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SOC 31-9011
On this page, massage therapists refers to O*NET 31-9011.00: workers who massage soft tissues and joints and may assist with range-of-motion and strength assessment or propose client treatment plans.
Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+0+25)/3+0.5)=33; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.
The core work of massage therapists is to manipulate soft tissues and joints to relieve symptoms and support health: discuss clients' medical histories, stress, and pain; assess soft tissue conditions, joint function, strength, and range of motion; develop and recommend treatment plans as needed; massage and knead muscles and soft tissues and apply pressure to specific areas; guide posture improvement, stretching, and relaxation exercises; maintain treatment records; refer to other therapists or collaborate with physicians, physical therapists, and chiropractors when needed; and clean and disinfect equipment and work areas.
The following judgments concern massage therapists' service and treatment practices. They do not predict hiring, licensing, qualification, or diagnosis and treatment outcomes, or replace medical assessment.
Sample output and reflection: check whether medical history and contraindications were established first, observations were distinguished from judgments, referral situations were stated, and hygiene and documentation requirements were explained. Then ask yourself whether you can stand for long periods and repeat manual techniques, control pressure within comfort and safety boundaries, and willingly continue practice under licensing and hygiene standards.
This page corresponds to US ONet31-9011.00, primarily soft tissue / joint massage, potentially assisting with range-of-motion / strength assessment and service planning. Medical-history discussions, techniques, hygiene, records, and referrals remain within competence and state authority and do not replace chiropractic, physical / occupational, or radiation therapy. Chinese wellness services cannot copy US treatment responsibilities: the 2023 traditional Chinese medicine health maintenance standards apply to corresponding nonmedical institutions, prohibiting diagnosis and treatment, hazardous methods such as traction / manipulation, or treatment claims. Medical-institution tasks follow separate competent authority rules.
Career direction comparison
The following compares massage therapists with adjacent roles by actual service nature, core deliverables, and practice boundaries. Qualifications are not interchangeable based on titles.
| Career direction | Core work and output | Key differences | Best-fit choice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiropractors | Chiropractors emphasize spinal adjustment and diagnosis with corresponding authorization; massage therapists emphasize manual treatment of soft tissues and joints. Practice scopes differ. | Handle spinal adjustment and diagnosis. | Compare if you prefer spinal diagnosis and adjustment. |
| Occupational Therapists | Occupational therapists handle daily functioning and occupational rehabilitation; massage therapists provide soft tissue manual treatment. Goals and authorizations differ. | Handle daily functioning and occupational rehabilitation. |
AI impact on this career
Editorial task hypothesis: distinguish ordinary appointment / inventory systems from generative AI, which may draft fictional service materials. No occupational adoption rates or job outcomes were obtained. Real health information requires authorization. Actual qualified providers are responsible for techniques, safety, and referrals; automated text is not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical care. AI Impact Score 33% is an editorial estimate. Model impact index for three equally weighted representative core tasks; not a measured share of working time or a job-loss probability. floor((75+0+25)/3+0.5)=33; fermatmind-ai-impact-v1; 2026-10-18.The three tasks, ratings and sources are listed in the FermatMind method source record on this page.
FermatMind AI Impact Score estimation method v1
FermatMind / 费马测试 · 2026-10-18
Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Chinese mainland salary reference
Scope: National Bureau of Statistics 2025 average annual wages for services to households, repairs, and other services employees are 70,226 yuan / year in urban non-private units and 52,059 yuan / year in urban private units; the nationwide total for urban non-private units is 129,441 yuan / year. All are industry measures, not this occupation's median or starting pay.
Category boundary: the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security publishes enterprise compensation survey information by occupation / position, which can be used to look up wellness massage pay. This page did not obtain an entry matching O*NET 31-9011.00 exactly, so it is not used as a nationwide occupational median. Refer to competent authority publications for specifics.
Only average annual wages are published
U.S. salary reference
The 2025 US nationwide median wage for this occupation is 58,450 dollars annually and 28.10 dollars hourly; full percentiles appear in the table. Retain older employment of 168,000 in 2024 and 24,700 average annual openings in 2024—2034. Latest figures of 155,400 employed in 2025, 15% growth in 2025—2035, and 20,400 average annual openings are separate. Wages are not per-client charges, self-employment revenue / net earnings, or conversions of an individual's actual working hours.
| Percentile | Annual reference | Hourly equivalent | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| P10 | $33,640 / year | $16.17 / hour | 2025 US nationwide percentiles for occupation 31-9011, not seniority, starting pay, or a conversion of individual working hours. |
| P25 |
Fit signals
To assess fit, consider whether you can stand for long periods and continuously repeat manual techniques, discuss medical history and contraindications and build client trust, assess carefully and adjust techniques within safety boundaries, implement hygiene and documentation standards, and recognize referral needs. Tools such as RIASEC can only propose hypotheses and cannot replace real task experience or licensing.
Positive signals： Positive signals: steady techniques, patience and attention to detail, listening and communication, control of pressure and safety boundaries, hygienic practices, and recognizing and referring abnormalities.
Reasons for caution： Reasons for caution: difficulty standing for long periods or repeating techniques, limited hand or physical capacity, unwillingness to follow hygiene and safety standards strictly, or difficulty communicating contraindications and boundaries with clients.
Trial activity： Trial activity: using entirely fictional client service forms and health questionnaires, rehearse assessment approaches, technique choices, and referral boundaries, and ask someone else to review them against the records.
Risks and boundaries
Handle risks by their triggers, consequences, controls, and escalation boundaries.
Based on O*NET 31-9011.00 tasks and work context and specific requirements concerning contraindications and referral, technique safety, hygiene and disinfection, licensing authorization, and physical strain. Check specific rules against employers, licensing, and applicable laws without extrapolating across scopes.
Typical scenario：Failure to recognize contraindications or medical conditions requiring referral.
Roles most affected：Service and assessment roles
Possible consequence：May affect client safety.
How to reduce risk：First check medical history and applicable scope. Refer questions to qualified medical personnel; do not delay medical care for massage. An automated questionnaire cannot exclude every risk.
Entry pathways
ONet's new-hire education responses report 48% postsecondary certificate, 19% high school, and 15% associate degree. Postsecondary does not mean after an associate degree; the one to two years for JobZone3 is a group description. BLS programs may take months to years. Most states regulate practice; verify approved programs, examinations / licensing, or registration by state.
Market signals
Retain older employment of 168,000 in 2024 and 24,700 average annual openings in 2024—2034. Latest figures are 155,400 employed in 2025, 15% growth in 2025—2035, and 20,400 average annual openings, not period totals or individual hiring outcomes.
US nationwide · Display scope: Massage Therapists (31-9011.00)
The main industries on that page for 2024 are Other Services (Except Public Administration) and Health Care and Social Assistance. Employment and openings are statistical projections and must be interpreted separately from individual opportunities.
Employment size and change
Employment size, change, and job openings must be interpreted separately.
Does not establish：Occupational statistics cannot guarantee individual employment.
On this page, massage therapists refers to O*NET 31-9011.00: workers who provide massage treatment of soft tissues and joints and may assist with range-of-motion and strength assessment or propose client treatment plans. Tasks include reviewing medical history and assessing soft tissue conditions, developing treatment plans, massaging and kneading muscles and soft tissues, guiding posture and relaxation exercises, maintaining treatment records, referring and consulting, and cleaning and disinfecting equipment and work areas. Work mainly takes place in controlled indoor spas, clinics, and client locations. This occupation is distinct from chiropractors, occupational therapists, physical therapists, radiation therapists, or recreational therapists.
Choose a real task from this page for a small practice project or a conversation with someone in the field. Use the planning guides to set a date, an output and feedback questions before deciding whether to continue.
This is an entirely fictional educational client-service scenario check, not a personality diagnosis, hiring conclusion, or medical assessment.
Entirely fictional task package: provide a fictional client service form and health questionnaire, including 1 description of stress, pain, and medical history, 1 set of range-of-motion and strength observation points, and 1 situation requiring referral or modified techniques. Within 60 minutes, write an assessment approach, proposed techniques, contraindication and referral boundaries, and documentation points. Do not use real client or medical data or make diagnoses from it.
Check first: practice licensing or certification requirements, client medical history and contraindications, informed consent and privacy, safe use of techniques and supplies, hygiene and disinfection standards, and referral situations.
End-to-end work: review medical history and confirm informed consent, assess, develop treatment plans, provide manual treatment, guide exercises, document and judge referral needs, and clean and disinfect. Do not treat before contraindications or safety conditions are confirmed. Refer situations beyond competence or licensing scope.
| Dimension | Primary track | Comparison track |
|---|---|---|
| Complete workflow | From confirming medical history to cleaning and disinfection | |
| Step one | Review medical history and confirm informed consent | |
| Step two | Assess soft tissue and joint conditions | |
| Step three | Develop and recommend treatment plans | |
| Step four | Provide manual treatment | |
| Step five | Guide exercises and judge referral needs | |
| Step six | Document, clean, and disinfect |
Inputs: client medical history, stress, and pain information, health questionnaires and informed consent, soft tissue and joint conditions, range-of-motion and strength observations, manual techniques and auxiliary supplies, treatment records and referral information, and hygiene and practice standards.
Checkable outputs: assessment and technique-choice explanations, treatment plans, treatment processes and records, posture and relaxation exercise guidance, referral and consultation records, hygiene and disinfection records, and service environment and equipment conditions.
Complete workflow: review medical history and confirm informed consent → assess soft tissue and joint conditions → develop and recommend treatment plans → provide manual treatment → guide exercises and self-care → document and judge referral needs → clean, disinfect, and organize.
In the United States, most states regulate massage therapy and require licensing or certification, according to BLS OOH. Training or certification does not automatically grant practice authorization. This page does not judge individual eligibility.
Work subjects and AI boundaries for massage therapists Editorial task hypothesis: distinguish ordinary appointment / inventory systems from generative AI, which may draft fictional service materials. No occupational adoption rates or job outcomes were obtained. Real health information requires authorization. Actual qualified providers are responsible for techniques, safety, and referrals; automated text is not a diagnosis or a substitute for medical care.
| Compare if you prefer functional rehabilitation. |
| Physical Therapists | Physical therapists handle movement-function assessment and rehabilitation treatment; massage therapists may assist with range-of-motion and strength assessment but must not assume physical therapy's statutory responsibilities. | Handle movement-function assessment and rehabilitation. | Compare if you prefer movement rehabilitation. |
|---|
| Radiation Therapists | Radiation therapists deliver radiation therapy; massage therapists provide soft tissue manual treatment. Service nature and authorization are entirely different. | Deliver radiation therapy. | Compare if you prefer medical technical procedures. |
|---|
First use reviewable service and documentation descriptions under supervision to validate assessment, techniques, and referral boundaries, then assess your direction. Do not assign a single ranking based on income or personality.
Next, turn the comparison into small-scale manual practice that can be stopped.
Describe only specific steps tools may assist; do not treat demonstrations as organizational adoption.
Check data sources, system reliability, and review responsibilities; this page has no occupation-specific adoption rate.
Without occupational job-outcome research, do not infer layoff timing, staffing changes, or hiring probability.
| Work area | Task | Current change | Human control point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments and records | Manage appointments and maintain records | Editorial hypothesis: assisted retrieval / drafting requires permission and content validation. No occupational adoption or effectiveness research was obtained. | Check informed consent and privacy. |
| Materials and reminders | Generate exercise materials and hygiene reminders | May assist with drafting | Check client consent, data permissions, and applicable practice scope. Pause relevant techniques for unusual pain or health risks and refer to qualified medical personnel. Do not submit health information to external AI without authorization. |
| Assessment and techniques | Assess and provide manual treatment | No automated decisions | Licensed therapists are responsible. |
| Safety and referral | Recognize contraindications and refer | Cannot replace responsibility-based judgment | Confirmed by licensed therapists. |
Occupational sources describe actual tasks and subjects: assessment and techniques, treatment plans, records and referrals, hygiene and practice. Tool capabilities, organizational adoption, and job outcomes are recorded separately; wage or employment data is not used as AI evidence.
Editorial comparison: draft records / materials may receive assistance, but no adoption-sequencing research was obtained. Physical work, client feedback, and safety boundaries still require actual assessment. Ordinary appointment software is not equivalent to AI.
AI primarily changesMay assist with draft records; ordinary appointment automation is not generative AI.
Human responsibility remainsPrivacy and accuracy responsibility
AI primarily changesMay retrieve / draft materials; does not replace physical work or safety judgments.
Human responsibility remainsSuitability and safety judgments
Human control points: identify contraindications and referral situations, judge pressure and safety boundaries, implement informed consent and privacy, maintain hygiene and records, and practice within licensing and competence.
Confirm medical history, informed consent, and authorization.
Treat only within licensing and safety boundaries.
Review techniques, pressure, and records.
Promptly refer and report contraindications and abnormalities.
May affect client safety.
Control: Review medical history first and recognize referral needs.
May cause discomfort or injury.
Control: Adjust techniques and pressure within safety boundaries.
May affect client and practitioner health.
Control: Clean and disinfect equipment and work areas according to standards.
Practice basic techniques and hygiene standards.
Retain service and referral records.
Establish licensing, hygiene, and safety standards first.
Task exposure, adoption, and job outcomes measure different things and cannot establish a date for job cuts.
Source: O*NET 31-9011.00 TasksOriginal source ↗
Only task hypotheses are listed; no adoption-sequencing or job-outcome research was obtained. People must verify actual tasks and authorization.
Source: O*NET 31-9011.00 TasksOriginal source ↗
There is no occupational adoption-rate source, so this page provides no such figures.
Source: O*NET 31-9011.00 Massage Therapists (Summary)Original source ↗
First conduct an offline exercise using entirely fictional client service forms and health questionnaires. Write assessment approaches, technique choices, contraindications, and referral boundaries without relying on unverified automated advice or making diagnoses from it.
Only average annual wages are published
Insufficient evidence: not separately listed
Exact occupational wages were not obtained. Household-service unit industry averages provide only corresponding context, are not occupational medians, and exclude individual businesses.
| Role scope | Reference value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
| Not separately tabulated | Hiring depends on the employer and position | National Bureau of Statistics wage statistics are organized by industry and registration type, not by education levels within this occupation. |
70,226 yuan / year
52,059 yuan / year
129,441 yuan / year
Insufficient evidence: no nationwide occupational median wage, reference period, or statistical scope was obtained for massage therapists in mainland China. This page displays only an industry proxy labeled as such; neither proxy figures nor US figures fill the gap.
| $43,480 / year |
| $20.91 / hour |
| 2025 US nationwide percentiles for occupation 31-9011, not seniority, starting pay, or a conversion of individual working hours. |
| P50 (median) | $58,450 / year | $28.10 / hour | 2025 US nationwide percentiles for occupation 31-9011, not seniority, starting pay, or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
| P75 | $78,320 / year | $37.66 / hour | 2025 US nationwide percentiles for occupation 31-9011, not seniority, starting pay, or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
| P90 | $100,200 / year | $48.17 / hour | 2025 US nationwide percentiles for occupation 31-9011, not seniority, starting pay, or a conversion of individual working hours. |
|---|
Wages · Median：$58,450 / year (2025)；O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · Hourly median：$28.10 / hour (2025)；O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · Lowest 10%：$33,640 / year (P10, 2025)；O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · P90 percentile：$100,200 / year (P90, 2025)；O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Wages · Statistical scope：Massage Therapists（31-9011.00）；O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Full 2025 annual / hourly wage percentiles for occupation 31-9011, not seniority, starting pay, or take-home income.
Employment count in 2024, not the number of vacancies being recruited for.
Latest 2025—2035 growth is 15%, with 20,400 average annual openings. The older version is separate; these do not represent recruitment or hiring outcomes.
Listed as Other Services (Except Public Administration) and Health Care and Social Assistance under O*NET / BLS industry scope; does not equal income for all practitioners.
| Industry | Median annual wage (dollars / year) | How to interpret |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of chiropractors | $72,800 / year | May 2025, US occupation 31-9011; not a promise of individual income. |
| Offices of other health practitioners | $65,350 / year | May 2025, US occupation 31-9011; not a promise of individual income. |
| Personal care services | $56,230 / year | May 2025, US occupation 31-9011; not a promise of individual income. |
| Accommodation | $43,840 / year | May 2025, US occupation 31-9011; not a promise of individual income. |
ONet48 postsecondary certificate / 19 high school / 15 associate degree. Check state-approved training, examinations, and licensing / registration separately; not a uniform one to two years.
Check supervised deliverables in techniques / communication / hygiene and authorization. Paper exercises do not prove physical or clinical ability. No comparison of the hiring weights of outcomes / certificates was obtained.
Strongly affected by state regulatory systems and service-setting distribution; do not extrapolate across regions.
Check with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
The O*NET interest code is SRI (Social–Realistic–Investigative), emphasizing helping others, hands-on work, and investigating physical conditions. These labels describe activity preferences only and cannot determine competence or qualifications, much less replace licensing.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
General personality measures such as the Big Five do not provide job evidence for this occupation and can only support self-reflection. Continue checking through actual manual practice, assessment, and client communication experiences.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Type-based tools such as MBTI and the Enneagram cannot determine competence or qualifications and can only support self-reflection.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialCheck with work samples rather than replacing judgment with labels.
Continue checking against real tasks, boundaries, and reviewable deliverables.
Do not use it this way: Hiring, qualifications, or performance cannot be inferred from this.
Start a career-interest trialFits better when: Can review medical history and discuss contraindications.
Watch for: Informed consent must be checked.
Fits better when: Can assess soft tissue and joint conditions.
Watch for: Must remain within authorized scope.
Fits better when: Can perform manual treatment steadily.
Watch for: Must adjust within safety boundaries.
Fits better when: Can guide posture and relaxation exercises.
Watch for: Suitability must be checked.
Fits better when: Can implement cleaning, disinfection, and documentation.
Watch for: Standard requirements must be checked.
Fits better when: Can recognize and refer abnormalities.
Watch for: Interdisciplinary procedures must be checked.
Use this page's work sample to check communication and recognition.
Check assessment points against standards.
Assess manual skills and physical capacity.
Pause first and refer or report.
Assess your ability to follow standards.
Assess licensing and ethical awareness.
Use services and records to enable review by others.
Complete an exercise using entirely fictional client service forms and health questionnaires.
Evidence：NCCIH Massage Risks
Typical scenario：Inappropriate techniques or pressure cause discomfort or injury.
Roles most affected：Manual treatment roles
Possible consequence：May cause injury.
How to reduce risk：Continue asking for feedback and pause relevant techniques if pain / discomfort occurs. Deep pressure and vulnerable conditions require careful assessment. This page does not provide a diagnostic plan.
Evidence：NCCIH Massage Risks
Typical scenario：Equipment or work areas fail hygiene and disinfection requirements.
Roles most affected：Service and hygiene roles
Possible consequence：May affect health.
How to reduce risk：Clean and disinfect equipment and work areas according to standards.
Evidence：O*NET 31-9011.00 Tasks
Typical scenario：Providing medical services outside licensing or authorized scope.
Roles most affected：Service and practice roles
Possible consequence：May violate regulatory and practice requirements.
How to reduce risk：Check US state licensing / registration. Corresponding Chinese nonmedical institutions may not diagnose or treat, use hazardous methods such as traction / manipulation, or make treatment claims. Stop services beyond scope and refer.
Evidence：BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Massage Therapists · 2023 Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Maintenance Standards
Typical scenario：Long-term repetitive techniques cause physical strain.
Roles most affected：Manual treatment roles
Possible consequence：May affect health and career longevity.
How to reduce risk：Adjust techniques and working hours and implement protection.
Evidence：O*NET 31-9011.00 Work Context
Typical scenario：Inadequate explanation or improper storage of client information.
Roles most affected：Service and documentation roles
Possible consequence：May harm client rights and trust.
How to reduce risk：First clarify services, client consent, and information-access permissions. Protect health records, do not submit them to external AI without authorization, and manage them under organizational and jurisdictional standards.
Evidence：2023 Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Maintenance Standards
Typical scope：Entry stage: practice basic techniques, client communication and medical-history review, hygiene and disinfection, and documentation under supervision. Learn contraindications, referral boundaries, and licensing requirements and retain process records.
Readiness evidence：Evidence to show: use a reviewable service and documentation description covering assessment approaches, technique choices, hygiene steps, and referral boundaries to demonstrate compliant service under supervision.
Credential boundary：Verify training and licensing requirements.
Next moves：Next step: check the target employer's service scope and client populations and state or local licensing or certification and hygiene requirements. Validate assessment, manual, and communication skills through real services under supervision.
Typical scope：Independently provide manual treatment, with work subject to review.
Readiness evidence：Retain service and referral records.
Credential boundary：Verify state licensing or certification requirements.
Next moves：Moving toward greater responsibility: with experience and licensing, workers may handle more complex techniques and client relationships, train newcomers or specialize, or move into private practice, organizational management, and teaching.
Typical scope：Handle complex techniques and train newcomers.
Readiness evidence：Retain complex-technique and training records.
Credential boundary：Verify licensing and employer requirements.
Next moves：Add training and specialty evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee service and hygiene standards.
Readiness evidence：Retain standards and procedure records.
Credential boundary：Verify licensing and employer requirements.
Next moves：Add management and compliance evidence.
Typical scope：Participate in rehabilitation assistance under supervision.
Readiness evidence：Retain assistance and records.
Credential boundary：Verify program and employer requirements.
Next moves：Build rehabilitation and exercise foundations.
Typical scope：Independently handle rehabilitation or exercise support tasks.
Readiness evidence：Retain tasks and records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add functional-assessment evidence.
Typical scope：Handle complex cases and plans.
Readiness evidence：Retain complex-case records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add systematic-practice and collaboration evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee programs and teams.
Readiness evidence：Retain program and team records.
Credential boundary：Verify employer requirements.
Next moves：Add evidence of management responsibility.
Typical scope：Provide small-scale services with licensing in place.
Readiness evidence：Retain practice and income records.
Credential boundary：Verify licensing requirements.
Next moves：Build business and compliance knowledge.
Typical scope：Oversee independent practice and client management.
Readiness evidence：Retain practice and client records.
Credential boundary：Verify licensing and local requirements.
Next moves：Add business and compliance evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee scheduling, hygiene, and teams.
Readiness evidence：Retain operations and procedure records.
Credential boundary：Verify licensing and employer requirements.
Next moves：Add operations and governance evidence.
Typical scope：Oversee multiple locations or training systems.
Readiness evidence：Retain system and training records.
Credential boundary：Verify licensing and employer requirements.
Next moves：Add governance and training evidence.
Confirm medical history, informed consent, and authorization.
Assess and perform techniques within safety boundaries.
Produce reviewable services and records.
Expand clients and specialties within licensing scope.
US nationwide · Display scope: Massage Therapists (31-9011.00)
About 24,700 openings / year (older version)
Projected average annual job openings
Older 2024—2034 average annual openings, not a period total; the newer 2025—2035 annual average of 20,400 is listed separately.
Does not establish：Cannot represent an individual's probability of being hired.
US nationwide · Display scope: Massage Therapists (31-9011.00)
$58,450 / year
Median annual wage
The BLS 2025 OEWS nationwide median, not starting pay or take-home income.
Does not establish：Full 2025 wage percentiles were obtained for occupation 31-9011; they do not represent individual income or seniority.
These are capability relationships, not automatic promotions or credential waivers.
Transfers：Transferable capabilities: client communication and medical-history review, soft tissue and joint assessment, manual techniques and pressure control, posture and relaxation guidance, hygiene and documentation standards, referral, and collaboration.
Build next：First target, chiropractor: in the United States, an accredited D.C. degree and state license are required, with specialized diagnosis / spinal assessment / adjustment training. Massage techniques / certificates do not replace this education and authority. Verify Chinese medical and nonmedical boundaries separately; wellness institutions cannot directly provide manipulation or diagnosis and treatment.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in assessment and rehabilitation.
Build next：Meet additional degree and licensing requirements.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in movement and rehabilitation.
Build next：Meet additional degree and licensing requirements.
View career profileTransfers：Client communication and documentation standards are transferable; massage techniques are not radiation therapy techniques.
Build next：Meet additional radiation therapy and licensing requirements.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in service and communication.
Build next：Meet additional recreational therapy and licensing requirements.
View career profileTransfers：Foundation in manual techniques and rehabilitation.
Build next：Add assistant authorization and skills.
View career profileChiropractors handle spinal adjustment and diagnosis; occupational and physical therapists handle functional rehabilitation; radiation therapists provide radiation therapy; recreational therapists provide recreation-based therapy. Massage therapists emphasize manual treatment of soft tissues and joints. Compare service nature, practice scope, and authorization to distinguish them.
Observable signals: steady techniques, patience and attention to detail, listening and communication, control of pressure and safety boundaries, hygienic practices, and recognizing and referring abnormalities. O*NET interest code SRI describes activity preferences only and cannot determine competence or qualifications, much less replace licensing.
Tools for appointment scheduling, record and informed-consent management, health questionnaire organization, posture and exercise material generation, and hygiene and inventory reminders may assist appointment and record management. Licensed therapists remain responsible for assessment and technique choices, pressure and safety judgments, contraindication recognition, referral, and practice accountability. Tools must not replace manual techniques or clinical judgment. This page presents tool uses only as task hypotheses, not evidence of widespread organizational adoption.
Human responsibilities include recognizing contraindications and referral situations, judging pressure and safety boundaries, implementing informed consent and privacy, maintaining hygiene and records, and practicing within licensing and competence.
The National Bureau of Statistics publishes average annual wages for urban-unit employees by industry category without separately listing this occupation, so a safely matched nationwide occupational median cannot be established. This page displays only industry proxies labeled as such: in 2025, residential services, repairs, and other services paid 70,226 yuan / year in urban non-private units and 52,059 yuan / year in urban private units, while the nationwide total for urban non-private units was 129,441 yuan / year. None equals this occupation's median or starting pay. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security's enterprise compensation survey information is provided as a lookup entry point.
The O*NET page displays a 2025 BLS OEWS median annual wage of 58,450 dollars, approximately 28.10 dollars / hour, for occupation 31-9011.00. That page does not display percentile wages. These are US nationwide statistics, not individual take-home income or starting pay.
In the United States, this occupation is in Job Zone 3. Most positions require a certificate after an associate degree and typically one to two years of training. Most states regulate massage therapy and require massage therapists to have a license or certification, according to BLS OOH. Check specific requirements with state regulators. Mainland China: there is no unified occupational qualification exactly corresponding to this O*NET occupation; check employer and local hygiene and business administration rules.
Main risks include contraindications and referral, technique safety and pressure, hygiene and disinfection, practice licensing and authorization, and physical strain. Controls include reviewing medical history and contraindications first, adjusting techniques within safety boundaries, implementing hygiene and documentation, practicing within licensing scope, and referring when needed. Check specific rules against employer procedures and applicable jurisdictions.
O*NET cites BLS data showing about 168,000 employed in this occupation in 2024, projected growth much faster than average, at 7% or higher, in 2024—2034, and about 24,700 job openings during the period. These are occupational statistics, not an individual's probability of being hired.
If you can patiently repeat techniques under safety and hygiene standards and communicate with clients, a low-cost exercise using entirely fictional client service forms and health questionnaires is worthwhile, without using it for diagnosis or treatment. Moving into physical or occupational therapy requires additional corresponding education and licensing.
Evidence for China, the United States, and individual organizations is presented separately. Conclusions on wages, employment, qualifications / licensing, safety, and AI must not be combined across scopes. The massage therapists page provides occupational judgment and educational exercise information and does not replace local laws, practice standards, medical assessment, or other professional advice, or serve diagnostic or treatment purposes. Any statement of insufficient evidence means only that safely matched data was not established within a bounded search; proxies or memory are not used to fabricate figures.
FermatMind research workflow
2025 BLS OEWS wage data; accessed 2026-09-25
O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display)
Limitations：Applies only to 31-9011.00 and the US market; does not establish a mapping to China.
Limitations：Task examples do not mean every position performs every task; they do not establish a mapping to China.
Limitations：US work context does not replace Chinese law or employer procedures.
Limitations：This page does not display percentile wages; the median does not represent starting pay or individual take-home income.
Limitations：Projections are not a hiring guarantee; much faster than average does not mean individual opportunities necessarily increase.
Limitations：Industry distribution signals employer settings, not projected growth or demand.
Limitations：Education distribution does not establish a mandatory requirement for every employer; it does not establish a mapping to China.
Limitations：Certification and training do not equal a scope of practice or employer hiring; check the applicable jurisdiction.
Limitations：Describes US state regulation; there is no automatic equivalent mapping to China. Check local rules.
Limitations：Task exposure does not equal implemented automation, adoption, or layoffs; individual outcomes are not inferred.
Limitations：Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individually owned businesses and freelancers; no nationwide wage distribution matching the exact occupation was established.
Limitations：Covers urban enterprises, excluding government agencies and public institutions; this page did not obtain an exact occupational match and does not use it as a nationwide median.
Limitations：An editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or licensing.
Limitations：Applies to registered nonmedical traditional Chinese medicine health maintenance institutions, not US massage or all medical institutions.
Limitations：Not occupational AI research, a specific diagnostic plan, or a contraindication list for everyone.
Limitations：First-target preparation requirements, not massage entry education.
Limitations：Editorial ratings use the existing occupational responsibilities and AI task analysis on this page. They are not adoption rates, measured effects, job-disappearance or personal-unemployment probabilities, or official scores from Stanford or another external institution. No measured time weights or future robot deployment are assumed.
Check source scope, limitations, and statistical periods separately against the original evidence. Source usage notes: O*NET 31-9011.00 Massage Therapists (Summary): provides occupational identity, the official description, interest code, Job Zone, skills, and knowledge for 31-9011.00. Wage and employment data on that page cover this occupation. O*NET 31-9011.00 Tasks: provides tasks including massaging and kneading soft tissues, applying pressure to specific areas, assessing soft tissues and joints, developing and recommending treatment plans, maintaining records, referral and consultation, and cleaning and disinfection. Task examples do not mean every position performs every task. O*NET 31-9011.00 Work Context: describes primarily controlled indoor work, physical proximity, repetitive movements and prolonged standing, hand use, and other contexts. US work context does not replace Chinese law or employer procedures. O*NET 31-9011.00 National Wages (BLS OEWS Display): 2025 BLS OEWS median wages for this occupation. This page does not display percentile wages. O*NET 31-9011.00 National Employment Trends: employment in 2024 and projections for growth and job openings in 2024—2034. Projections are not a hiring guarantee. Industries: 31-9011.00: the main industries on that page for 2024 are Other Services (Except Public Administration) and Health Care and Social Assistance. Industry distribution signals employer settings, not projected growth or demand. O*NET 31-9011.00 Education and Occupational Preparation: Job Zone 3; most positions require a certificate after an associate degree, approximately 48%, and typically one to two years of training. Education distribution does not establish mandatory requirements for every employer. Licenses & Certifications: 31-9011.00: O*NET provides state licensing and national certification lookup entry points. Certification and training do not equal authorization to practice or employer hiring requirements. BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Massage Therapists: explains that most states regulate massage therapy and require licensing or certification. This describes US state regulation and does not automatically map to other jurisdictions. Generative AI and Jobs (ILO Working Paper 140, 2025): assesses occupational exposure to generative AI at the task level. An exposure index is not an adoption rate, job outcome, or hiring probability. Average Annual Wages of Employees in Urban Units in 2025: provides average annual wages by industry category for urban non-private and private units, including residential services, repairs, and other services. Industry averages are not occupational medians and exclude individually owned businesses and freelancers. FermatMind Task Impact Scale for Massage Therapists: organizes potentially assisted tasks and human control points for task-level AI and fit discussions. An editorial scale is not evidence of adoption rates, layoffs, regulations, or licensing.
