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Massage therapist vs clinical massage therapist

The differences between massage therapists and clinical massage therapists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a massage therapist has an average salary of $53,935, which is higher than the $49,219 average annual salary of a clinical massage therapist.

The top three skills for a massage therapist include customer service, cleanliness and strong customer service. The most important skills for a clinical massage therapist are front desk, patients, and client confidentiality.

Massage therapist vs clinical massage therapist overview

Massage TherapistClinical Massage Therapist
Yearly salary$53,935$49,219
Hourly rate$25.93$23.66
Growth rate20%20%
Number of jobs34,26279,875
Job satisfaction4.6-
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 26%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age4141
Years of experience--

Massage therapist vs clinical massage therapist salary

Massage therapists and clinical massage therapists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Massage TherapistClinical Massage Therapist
Average salary$53,935$49,219
Salary rangeBetween $31,000 And $92,000Between $27,000 And $87,000
Highest paying CityArlington, MABoston, MA
Highest paying stateAlaskaAlaska
Best paying companyHuntington HospitalBrigham and Women's Hospital
Best paying industryGovernmentProfessional

Differences between massage therapist and clinical massage therapist education

There are a few differences between a massage therapist and a clinical massage therapist in terms of educational background:

Massage TherapistClinical Massage Therapist
Most common degreeAssociate Degree, 26%Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common majorSomatic BodyworkSomatic Bodywork
Most common college--

Massage therapist vs clinical massage therapist demographics

Here are the differences between massage therapists' and clinical massage therapists' demographics:

Massage TherapistClinical Massage Therapist
Average age4141
Gender ratioMale, 23.6% Female, 76.4%Male, 27.8% Female, 72.2%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 6.1% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 11.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 11.1% White, 61.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage13%13%

Differences between massage therapist and clinical massage therapist duties and responsibilities

Massage therapist example responsibilities.

  • Manage employees and office, administer payroll.
  • Manage confidential client health information in accordance with the HIPPA act.
  • Perform massage therapy and Reiki on palliative care patients
  • Work in a professional center performing massage therapy, energy therapies, hot stone therapy, and reiki.
  • Provide therapeutic massage, reflexology and relate services to enhance customer health and wellness
  • Provide massage therapy in various therapeutic settings including several chiropractic offices, in-home appointment (s) and at charity/sponsore events.
  • Show more

Clinical massage therapist example responsibilities.

  • Manage confidential client health information in accordance with the HIPPA act.
  • Provide care to chiropractic patients with specific condition treatments.
  • Schedule appointments, maintain records and accounts, and answer telephone calls to refer inquiries to providers for patients.
  • Maintain professionalism and cleanliness of assign therapy room and maintain the confidentiality and sensitivity to relate issues during all client interactions.
  • Perform massage therapy and Reiki on palliative care patients

Massage therapist vs clinical massage therapist skills

Common massage therapist skills
  • Customer Service, 24%
  • Cleanliness, 14%
  • Strong Customer Service, 13%
  • Work Ethic, 7%
  • Wellness Benefits, 6%
  • Massage Therapy, 5%
Common clinical massage therapist skills
  • Front Desk, 23%
  • Patients, 19%
  • Client Confidentiality, 11%
  • Physical Therapy, 9%
  • Soft Tissue, 8%
  • Pain Relief, 3%

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