How to Become a Massage Therapist in Mississippi (2026)

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Mississippi employs about 230 massage therapists earning a median $40,490 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 MS State Board of Massage Therapy.

Compare Massage Therapist Schools in Mississippi

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
161.6Contact school for pricingNot reported84%—170 mi
253.5$3,710 in-state / $6,610 out-of-state$39,98439%Yes*28 mi
352.2$3,700 in-state / $6,100 out-of-state$43,60337%Yes*133 mi
451.3$4,250 in-state / $7,850 out-of-state$44,10348%Yes*139 mi
5Not ratedContact school for pricingNot reported100%—166 mi
644.4Contact school for pricing$26,35280%—166 mi
744.0Contact school for pricing$34,50165%—155 mi
837.4Contact school for pricing$32,03271%—163 mi
936.3Contact school for pricing$26,64470%—168 mi
1036.0Contact school for pricing$34,50155%—164 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.

Mississippi employs approximately 230 massage therapists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $40,490 1. 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 Mississippi, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Quick Answers About How to Become a Massage Therapist in Mississippi

How to become a Massage Therapist in Mississippi? 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 MS State Board of Massage Therapy.

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 MS State Board of Massage Therapy.

Do I need a license in Mississippi? Yes. Mississippi credentials this role through MS State Board of Massage Therapy 3. See the licensing section below.

What do massage therapists earn in Mississippi? The median annual wage for massage therapists in Mississippi is $40,490 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $28,820 and experienced professionals can earn $103,020 or more 1.

How to Become a Massage Therapist in Mississippi

  1. Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with MS State Board of Massage Therapy. Do not treat minimum age as years of work.
  2. Complete a board-approved massage program. Finish the hour requirement MS State Board of Massage Therapy 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 MS State Board of Massage Therapy.
  4. Apply for the massage license. Apply to MS State Board of Massage Therapy 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 Mississippi

Massage therapists in Mississippi complete board-approved hours, pass an exam (often MBLEx), and apply to MS State Board of Massage Therapy where the state licenses the trade. See MS State Board of Massage Therapy 3.

Typical path

  1. Complete a board-approved program.

  2. Pass MBLEx or the state exam.

  3. Apply to MS State Board of Massage Therapy.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with MS State Board of Massage Therapy before you enroll.

Massage Therapist Wages by Metro Area in Mississippi

Massage Therapists Wages by Metro Area in Mississippi

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

Metro AreaEmploymentMedian Annual WageAvg. Annual WageEntry Level
(10th pctile)		Experienced
(90th pctile)
Memphis160$47,320$52,400$27,690$90,920
Jackson90$45,090$53,740$39,410$107,560
Gulfport-Biloxi80$36,920$42,670$25,990$107,840

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 Mississippi? Mississippi currently employs approximately 230 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 Mississippi with an out-of-state license? Contact the MS State Board of Massage Therapy for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

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

How much do massage therapists earn in Mississippi compared to the national average? The median annual wage for massage therapists in Mississippi is $40,490, which is $17,460 below the national median of $57,950 according to BLS data 1.

In Mississippi

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. MS State Board of Massage Therapy - Licensing Information: https://www.msbmt.ms.gov/ ↩︎ ↩︎

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)