3501 | 10,675 | 98.6% | 352 | $20,079 | $8,792 |
| 2 | Asian Bodywork Therapymain feeder CIP 51.3502 | 108 | 1.0% | 4 | $20,079 | $8,792 |
| 3 | Somatic Bodyworkmain feeder CIP 51.3503 | 42 | 0.4% | 4 | $20,079 | $8,792 |
| 4 | CIP 51.3599 | 5 | 0.0% | 1 | $20,079 | $8,792 |
Top 50 schools by graduates into this job
Counting every feeder program a school offers, not just its largest one.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National Holistic Institute Emeryville, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 1,113 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 80% | $31,040 | — |
| 2 | NUC University Bayamon, PR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 472 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 54% | $9,377 | — |
| 3 | Praxis Institute Miami, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 405 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 78% | $9,092 | — |
| 4 | Dayton School of Medical Massage Dayton, OH Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 336 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 73% | $31,074 | — |
| 5 | Northwest Career College Las Vegas, NV Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 198 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 68% | $15,787 | — |
| 6 | Healing Mountain Massage School Salt Lake City, UT Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 185 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 92% | $23,966 | — |
| 7 | Soma Institute - The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy Chicago, IL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 171 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | — | — |
| 8 | East West College of the Healing Arts Portland, OR Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 159 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | — | — |
| 9 | Northern Virginia School of Therapeutic Massage Falls Church, VA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 133 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | — | — |
| 10 | Arizona School of Integrative Studies Mesa, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 115 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 83% | $16,834 | — |
| 11 | Healing Hands School of Holistic Health Escondido, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 114 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 58% | $55,936 | — |
| 12 | Swedish Institute a College of Health Sciences New York, NY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 113 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 57% | $32,384 | — |
| 13 | Irene's Myomassology Institute Southfield, MI Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 109 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 22% | $30,843 | — |
| 14 | Lee Professional Institute Fort Myers, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 109 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 77% | $16,308 | — |
| 15 | Florida Professional Institute Miami, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 93 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 100% | $31,630 | — |
| 16 | San Francisco School of Massage & Bodywork San Francisco, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 84 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | $22,464 | — |
| 17 | European Massage Therapy School - Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 78 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | — | — |
| 18 | WellSpring School of Allied Health - Kansas City Kansas City, MO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 77 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 67% | $13,425 | — |
| 19 | Southern California Health Institute North Hollywood, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 75 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 87% | $26,692 | — |
| 20 | CalCopa Massage School Huntington Beach, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | $37,598 | — |
| 21 | Downey Adult School Downey, CA Public · 1 feeder programs | 71 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 31% | — | — |
| 22 | GateWay Community College - Central City Phoenix, AZ Public · 1 feeder programs | 70 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 55% | — | — |
| 23 | Lexington Healing Arts Academy Lexington, KY Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 70 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | — | — |
| 24 | International School of Skin Nailcare & Massage Therapy Sandy Springs, GA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 69 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 100% | $36,205 | — |
| 25 | Cortiva Institute - Arlington Arlington, TX Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 82% | $34,684 | — |
| 26 | Gwinnett College Raleigh, NC Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 63% | $31,703 | — |
