Massage therapist demographics and statistics in the US
Massage therapist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates massage therapist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our massage therapist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about massage therapists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 79,857 massage therapists currently employed in the United States.
- 76.4% of all massage therapists are women, while 23.6% are men.
- The average massage therapist age is 40 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of massage therapists is White (60.5%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (17.0%), Asian (11.0%) and Black or African American (6.1%).
- In 2022, women earned 90% of what men earned.
- 13% of all massage therapists are LGBT.
- Massage therapists are 80% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Massage therapist demographics by:
Massage therapist gender statistics
76.4% of massage therapists are women and 23.6% of massage therapists are men.
- Female, 76.4%
- Male, 23.6%
Massage therapist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 76.4% |
| Male | 23.6% |
Massage therapist gender pay gap
Women earn 90¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$55,518
Female income
$50,193
Massage therapist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in massage therapist positions over time. Currently, 76.4% of massage therapists are female.
Massage therapist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 21.03% | 78.97% |
| 2011 | 18.28% | 81.72% |
| 2012 | 17.01% | 82.99% |
| 2013 | 20.98% | 79.02% |
| 2014 | 22.73% | 77.27% |
| 2015 | 20.49% | 79.51% |
| 2016 | 20.53% | 79.47% |
| 2017 | 19.11% | 80.89% |
| 2018 | 20.55% | 79.45% |
| 2019 | 20.01% | 79.99% |
| 2020 | 24.49% | 75.51% |
| 2021 | 23.60% | 76.40% |
Massage therapist related jobs gender ratio
We compared massage therapists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, delivery technician and donations attendant have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Pathology Transcriptionist | 3% | 97% |
| Radiology Transcriptionist | 5% | 95% |
| Certified Registered Dental Assistant | 5% | 95% |
| Massage Therapist | 24% | 76% |
| Dental Officer | 79% | 21% |
| Donations Attendant | 81% | 19% |
| Delivery Technician | 88% | 12% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Massage therapist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among massage therapists is White, which makes up 60.5% of all massage therapists. Comparatively, 17.0% of massage therapists are Hispanic or Latino and 11.0% of massage therapists are Asian.
- White, 60.5%
- Hispanic or Latino, 17.0%
- Asian, 11.0%
- Black or African American, 6.1%
- Unknown, 5.2%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Massage therapist race
| Massage therapist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 60.5% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 17.0% |
| Asian | 11.0% |
| Black or African American | 6.1% |
| Unknown | 5.2% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Massage therapist race and ethnicity over time
See how massage therapist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Massage therapist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 73.74% | 3.95% | 5.71% | 13.98% |
| 2011 | 71.42% | 5.19% | 5.54% | 15.06% |
| 2012 | 70.10% | 5.43% | 5.76% | 15.87% |
| 2013 | 70.54% | 5.44% | 5.85% | 15.08% |
| 2014 | 68.14% | 5.21% | 7.17% | 15.95% |
| 2015 | 68.19% | 5.85% | 7.47% | 15.45% |
| 2016 | 66.08% | 6.36% | 7.54% | 16.39% |
| 2017 | 64.40% | 6.01% | 9.62% | 16.20% |
| 2018 | 67.91% | 4.89% | 9.14% | 15.67% |
| 2019 | 65.62% | 5.75% | 9.33% | 16.26% |
| 2020 | 61.68% | 5.41% | 9.74% | 17.45% |
| 2021 | 60.50% | 6.06% | 11.00% | 17.00% |
Massage therapist wage gap by race
According to our data, white massage therapists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Asian massage therapists have the lowest average salary at $49,986.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $58,506 |
| White | $59,196 |
| Black or African American | $54,257 |
| Asian | $49,986 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $56,154 |
Average massage therapist age
See how the average age of massage therapists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Massage therapist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 39.5 | |
| White | 42 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 34 | 39 |
| Asian | 44 | 43 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 43 | 33 |
Massage therapist age breakdown
The average age of massage therapists is 40+ years years old, representing 51% of the massage therapist population.
Massage therapist age breakdown
| Massage Therapist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 51% |
| 30-40 years | 33% |
| 20-30 years | 16% |
Massage therapist educational attainment
The most common degree for massage therapists is associate degree, with 26% of massage therapists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 25% and bachelor's degree degree at 15%.
- Associate, 26%
- Bachelor's, 25%
- Diploma, 15%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 28%
Massage therapists by degree level
| Massage therapist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Associate | 26% |
| Bachelor's | 25% |
| Diploma | 15% |
| High School Diploma | 6% |
| Other Degrees | 28% |
Massage therapist jobs you might like
Massage therapist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, massage therapists with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $59,582 annually. With a High School Diploma degree, massage therapists earn a median annual income of $55,960 compared to $55,915 for massage therapists with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $55,960 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,582 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $55,915 |
Massage therapist employment statistics
Most massage therapists work for a private in the health care industry.
Company size where massage therapists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where massage therapists work.
Massage therapist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 12% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 33% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 20% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 11% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 14% |
| > 10,000 employees | 10% |
Massage therapist jobs by company type
Employees with the massage therapist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most massage therapists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Massage therapist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 8% |
| Public | 11% |
| Private | 80% |
| Government | 1% |
Massage therapist jobs by industry
The most common industries for massage therapists are health care, hospitality and manufacturing.
Massage therapist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Health Care | 29% |
| Hospitality | 16% |
| Manufacturing | 7% |
| Education | 7% |
| Start-up | 6% |
| Professional | 5% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Internet | 4% |
| Non Profits | 4% |
| Media | 3% |
| Fortune 500 | 3% |
| Pharmaceutical | 2% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Real Estate | 2% |
| Technology | 2% |
| Government | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
Massage therapist turnover and employment statistics
Massage therapist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for massage therapists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Massage therapist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Massage therapist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.08% |
| 2011 | 5.45% |
| 2012 | 3.57% |
| 2013 | 3.37% |
| 2014 | 3.63% |
| 2015 | 2.67% |
| 2016 | 2.58% |
| 2017 | 2.45% |
| 2018 | 1.95% |
| 2019 | 1.95% |
| 2020 | 8.03% |
| 2021 | 8.21% |
Average massage therapist tenure
The average massage therapist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 50,817 massage therapists resumes in Zippia's database.
Massage therapist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 23% |
| 1-2 years | 30% |
| 3-4 years | 13% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 12% |
Massage therapist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of massage therapists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Orthodontic Assistant | 4.40% | 55,933 |
| Medical Specialist | 5.81% | 68,607 |
| Mobile Phlebotomist | 7.76% | 13,734 |
| Pathology Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 774 |
| Ancillary | 9.41% | 3,569 |
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | 9.55% | 45,979 |
| Massage Therapist | 13.02% | - |
Similar massage therapist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Orthodontic Assistant | 4.40% | 55,933 |
| Medical Specialist | 5.81% | 68,607 |
| Mobile Phlebotomist | 7.76% | 13,734 |
| Pathology Transcriptionist | 8.65% | 774 |
| Ancillary | 9.41% | 3,569 |
| Laboratory Animal Caretaker | 9.55% | 45,979 |
Foreign languages spoken by massage therapists
The most common foreign language among massage therapists is Swedish at 59.7%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Spanish at 19.1% and Thai is the third-most popular at 8.9%.
- Swedish, 59.7%
- Spanish, 19.1%
- Thai, 8.9%
- Russian, 2.2%
- Chinese, 2.0%
- Other, 8.1%
Massage therapist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Swedish | 59.7% |
| Spanish | 19.1% |
| Thai | 8.9% |
| Russian | 2.2% |
| Chinese | 2.0% |
| Other | 8.1% |
