Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$66,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$6,500
10.1% of base
Total target cash
$72,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$4,00050th$6,50075th$10,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
About this role
Massage Therapist is a professional role within the function in the Healthcare Support job family.
Typical entry preparation: Post-Secondary Certificate and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
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.
Top skills:SpeakingActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessService OrientationJudgment and Decision MakingWriting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Massage Therapist pay by experience level
Entry level$35,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$45,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$60,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$81,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$103,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+15.4%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
24,700
projected openings per year
Growing faster than average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Massage Therapist salary by industry
Personal and Laundry Services
50,480 workers
$62,000
Personal Care Services
49,750 workers
$62,500
Ambulatory Health Care Services
32,460 workers
$73,000
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
30,840 workers
$73,500
Accommodation
9,400 workers
$61,500
Traveler Accommodation
9,390 workers
$61,500
Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries
3,460 workers
$68,500
Other Amusement and Recreation Industries
3,420 workers
$69,000
Offices of Physicians
760 workers
$58,000
Hospitals
720 workers
$74,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
How this role compares
Massage Therapist pays 32% above the average across 19 roles in the Healthcare Support job family (family average $50,000).
Need Massage Therapist pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