| 27 | Intellitec College - Grand Junction Grand Junction, CO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 63% | $17,515 | — |
| 28 | Southwest Institute of Healing Arts Tempe, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 67 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 67% | $58,427 | — |
| 29 | Pacific College of Health and Science San Diego, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 66 | Asian Bodywork Therapy | 77% | $40,515 | — |
| 30 | American Institute - Clifton CLIFTON, NJ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 65 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 57% | $19,722 | — |
| 31 | Florida School of Massage Gainesville, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 63 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 45% | $13,166 | — |
| 32 | American Institute of Massage Therapy Santa Ana, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 61 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 98% | $15,087 | — |
| 33 | Estelle Medical Academy Skokie, IL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 60 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 86% | $9,765 | — |
| 34 | ICOHS College San Diego, CA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 59 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 80% | $58,478 | — |
| 35 | Columbia College Vienna, VA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 80% | $10,583 | — |
| 36 | Cortiva Institute Cromwell, CT Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 85% | $34,368 | — |
| 37 | Jupiter Beauty Academy Boston, MA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 57 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 84% | $11,861 | — |
| 38 | Northwestern Health Sciences University Bloomington, MN Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 57 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 0% | $29,794 | — |
| 39 | Center for Massage Asheville, NC Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 90% | $17,461 | — |
| 40 | Indiana Wellness College Carmel, IN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | — | — | 80% |
| 41 | Sarasota School of Massage Therapy Sarasota, FL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 56 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 76% | $19,825 | — |
| 42 | Carrington College - Boise Boise, ID Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 62% | — | — |
| 43 | Elaine Sterling Institute Atlanta, GA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 55 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 67% | $24,973 | — |
| 44 | Zion Massage College St. George, UT Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 54 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 91% | $19,942 | — |
| 45 | Arizona College - Glendale Glendale, AZ Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 53 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 85% | $28,686 | — |
| 46 | Colorado School of Healing Arts Lakewood, CO Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 53 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 100% | — | — |
| 47 | California Healing Arts College Carson, CA Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 70% | $21,375 | — |
| 48 | Midwest Technical Institute - Illinois Springfield, IL Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 51 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 69% | $28,377 | — |
| 49 | Parker University Dallas, TX Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 50 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 74% | $27,144 | — |
| 50 | Mind Body Institute Madison, TN Private for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 49 | Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage | 75% | $24,387 | — |
What massage therapists earn
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
Top-paying states
Top-paying metro areas
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Where the jobs are, state by state
Pick a state for in-state pay, the schools there, and the programs they run.
| State | Median pay | Jobs | Concentration | Schools | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $45,970 | 14,600 | 1.26× | 23 | 1,955 |
| Florida | $49,680 | 9,280 | 1.47× | 53 | 1,504 |
| Ohio | $55,990 | 1,760 | 0.50× | 11 | 550 |
| Illinois | $60,490 | 4,950 | 1.28× | 15 | 424 |
| Arizona | $62,400 | 2,530 | 1.23× | 11 | 399 |
| Virginia | $62,220 | 2,730 | 1.04× | 9 | 318 |
| Texas | $59,370 | 8,630 | 0.97× | 13 | 309 |
| Georgia | $50,820 | 1,700 | 0.55× | 9 | 307 |
| Nevadamoderate | $53,540 | 1,620 | 1.64× | 4 | 298 |
| New York | $62,630 | 4,500 | 0.73× | 12 | 277 |
| Michigan | $70,960 | 2,410 | 0.86× | 12 | 265 |
| Utahmoderate | $62,130 | 1,840 | 1.66× | 4 | 258 |
| Colorado | $61,060 | 3,950 | 2.16× | 8 | 231 |
| Oregonmoderate | $86,970 | 2,250 | 1.80× | 4 | 228 |
| North Carolina | $60,650 | 2,460 | 0.78× | 10 | 215 |
| Minnesota | $63,070 | 1,690 | 0.90× | 8 | 183 |
