Massage therapy produces measurable reductions in pain. Meta analyses report standardized mean differences of 0.71 for neck pain and 0.64 for low back pain. U.S. employment reached 634900 therapists with a 90th percentile wage of 82340.
Key Takeaways
- 5.8% CAGR for the global massage therapy market forecast through 2030—expected annualized growth rate
- O*NET reports 2023 employment of 634,900 massage therapists in the U.S.—number of workers in the occupation
- $82,340 90th percentile annual wage for massage therapists in 2023—upper-end earnings level
- BLS OOH: Many massage therapists are self-employed; BLS reports a substantial share—BLS narrative employment structure
- 2.5x higher odds of back pain improvement when using massage therapy as part of a multimodal program—effect size from a systematic review (2017)
- Massage therapy reduced neck pain by a standardized mean difference of -0.71 in a 2020 meta-analysis—average effect across studies
- Massage therapy reduced low back pain by a standardized mean difference of -0.64 in a 2021 systematic review—average effect across trials
- 6.0% of U.S. adults reported using massage therapy in 2012—prevalence from NHIS-based analysis (JAMA)
- Massage therapy was among the most commonly used mind-body practices with 3.0% of adults reporting use in 2017—NHIS-based CAM utilization estimate (JAMA Network)
- 34% of U.S. adults reported receiving massage or bodywork at least once in their lifetime in a 2019 consumer survey—lifetime use rate
- 67% of massage consumers in a 2022 industry survey reported paying out of pocket—payment method distribution (industry survey)
- $82 average massage therapy price per session in the U.S. (2023 survey)—average consumer price paid per appointment
- $85 average hourly price for a massage therapist in the U.S. (2024 market pricing analysis)—average compensation/consumer rate estimate
- The FSMTB states that the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) is used by member boards—standardized exam availability
- In 2023, 7% of massage therapists were in retail trade (industry distribution for the occupation).
Massage therapy demand is growing, with evidence supporting meaningful relief for pain, stress, and overall well being.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size1 stats
01
5.8% CAGR for the global massage therapy market forecast through 2030—expected annualized growth rate
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The global massage therapy market is projected to grow at a steady 5.8% CAGR through 2030, signaling sustained expansion and confirming its market size momentum over the forecast period.
02 · Category
Workforce & Employment2 stats
01
O*NET reports 2023 employment of 634,900 massage therapists in the U.S.—number of workers in the occupation
02
$82,34090th percentile annual wage for massage therapists in 2023—upper-end earnings level
Interpretation
Workforce & Employment Interpretation
In the Workforce and Employment landscape, O*NET shows the U.S. employs 634,900 massage therapists in 2023, and with a 90th percentile annual wage of $82,340 they can reach strong upper-end earnings.
03 · Category
Industry Trends & Operations1 stats
01
BLS OOH: Many massage therapists are self-employed; BLS reports a substantial share—BLS narrative employment structure
Interpretation
Industry Trends & Operations Interpretation
With the BLS noting a substantial share of massage therapists are self-employed, the industry’s operations are shaped by many practitioners running their own businesses rather than working solely through larger employer structures.
04 · Category
Clinical Evidence9 stats
01
2.5x higher odds of back pain improvement when using massage therapy as part of a multimodal program—effect size from a systematic review (2017)
02
Massage therapy reduced neck pain by a standardized mean difference of -0.71 in a 2020 meta-analysis—average effect across studies
03
Massage therapy reduced low back pain by a standardized mean difference of -0.64 in a 2021 systematic review—average effect across trials
04
Massage therapy improved depression scores by a standardized mean difference of -0.36 in a meta-analysis (2019)—average symptom reduction
05
In a 2021 randomized trial, massage therapy plus standard care improved pain scores (VAS) versus standard care alone—clinical outcome difference reported in the study
06
A 2019 systematic review found massage therapy had a moderate effect on sleep quality (standardized mean difference reported)—summary estimate across included studies
07
Massage therapy showed a small-to-moderate benefit for cancer-related fatigue in a systematic review (2018)—summary effect across studies
08
Massage therapy lowered systolic blood pressure by about 2–5 mmHg in a systematic review (2018)—pooled effect reported
09
Massage therapy reduced cortisol levels by a pooled effect size reported in a 2020 meta-analysis—hormonal stress biomarker change
Interpretation
Clinical Evidence Interpretation
Clinical evidence shows massage therapy can produce meaningful symptom improvements across conditions, with standardized effects like -0.71 for neck pain and -0.64 for low back pain, plus about 2 to 5 mmHg reductions in systolic blood pressure, and in back pain care it boosts the odds of improvement by 2.5 times when used within multimodal programs.
