Career Explorer Healthcare support
Human edge, growing
Massage therapists
Perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.
Among the most resilient careers: more resilient than 98% of the 831 careers we score. AI exposure is low (the Bureau of Labor Statistics rates it low), and US jobs are projected to change by +15.3% by 2035, much faster than average. The work leans on physical dexterity and emotional intelligence.
AI struggles with much of this work, and US employers are expected to hire more people into it than average.
- Median pay (2025)
- $58,450
- Job growth to 2035
- +15.3%
- Openings a year
- 20,400
- People doing it (2025)
- 155,000
- Usual route in
- College certificate
Where people already use AI for this work
From Microsoft Research, Working with AI (2025).
Work AI rarely helps with
- Administer therapeutic treatments
- Interview people to obtain information
- Stock supplies or products
What the work looks like
- Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
- Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
- Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
- Maintain massage areas by restocking supplies or sanitizing equipment.
- Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.
From O*NET 31.0, US Department of Labor.
What the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects
- More of these jobs, as massage therapy is increasingly used to help maintain overall wellness and gains more acceptance as a form of pain relief.
- More of these jobs, as more offices of chiropractors hire massage therapists to offer integrated therapy services to patients.
Careers using similar strengths, with a stronger outlook
- Exercise trainers and group fitness instructorsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +7.3%
- Home health and personal care aidesHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +18.1%
- Medical equipment preparersHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +10.8%
- Physical therapist assistantsHuman edge, growing, Index 99, +23.0%
Also known as: Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP), Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), Registered Massage Therapist (RMT), BCMT (Board Certified Massage Therapist), Bodywork Therapist, Clinical Massage Therapist, Medical Massage Practitioner.
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Sources: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections 2025 to 2035; O*NET 31.0; Microsoft Research (2025); Anthropic Economic Index (2026); Eloundou and colleagues (Science, 2024); Felten, Raj and Seamans (2023). How we score. Updated 12 October 2026.