Massage Therapy Statistics

Massage therapy job outlook is projected to grow 18% from 2022–2032—see what’s driving demand and what it means for careers.
Niamh WinslowEbba Mäkinen

Written by Niamh Winslow

Fact-checked by Ebba Mäkinen

Statistics
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Sections
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Massage therapy demand is rising alongside broader complementary health use in the U.S. Across NHIS-based tables, bodywork/massage is a commonly reported approach, and a 2024 Statista survey found 31% of U.S. respondents used massage at least once in the past year. This page connects utilization trends with the career outlook, exam access for prospective therapists, and research on outcomes such as low back pain, anxiety, and depressive symptoms.

Key Takeaways

  1. 1The U.S. job outlook for massage therapists is projected to grow 18% from 2022 to 2032
  2. 2FSMTB’s MBLEx is administered by Prometric centers in multiple U.S. locations, enabling candidates to schedule exams on demand
  3. 3The global wellness industry is projected to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027
  4. 4About 50% of adults have used at least one complementary health approach at some point in their lives (NHIS, 2022).
  5. 5The American Massage Therapy Association reports its Massage Therapy Demand Survey with results published in 2023/2024 (membership survey).
  6. 6Massage therapy demand is concentrated in healthcare services and personal services, where the occupation is commonly employed; BLS lists the median pay and employment in healthcare settings and service establishments (BLS).
  7. 7A 2024 Statista consumer survey found that 31% of U.S. respondents reported using massage at least once in the past year
  8. 8Massage therapy is one of the most frequently used complementary health approaches and is categorized under 'bodywork/massage' in NHIS tables
  9. 9In 2023, massage therapists averaged about $105,000 per year in U.S. wages
  10. 10A 2018 systematic review found massage therapy for low back pain reduced pain intensity compared with no treatment or control conditions in most included studies
  11. 11A systematic review found that massage therapy can reduce anxiety symptoms with a moderate effect size across included studies
  12. 12A meta-analysis reported that massage therapy showed benefit for depressive symptoms compared with controls across included studies

With strong job growth, widespread demand, and evidence-backed benefits, massage therapy is booming in the US and worldwide.

Related reading

01Industry Overview

2
  1. 1The U.S. job outlook for massage therapists is projected to grow 18% from 2022 to 2032
  2. 2FSMTB’s MBLEx is administered by Prometric centers in multiple U.S. locations, enabling candidates to schedule exams on demand

More related reading

02Market Size

2
  1. 1The global wellness industry is projected to reach $8.5 trillion by 2027
  2. 2About 50% of adults have used at least one complementary health approach at some point in their lives (NHIS, 2022).

More related reading

04User Adoption

2
  1. 1A 2024 Statista consumer survey found that 31% of U.S. respondents reported using massage at least once in the past year
  2. 2Massage therapy is one of the most frequently used complementary health approaches and is categorized under 'bodywork/massage' in NHIS tables

More related reading

05Compensation & Pricing

1
  1. 1In 2023, massage therapists averaged about $105,000per year in U.S. wages

More related reading

06Clinical Outcomes

6
  1. 1A 2018 systematic review found massage therapy for low back pain reduced pain intensity compared with no treatment or control conditions in most included studies
  2. 2A systematic review found that massage therapy can reduce anxiety symptoms with a moderate effect size across included studies
  3. 3A meta-analysis reported that massage therapy showed benefit for depressive symptoms compared with controls across included studies
  4. 4A randomized controlled trial in hospital settings reported that massage therapy significantly reduced pain intensity scores compared with usual care
  5. 5A Cochrane review (updated) concluded there is moderate-certainty evidence that massage may reduce pain in some musculoskeletal conditions
  6. 6In a study of adults receiving massage therapy for chronic pain, 64% reported moderate-to-strong improvement in symptom relief after a course of treatments

Cite this report

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APA
Niamh Winslow. (2026, September 20). Massage Therapy Statistics. Gaugius. https://gaugius.com/massage-therapy-statistics
MLA
Niamh Winslow. "Massage Therapy Statistics." Gaugius, 20 Sep 2026, https://gaugius.com/massage-therapy-statistics.
Chicago
Niamh Winslow. 2026. "Massage Therapy Statistics." Gaugius. https://gaugius.com/massage-therapy-statistics.

Sources and references

15 datasets cited across this report. Attribution is report-level.

bls.govbusinesswire.comamtamassage.orgstatista.comcareeronestop.orgcdc.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.govnccih.nih.govfsmtb.org

5 additional datasets are cited and not shown individually.