Updated September 2, 2026
Massage Therapy Statistics, 2026
Current U.S. figures on massage therapy use, pain management, employment, and pay. Each statistic links to the original public source.
Massage therapy sits at the intersection of personal care, pain management, and health services. This page gathers a short set of national statistics that can be cited clearly, without treating use or employment figures as proof that massage is right for every person or condition.
Use and pain
How Americans are using massage and related care
10.9%
of U.S. adults used massage therapy in 2022
National survey data show that use more than doubled from 4.8% in 2002.
Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, 2025 ↗36.7%
of U.S. adults used at least one of seven complementary health approaches in 2022
The comparable figure was 19.2% in 2002. Massage therapy was one of the approaches with the largest increase over that period.
Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, January 24, 2024 ↗49.2%
of complementary health approach users reported using one for pain management in 2022
That share increased from 42.3% in 2002. This figure covers users of the seven approaches studied, not massage therapy alone.
Source: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, January 24, 2024 ↗Workforce
Massage therapy employment and pay
99,900
massage therapist jobs were recorded in the United States in 2024
The federal employment projection uses the occupation category for massage therapists.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 28, 2025 ↗15%
projected employment growth for massage therapists from 2024 to 2034
The Bureau of Labor Statistics describes this pace as much faster than the average for all occupations.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 28, 2025 ↗115,500
projected massage therapist jobs in the United States by 2034
That is an expected increase of 15,600 jobs from the 2024 employment level.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 28, 2025 ↗18,500
average annual openings are projected for massage therapists from 2024 to 2034
Many openings are expected as workers change occupations or leave the labor force.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 28, 2025 ↗$57,950
was the median annual wage for massage therapists in May 2024
A median is the midpoint, meaning half of workers earned more and half earned less.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 28, 2025 ↗Methodology and sources
How to read these figures
These are national U.S. figures from federal public-health and labor sources. The use figures describe survey responses, while the workforce figures describe the massage therapist occupation. They measure different things and should not be compared as though they are the same dataset.
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Massage Therapy: What You Need To Know (2025).
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Use of Complementary Health Approaches for Pain by U.S. Adults Increased From 2002 to 2022 (January 24, 2024).
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Massage Therapists, Occupational Outlook Handbook (August 28, 2025).
Cite this page
Radiant Health Pittsburgh. “Massage Therapy Statistics, 2026.” Updated September 2, 2026. https://pittsburghmassagetherapyclinic.com/massage-therapy-statistics
Considering care
Numbers are a starting point. Your situation is personal.
Massage can be a supportive option for some people dealing with pain, tension, stiffness, or movement limitations. It is not a replacement for medical evaluation when symptoms are severe, persistent, worsening, or follow significant trauma.
Explore therapeutic massage at Radiant Health →