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Job outlook for massage therapists in the United States
Massage therapist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected massage therapist job growth rate is 20% from 2018-2028.
About 29,900 new jobs for massage therapists are projected over the next decade.
Massage therapist salaries have increased 9% for massage therapists in the last 5 years.
There are over 79,857 massage therapists currently employed in the United States.
There are 34,262 active massage therapist job openings in the US.
The average massage therapist salary is $53,935.
Are massage therapist jobs in demand?
Yes, massage therapist jobs are in demand. Massage therapist demand is projected to grow 20% from 2018 to 2028.
Massage therapist job and salary trends over time
Compare the number of massage therapist jobs and the average massage therapist salary over time.
Massage therapist jobs over time
Massage therapist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 79,857 | 0.02% |
| 2020 | 83,809 | 0.02% |
| 2019 | 105,687 | 0.03% |
| 2018 | 103,637 | 0.03% |
| 2017 | 101,804 | 0.03% |
Average massage therapist salary over time
Massage therapist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $53,935 | $25.93 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $52,946 | $25.45 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $51,215 | $24.62 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $49,447 | $23.77 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | $49,286 | $23.70 | +4.8% |
Massage therapist jobs by state
The map below shows you the number of massage therapist job openings in each state. The darker areas on the map show where massage therapists earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Average salary: Job openings:
Most common states for massage therapists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 193 | 26% |
| 2 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 428 | 22% |
| 3 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 528 | 18% |
| 4 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 529 | 17% |
| 5 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 179 | 17% |
| 6 | Delaware | 961,939 | 164 | 17% |
| 7 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,093 | 16% |
| 8 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 922 | 15% |
| 9 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 827 | 15% |
| 10 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 104 | 15% |
| 11 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,456 | 14% |
| 12 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 1,174 | 14% |
| 13 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 1,053 | 14% |
| 14 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 834 | 14% |
| 15 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 193 | 14% |
| 16 | Illinois | 12,802,023 | 1,671 | 13% |
| 17 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 1,139 | 13% |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,529 | 12% |
| 19 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 1,349 | 12% |
| 20 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 703 | 12% |
Most common cities for massage therapists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hallandale Beach | 27 | 68% | $45,750 |
| 2 | Boca Raton | 45 | 47% | $45,818 |
| 3 | Deerfield Beach | 37 | 46% | $45,816 |
| 4 | Newton | 29 | 33% | $62,464 |
| 5 | Fort Lauderdale | 58 | 32% | $45,786 |
| 6 | Chandler | 49 | 20% | $52,938 |
| 7 | Scottsdale | 28 | 11% | $52,962 |
| 8 | Atlanta | 41 | 9% | $48,312 |
| 9 | Boston | 51 | 8% | $62,443 |
| 10 | Miami | 36 | 8% | $45,717 |
| 11 | Phoenix | 66 | 4% | $53,009 |
| 12 | Fort Worth | 36 | 4% | $49,558 |
| 13 | Charlotte | 35 | 4% | $50,194 |
| 14 | Houston | 73 | 3% | $49,315 |
| 15 | San Diego | 38 | 3% | $54,109 |
| 16 | Dallas | 35 | 3% | $49,427 |
| 17 | Austin | 28 | 3% | $49,816 |
| 18 | New York | 95 | 1% | $61,541 |
| 19 | Chicago | 40 | 1% | $53,526 |