How to Become a Massage Therapist in Illinois (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Illinois employs about 4,950 massage therapists earning a median $60,490 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Massage Therapist here means completing a board-approved massage program that meets this state’s hour requirement, an exam (often MBLEx), and a state massage license where required, then applying through Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Compare Massage Therapist Schools in Illinois

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#SchoolBOC Score (0–100)Tuition (published, per year)Median grad earnings (all majors)Graduation rateOnlineDistance
170.7Contact school for pricing$36,55897%—73 mi
266.2$4,560 in-state / $13,680 out-of-state$49,27345%Yes*64 mi
3Not ratedContact school for pricing$33,882Not reportedYes*91 mi
464.5$15,600$44,94081%Yes*90 mi
560.0$3,822 in-state / $9,846 out-of-state$51,35740%Yes*74 mi
659.6$3,504 in-state / $10,477 out-of-state$51,67839%Yes*60 mi
759.2$3,894 in-state / $11,874 out-of-state$56,70448%Yes*87 mi
850.5Contact school for pricing$35,67172%—89 mi
950.2$3,252 in-state / $9,516 out-of-state$54,22041%—77 mi
1049.6$5,502 in-state / $12,414 out-of-state$46,99931%—83 mi

Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

Illinois employs approximately 4,950 massage therapists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $60,490 1. The state’s concentration of massage therapist jobs is 1.28x the national average, indicating strong demand. Nationally, massage therapist employment is projected to grow 15.4% from 2024 to 2034, with about 24,700 openings per year 2. This page covers how to become a Massage Therapist in Illinois, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Quick Answers About How to Become a Massage Therapist in Illinois

How to become a Massage Therapist in Illinois? Complete a board-approved massage program that meets this state’s hour requirement, an exam (often MBLEx), and a state massage license where required. Apply through Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

How long does it take? Most people finish a board-approved massage program that meets this state’s hour requirement, an exam (often MBLEx), and a state massage license where required. Confirm current hour totals with the program and Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Do I need a license in Illinois? Yes. Illinois credentials this role through Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation 3. See the licensing section below.

What do massage therapists earn in Illinois? The median annual wage for massage therapists in Illinois is $60,490 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $33,770 and experienced professionals can earn $82,910 or more 1.

How to Become a Massage Therapist in Illinois

  1. Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. Do not treat minimum age as years of work.
  2. Complete a board-approved massage program. Finish the hour requirement Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation publishes. Confirm the current total with the board. This is not a DAS registered apprenticeship.
  3. Pass MBLEx or the state exam. Most states use MBLEx. Confirm with Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
  4. Apply for the massage license. Apply to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation before taking paying clients where the state licenses massage.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Massage Therapist License Requirements in Illinois

Massage therapists in Illinois complete board-approved hours, pass an exam (often MBLEx), and apply to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation where the state licenses the trade. See Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation 3.

Typical path

  1. Complete a board-approved program.

  2. Pass MBLEx or the state exam.

  3. Apply to Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation before you enroll.

Massage Therapist Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

Massage Therapists Wages by Metro Area in Illinois

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), massage therapists wages in Illinois vary by metro area.

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin3,890$61,200$60,770$33,770$83,000
St. Louis1,010$59,020$65,010$43,680$96,310
Rockford230$60,880$64,530$36,710$80,820
Peoria120$56,270$56,300$31,200$76,880
Champaign-Urbana110$61,170$65,650$36,940$81,260
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island100$62,400$57,420$32,960$76,390
Springfield100$61,280$64,220$37,040$81,200
Bloomington50$55,150$56,890$31,200$74,680

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for massage therapists in Illinois? Illinois currently employs approximately 4,950 massage therapists 1. Nationally, massage therapist employment is projected to grow 15.4% from 2024 to 2034 2.

Can I work as a massage therapist in Illinois with an out-of-state license? Contact the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in Illinois? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in Illinois.

How much do massage therapists earn in Illinois compared to the national average? The median annual wage for massage therapists in Illinois is $60,490, which is $2,540 above the national median of $57,950 according to BLS data 1.

In Illinois

Top local programs

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

  1. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  2. Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation - Licensing Information: https://www.idfpr.com/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)