Massage therapist vs massage operator

The differences between massage therapists and massage operators 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 $48,667 average annual salary of a massage operator.

Massage therapist vs massage operator overview

	Massage Therapist	Massage Operator
Yearly salary	$53,935	$48,667
Hourly rate	$25.93	$23.40
Growth rate	20%	20%
Number of jobs	34,262	38,389
Job satisfaction	4.6	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 26%	High School Diploma, 33%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	-	-

Massage therapist vs massage operator salary

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

	Massage Therapist	Massage Operator
Average salary	$53,935	$48,667
Salary range	Between $31,000 And $92,000	Between $25,000 And $94,000
Highest paying City	Arlington, MA	-
Highest paying state	Alaska	-
Best paying company	Huntington Hospital	-
Best paying industry	Government	-

Differences between massage therapist and massage operator education

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

	Massage Therapist	Massage Operator
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 26%	High School Diploma, 33%
Most common major	Somatic Bodywork	Insurance
Most common college	-	-

Massage therapist vs massage operator demographics

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

	Massage Therapist	Massage Operator
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%	Male, 40.0% Female, 60.0%
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, 5.0% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 11.7% White, 67.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	13%	13%

Differences between massage therapist and massage operator 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.

Massage operator example responsibilities.

Manage confidential client health information in accordance with the HIPPA act.
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 massage operator skills

Common massage therapist skills

Customer Service, 24%
Cleanliness, 14%
Strong Customer Service, 13%
Work Ethic, 7%
Wellness Benefits, 6%
Massage Therapy, 5%

Common massage operator skills

Massage Therapist vs. similar jobs

Massage Therapist related careers

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Healthcare Support Industry
Massage Therapist
Massage Therapist vs Massage Operator

Updated January 8, 2025

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