| New Jersey | $50,150 | 2,890 | 1.06× | 7 | 174 |
| Tennessee | $50,070 | 1,230 | 0.59× | 8 | 163 |
| Missouri | $62,050 | 1,500 | 0.80× | 6 | 160 |
| Louisiana | $36,480 | 890 | 0.72× | 12 | 154 |
| Massachusetts | $63,390 | 2,830 | 1.23× | 5 | 154 |
| Iowa | $57,710 | 540 | 0.55× | 11 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,300 | 2,990 | 0.78× | 9 | 148 |
| Wisconsin | $58,070 | 1,520 | 0.82× | 9 | 135 |
| Indianamoderate | $55,590 | 1,480 | 0.73× | 3 | 113 |
| Idahomoderate | $60,420 | 170 | 0.31× | 3 | 111 |
| Washington | $87,360 | 3,740 | 1.66× | 5 | 107 |
| Kentucky | $59,790 | 780 | 0.61× | 5 | 104 |
| Connecticutmoderate | $62,260 | 700 | 0.65× | 3 | 97 |
| South Carolina | $58,000 | 1,840 | 1.25× | 8 | 97 |
| Maryland | $62,270 | 1,350 | 0.77× | 5 | 91 |
| Oklahomalimited | $36,630 | 520 | 0.48× | 2 | 69 |
| New Mexicomoderate | $37,840 | 360 | 0.66× | 3 | 65 |
| Mississippi | $40,490 | 230 | 0.32× | 5 | 53 |
| Kansaslimited | $49,990 | 780 | 0.85× | 2 | 48 |
| West Virginia | $46,600 | 250 | 0.57× | 6 | 47 |
| Mainelimited | $73,290 | 370 | 0.91× | 1 | 33 |
| Alabamamoderate | $48,930 | 600 | 0.45× | 3 | 28 |
| Alaskalimited | $134,930 | 570 | 2.78× | 1 | 27 |
| Delawarelimited | $58,870 | 230 | 0.75× | 1 | 26 |
| Nebraskalimited | $53,950 | 270 | 0.42× | 2 | 26 |
| North Dakotalimited | $74,140 | 100 | 0.37× | 2 | 21 |
| New Hampshiremoderate | $80,360 | 270 | 0.62× | 3 | 18 |
| South Dakotamoderate | $52,000 | 180 | 0.63× | 3 | 14 |
| Hawaiilimited | $81,280 | 1,330 | 3.34× | 1 | 9 |
| Montanalimited | $53,540 | 200 | 0.60× | 1 | 5 |
| Wyominglimited | $61,980 | 150 | 0.86× | 1 | 5 |
| Arkansaslimited | $39,990 | 430 | 0.52× | 1 | 3 |
| Rhode Islandlimited | $74,960 | 290 | 0.92× | 1 | 3 |
Skills and tools
From O*NET, the U.S. Department of Labor's occupational database. Importance is a 1 to 5 scale.
What they do day to 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.
- Maintain treatment records.
- Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.
- Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.
Skills
- Active Listening3.6
- Speaking3.6
- Writing3.0
- Critical Thinking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Active Learning3.0
- Learning Strategies2.8
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.6
- Biology3.3
- English Language3.3
- Psychology3.3
- Medicine and Dentistry3.1
- Public Safety and Security3.0
Abilities
- Trunk Strength3.8
- Dynamic Strength3.8
- Oral Comprehension3.6
- Oral Expression3.6
- Manual Dexterity3.5
- Multilimb Coordination3.4
Core activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others4.6
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.5
- Performing General Physical Activities4.2
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships4.2
- Getting Information4.2
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.9
Tools and technology
hotmarks an O*NET hot technologyHow to get in
How to become a Massage Therapist
Job zone 3 of 5 · SVP 6.0 to < 7.0- Typical entry education
- Postsecondary nondegree award
Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 4 majors mapped to Massage Therapists4 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 51.3501Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage
- 51.3502Asian Bodywork Therapy
- 51.3503Somatic Bodywork
- 51.3599Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services, Other
Related careers
Jobs O*NET identifies as close to this one, with their own pay and outlook.
Common questions
What degree do you need to become a Massage Therapist?+
Postsecondary nondegree award is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage, which awarded 10,675 degrees in 2024-25, 98.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Massage Therapist?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 4 programs to this occupation. The largest are Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services. Together they graduate about 10,830 people a year.
How much do massage therapists earn?+
The median is $58,450 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). The middle range runs from $33,640 at the 10th percentile to $100,200 at the 90th. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for massage therapists growing?+
BLS projects a +15.4% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, much faster than average, with roughly 24,700 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career?+
358 institutions reported graduates from at least one of the 4 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do massage therapists work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Massage Therapist, Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP) among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 31-9011.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024-25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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