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Massage therapy instructor education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a massage therapy instructor. Massage therapy instructors usually study somatic bodywork, business, or psychology. 34% of massage therapy instructors hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,215 real massage therapy instructor resumes to see exactly what massage therapy instructor education sections show.
The most common colleges for massage therapy instructors are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online massage therapy instructor courses to help get the education required to be a massage therapy instructor.
There are certain massage therapy instructor certifications that you should consider. These massage therapy instructor certifications include Massage Therapy Certification (MT) and Board Certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB).
What education do you need to become a massage therapy instructor?
What degree do you need to be a massage therapy instructor?
- Bachelor's, 34%
- Associate, 22%
- Diploma, 16%
- Master's, 8%
- Other Degrees, 20%
What should I major in to become a massage therapy instructor?
- Somatic Bodywork, 27%
- Business, 10%
- Psychology, 6%
- Kinesiology, 6%
- Other Majors, 51%
Most common colleges for massage therapy instructors
| Massage therapy instructor common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 15.49% |
| Bryan College | 8.45% |
| Bryant University | 5.63% |
| Florida State College at Jacksonville | 5.63% |
| Troy University | 5.63% |
Best majors for massage therapy instructors
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Somatic Bodywork | 26.7% |
| 2 | Business | 9.6% |
| 3 | Psychology | 6.4% |
| 4 | Kinesiology | 6.2% |
| 5 | Medical Technician | 6.0% |
Best colleges for massage therapy instructors
The best colleges for massage therapy instructors are University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, and New York University.
A massage therapy instructor with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for massage therapy instructors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become massage therapy instructors.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Baker College
Owosso, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$9,800
Enrollment
8,319
3. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
4. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
In-state tuition
$17,653
Enrollment
16,405
5. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
6. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$9,816
Enrollment
21,047
7. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$56,225
Enrollment
19,548
8. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Enrollment
34,564
9. University of California, Irvine
Irvine, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$13,700
Enrollment
29,722
10. Texas A&M University
College Station, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$11,870
Enrollment
53,194
20 best online courses for massage therapy instructors
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Top 10 most affordable universities for massage therapy instructors
The most affordable schools for massage therapy instructors are University of Florida, california state university - los angeles, and brigham young university.
If the best universities for massage therapy instructors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for massage therapy instructors.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
3. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
4. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez
Mayaguez, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
14,302
5. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
6. Minot State University
Minot, ND • Private
In-state tuition
$7,064
Cost of attendance
15,576
7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York
Brooklyn, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,240
Cost of attendance
13,991
8. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
9. California State University - Bakersfield
Bakersfield, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,309
Cost of attendance
16,714
10. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for massage therapy instructors
The hardest universities for massage therapy instructors to get into are University of Pennsylvania, University of Virginia, and New York University.
Some great schools for massage therapy instructors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for massage therapy instructors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
2. University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA • Private
Admissions rate
26%
SAT average
1,427
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,434
6. University of Tulsa
Tulsa, OK • Private
Admissions rate
41%
SAT average
1,321
7. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
8. University of Miami
Coral Gables, FL • Private
Admissions rate
32%
SAT average
1,365
9. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for massage therapy instructors
The easiest schools for massage therapy instructors to get into are Gwynedd Mercy University, holy names university, and wayland baptist university.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a massage therapy instructor without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for massage therapy instructors.
1. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
2. Holy Names University
Oakland, CA • Private
Admissions rate
70%
SAT average
849
3. Wayland Baptist University
Plainview, TX • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
1,003
4. Nyack College
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
98%
SAT average
999
5. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
6. Thomas More University
Crestview Hills, KY • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,099
7. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
8. Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, OK • Private
Admissions rate
68%
SAT average
964
9. Grand View University
Des Moines, IA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,060
10. La Roche College
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
99%
SAT average
1,008
Average massage therapy instructor salary by education level
| Massage therapy instructor education level | Massage therapy instructor salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $50,683 |
| Doctorate Degree | $62,364 |
Massage therapy instructor education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025