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The differences between massage therapists and estheticians 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 $41,419 average annual salary of an esthetician.
The top three skills for a massage therapist include customer service, cleanliness and strong customer service. The most important skills for an esthetician are customer service, excellent guest, and cleanliness.
| Massage Therapist | Esthetician | |
| Yearly salary | $53,935 | $41,419 |
| Hourly rate | $25.93 | $19.91 |
| Growth rate | 20% | 17% |
| Number of jobs | 34,262 | 3,747 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.6 | 4 |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 26% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Average age | 41 | 35 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Massage Therapists are professionals who practice in treating chronic pains like back pain, neck pain or headaches, and physical stress. Their main focus is on the general wellness of their patients. They help rehabilitate injuries by administering therapy treatments to patients with the power of touch using hands, fingers, forearms, elbows, and sometimes even feet. They often use aiding products like scented oils, lotions, and also offer information about additional relaxation techniques or exercises to practice such as stretching, postural improvement, strengthening, and other rehabilitative exercises. They work either in private, and public settings, and some are required to travel to clients' homes or offices to provide service.
An esthetician is responsible for providing skincare solutions such as facial treatments, hair removal procedures, and makeup services. Estheticians must be highly-knowledgeable on various skin conditions to perform effective treatments and recommend maintenance skincare routines. An esthetician should also be strict on following hygienic procedures, ensuring sterilization of all the tools and equipment used for the procedures. They also respond to customer's inquiries and concerns regarding skincare health and sell products depending on the customers' needs.
Massage therapists and estheticians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Massage Therapist | Esthetician | |
| Average salary | $53,935 | $41,419 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $92,000 | Between $28,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | Arlington, MA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | Washington |
| Best paying company | Huntington Hospital | Lancaster General Health |
| Best paying industry | Government | Technology |
There are a few differences between a massage therapist and an esthetician in terms of educational background:
| Massage Therapist | Esthetician | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 26% | Bachelor's Degree, 31% |
| Most common major | Somatic Bodywork | Cosmetology |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between massage therapists' and estheticians' demographics:
| Massage Therapist | Esthetician | |
| Average age | 41 | 35 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4% | Male, 6.1% Female, 93.9% |
| Race ratio | Black 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, 5.1% Unknown, 6.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 8.7% White, 63.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 13% | 9% |