What is a licensed massage practitioner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
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There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a licensed massage practitioner. For example, did you know that they make an average of $23.45 an hour? That's $48,781 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 20% and produce 29,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreLicensed Massage PractitionerUS Average
Salary
3.8

Avg. Salary $48,781

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
4.0

Growth Rate 20%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.4
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.29%

Asian 11.08%

Black or African American 6.54%

Hispanic or Latino 15.05%

Unknown 5.71%

White 61.32%

Gender

female 75.34%

male 24.66%

Age - 40
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40
Stress Level
4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
5.6

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
10.0

Work Life balance is excellent

6.4 - fair

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Licensed Massage Practitioner career paths

Key steps to become a licensed massage practitioner

  1. Explore licensed massage practitioner education requirements

    Most common licensed massage practitioner degrees

    Bachelor's

    35.2 %

    Certificate

    17.2 %

    Associate

    17.2 %
  2. Start to develop specific licensed massage practitioner skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Patients19.69%
    Spa Treatments10.54%
    Therapeutic Massage10.47%
    Soft Tissue6.20%
    Hot Stone Massage5.24%
  3. Complete relevant licensed massage practitioner training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New licensed massage practitioners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a licensed massage practitioner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real licensed massage practitioner resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed licensed massage practitioner usually doesn't require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed licensed massage practitioner in most of states. 37 states require licensed massage practitioners to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    State
    ascdesc
    Education
    ascdesc
    Exam
    ascdesc
    License Url
    ascdesc
    Alabama--Licensed Massage Therapist
    AlaskaSpecific course requiredThird-party exam requiredMassage Therapist
    ArkansasSpecific course requiredBoth state and third-party exams requiredMassage Therapist
    ColoradoSpecific course requiredThird-party exam requiredMassage Therapists
    ConnecticutSpecific course requiredThird-party exam requiredMassage Therapist
  5. Research licensed massage practitioner duties and responsibilities

    • Manage confidential client health information in accordance with the HIPPA act.
    • Certify in traditional royal Thai massage, aromatherapy, reflexology, body treatment, and Thai natural homeopathy
    • Treat physical, mental, emotional and spiritual problems using Reiki.
    • Provide clients with various massages, such as Swedish, deep tissue, and Reiki.
  6. Prepare your licensed massage practitioner resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your licensed massage practitioner resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a licensed massage practitioner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume templates

    Build a professional Licensed Massage Practitioner resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Licensed Massage Practitioner resume.
    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
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    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
    Licensed Massage Practitioner Resume
  7. Apply for licensed massage practitioner jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a licensed massage practitioner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Licensed Massage Practitioner Job

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Average licensed massage practitioner salary

The average Licensed Massage Practitioner salary in the United States is $48,781 per year or $23 per hour. Licensed massage practitioner salaries range between $27,000 and $87,000 per year.

Average Licensed Massage Practitioner Salary
$48,781 Yearly
$23.45 hourly

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How do licensed massage practitioners rate their job?

-/5

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Licensed Massage Practitioner reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2022
Pros

The satisfaction of knowing i help people to live a better quality of life through my craft.

Cons

I dont like working with team members who dont know anything about what a Massage Therapists job entails


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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2021
Pros

I love helping people who have issues with having pain. And getting great results! I love to relax them and get them back to balance with a quality of life.

Cons

Being underpaid.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2019
Pros

Helping clients get back to their feet feeling better.

Cons

Miss communication with clients.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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