| Massage Therapists | |||||||||||
| Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Massage Therapists | |||||||||||
| Employment | Employment Change | Average Annual Job Openings | Wage & Training Levels | ||||||||
| 2020 | 2025 | Numerical | Percent | New Jobs | Replacement Jobs | Total | Median Hourly | Median Annual | Training Levels | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2,684 | 2,989 | 305 | 11.36% | 61 | 455 | 516 | $20.04 | $41,680 | Postsecondary nondegree award | ||
| Description: | Massage customers for hygienic or remedial purposes. | ||||||||||
| Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023) | |||||||||||
Occupation Details
The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.
- Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
- Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
- Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
- Maintain treatment records.
- Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.
- Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.
- Develop and propose client treatment plans that specify which types of massage are to be used.
- Refer clients to other types of therapists when necessary.
- Use complementary aids, such as infrared lamps, wet compresses, ice, and whirlpool baths to promote clients' recovery, relaxation, and well-being.
- Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.
- Consult with other health care professionals, such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, physicians, and psychologists, to develop treatment plans for clients.
- Prepare and blend oils and apply the blends to clients' skin.
Knowledge
| 56% | Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. |
| 54% | Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance. |
| 51% | English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
| 51% | Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders. |
| 75% | Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. |
| 72% | Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
| 62% | Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people. |
| 60% | Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. |
| 60% | Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
| 56% | Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
| 50% | Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
| 72% | Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
| 69% | Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
| 69% | Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion. |
| 66% | Dynamic Strength - The ability to exert muscle force repeatedly or continuously over time. This involves muscular endurance and resistance to muscle fatigue. |
| 66% | Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position. |
| 66% | Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects. |
| 62% | Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without 'giving out' or fatiguing. |
| 60% | Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
| 60% | Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
| 60% | Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. |
| 56% | Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
| 56% | Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects. |
| 53% | Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. |
| 53% | Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). |
| 53% | Static Strength - The ability to exert maximum muscle force to lift, push, pull, or carry objects. |
| 50% | Stamina - The ability to exert yourself physically over long periods of time without getting winded or out of breath. |
| 50% | Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
| 50% | Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. |
| 92% | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
| 92% | Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients. |
| 89% | Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials. |
| 84% | Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things. |
| 77% | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
| 75% | Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
| 70% | Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others. |
| 68% | Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
| 68% | Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
| 67% | Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
| 63% | Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events. |
| 61% | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
| 60% | Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems. |
| 57% | Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. |
| 57% | Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them. |
| 56% | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
| 56% | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
| 56% | Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail. |
| 55% | Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
| 54% | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
| 51% | Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards. |
| 51% | Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others. |
| Title | Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed |
| Overall Experience | Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. |
| Job Training | Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations. |
| Job Zone Examples | These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents. |
| Education | Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. |
Interests
| Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others. |
| Realistic - Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outsi |
| Investigative - Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally. |
| Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow. |
| Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
| Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. |
| Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
| Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. |
| Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
| Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
| Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
| Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |