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Massage therapy school by state

305 massage therapy programs in 43 states and 2 territories, with costs, results and funding that can make them free

Which schools offer WIOA-approved massage therapy school?

249 schools offer these programs, and each state on this page approved its programs for workforce funding. Pick a state on the map or compare them belowCompare the states below, then open one to see each program with its price and how past students did.

What does a massage therapist do, and how do you become one?

Massage therapists press and work the body's soft tissues and joints to treat their clients. A diploma or certificate takes several months or more, and most states require a license or certification, usually an approved massage therapy program and a passed exam.1 In 46 of the 49 places that regulate massage, DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands among them, the licensing exam is the MBLEx from the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.2

PR5VI2
Approved programsup to 23 to 56 to 9more than 9

How much does massage therapy school cost?

Most massage therapy programs approved for WIOA funding cost $5,711 to $13,000 if you pay yourself. Certificates and short courses mostly cost $5,538 to $13,000 and two-year degrees $7,435 to $14,760. Prices also differ by state: most cost $217 to $934 in North Carolina and $15,000 to $21,149 in Missouri.

That is the price of the whole program as the school reports it. If you qualify, WIOA funding can pay part or all of it, depending on local limits (who qualifies). The figures cover only programs approved for WIOA funding; other schools and programs may cost more or less.

Compare massage therapy school by state: cost, pay and results

Massage therapy school by state
StateProgramsMost costEarned a year, estimatedWorking 6 months laterFinished
Alaska2Too few figures to show
Arizona10$4,325 to $13,408Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Arkansas1Too few figures to show
California18$8,925 to $14,403about $52,00080%78%
Colorado6$4,588 to $10,270Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Connecticut2Too few figures to show
Florida4Too few figures to show
Hawaii1Too few figures to show
Idaho2Not enough dataNot reportedLeft outNot enough data
Illinois9Left outNot enough dataNot enough dataNot reported
Indiana13$4,912 to $9,800about $28,90066%75%
Iowa13$8,520 to $11,088about $18,40073%83%
Kentucky3Too few figures to show
Louisiana8$11,150 to $11,870about $21,300Left outLeft out
Maine5$9,350 to $12,605Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Maryland2Too few figures to show
Massachusetts7$11,750 to $13,550Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Michigan14$8,860 to $16,120about $20,80076%69%
Minnesota14$5,030 to $5,570about $20,80065%85%
Missouri8$15,000 to $21,149Not reportedNot reportedNot reported
Montana3Too few figures to show
Nebraska1Too few figures to show
Nevada6$7,184 to $11,574Not enough dataLeft outNot enough data
New Hampshire4Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
New Jersey6$3,000Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
New Mexico5$4,939 to $13,100Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft out
New York3Too few figures to show
North Carolina10$217 to $934Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
North Dakota2Too few figures to show
Ohio24$7,917 to $13,599Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Oklahoma1Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
Oregon5$13,149 to $15,690Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Pennsylvania2Too few figures to show
Puerto Rico5$11,550 to $12,327Not reportedNot reportedLeft out
Rhode Island1Too few figures to show
South Carolina1Too few figures to show
Tennessee4Too few figures to show
Texas9$5,500 to $9,248about $22,10059%97%
US Virgin Islands2Too few figures to show
Utah2Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
Virginia17$480 to $10,000Not enough dataNot enough data100%
Washington39$11,900 to $14,541about $33,50075%92%
West Virginia2Not enough dataNot enough dataLeft outNot enough data
Wisconsin7$4,098 to $10,950Not enough dataNot enough dataNot enough data
Wyoming2Too few figures to show

Each figure is the middle program in that state. Yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. Only programs approved for workforce funding are counted; other schools may offer massage therapy school too. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).How these figures are made

Massage therapy school: what the 305 programs are

By kind, the 305 programs approved for WIOA funding are massage therapy certificate or diploma (281 programs), massage therapy (associate degree, 16 programs) and massage class (one part of a full program, 8 programs).

Across the US, 85 of the 305 programs take students without a high school diploma, 203 ask for a diploma or equivalent, 14 ask for earlier courses first and 3 ask for an associate degree.

Is there free massage therapy school in the US?

Does WIOA pay for job training? Who qualifies and how to apply

Other training by state

Approved programs per field across every state. Each opens that field's comparison by state.

Where the massage therapy program numbers by state come from

Which massage therapy programs are counted?

Programs each state approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), from the US Department of Labor's file for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025), covering programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).7 Schools that never applied for approval are missing.

What the figures for each state mean

Each figure is the middle program among those that report it: half did better, half did worse. Prices are what most programs cost if you pay yourself (the middle half). Earnings are for the second quarter after students left, times four. Where a figure is missing, the table says why: "Not reported", "Left out" or "Not enough data" (what each means).

Sources for the facts about massage therapy school

Show the 7 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Massage Therapists
  2. Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards: Examination (MBLEx)
  3. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  4. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  5. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  6. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  7. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List