05 · Category
User Adoption3 stats
01
6.0% of U.S. adults reported using massage therapy in 2012—prevalence from NHIS-based analysis (JAMA)
02
Massage therapy was among the most commonly used mind-body practices with 3.0% of adults reporting use in 2017—NHIS-based CAM utilization estimate (JAMA Network)
03
34% of U.S. adults reported receiving massage or bodywork at least once in their lifetime in a 2019 consumer survey—lifetime use rate
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
From 2012 to 2017, massage therapy use among U.S. adults was reported at 6.0% and then 3.0% respectively, and by 2019 a full 34% said they had received massage or bodywork at least once, showing that user adoption extends far beyond recent use.
06 · Category
Customer & Pricing3 stats
01
67% of massage consumers in a 2022 industry survey reported paying out of pocket—payment method distribution (industry survey)
02
$82average massage therapy price per session in the U.S. (2023 survey)—average consumer price paid per appointment
03
$85average hourly price for a massage therapist in the U.S. (2024 market pricing analysis)—average compensation/consumer rate estimate
Interpretation
Customer & Pricing Interpretation
With 67% of massage consumers paying out of pocket and an average U.S. session costing $82 in 2023, the customer experience of massage pricing is largely shaped by direct out of pocket affordability and real market rates.
More related reading
07 · Category
Regulation & Training1 stats
01
The FSMTB states that the Massage & Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) is used by member boards—standardized exam availability
Interpretation
Regulation & Training Interpretation
The FSMTB’s Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination is used by member boards, showing that regulation for massage therapy is heavily standardized through a common training and licensing assessment.
08 · Category
Employment & Wages1 stats
01
In 2023, 7% of massage therapists were in retail trade (industry distribution for the occupation).
Interpretation
Employment & Wages Interpretation
In 2023, 7% of massage therapists worked in retail trade, showing that a smaller but notable share of employment within the occupation is tied to the retail sector under Employment and Wages.
09 · Category
Provider Supply & Training3 stats
01
2,900 massage therapy school programs existed in the U.S. in 2022 (number of programs listed in the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard “Massage Therapy” related CIP field).
02
The U.S. Department of Education’s IPEDS collects data for CIP 51.230 programs (massage therapy and bodywork), enabling annual program counts and completions to be tracked.
03
In 2022, the Council for Higher Education Accreditation recognized accreditation standards for massage therapy programs under its health-related accreditation pathways, supporting a standardized training pipeline (accreditation framework used for eligibility).
Interpretation
Provider Supply & Training Interpretation
With 2,900 massage therapy programs in the U.S. in 2022, tracked through IPEDS for CIP 51.230, and supported by recognized accreditation standards, the provider supply pipeline appears structured and continuously measurable for training more therapists.
10 · Category
Consumer Use & Demand3 stats
01
24% of adults in the U.S. used at least one complementary health approach in the past 12 months in 2017 (National Health Interview Survey CAM supplement; category including massage/bodywork).
02
Massage therapy is listed as a CAM practice type in NCCIH’s U.S. survey breakdowns for adults, supporting tracking of consumer demand trends over time.
03
In a 2019 survey of U.S. adults conducted by Edelman Data & Intelligence, 37% said they have tried complementary health approaches (includes mind-body and related therapies).
Interpretation
Consumer Use & Demand Interpretation
About a quarter of U.S. adults used a complementary health approach in the past year in 2017 and 37% reported trying these approaches by 2019, signaling steady consumer demand where massage and related bodywork remain a tracked part of mainstream CAM use.
11 · Category
Clinical Evidence & Outcomes4 stats
01
A Cochrane review of massage therapy for chronic low back pain concludes massage may produce small improvements in pain and function versus control at short-term follow-up (as summarized in the review abstract).
02
Cochrane review evidence indicates massage therapy may benefit neck pain-related outcomes, including pain and function, with effects varying by study design (summary in review abstract).
03
Massage therapy is included in multimodal rehabilitation approaches for musculoskeletal pain in clinical practice guidance summarized by the American College of Physicians (ACP) and related evidence reports.
04
NCCIH notes that massage therapy may help with musculoskeletal pain and stress-related symptoms, summarizing safety and evidence considerations.
Interpretation
Clinical Evidence & Outcomes Interpretation
Across the Clinical Evidence & Outcomes category, Cochrane reviews suggest massage therapy can deliver small but meaningful short term improvements for chronic low back pain and may also improve neck pain outcomes, with benefits reflected in multimodal rehabilitation guidance and supported by NCCIH’s evidence summaries for musculoskeletal pain and stress related symptoms.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Julian Richter. (2026, February 13). Massage Therapy Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/massage-therapy-statistics
MLA
Julian Richter. "Massage Therapy Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/massage-therapy-statistics.
Chicago
Julian Richter. 2026. "Massage Therapy Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/massage-therapy-statistics.
Sources & references
31 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+12 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)