Do massage therapists need a license in Ohio?

Yes. Ohio requires state-level licensing or registration for massage therapists, administered by the State Medical Board of Ohio. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements.

How to Become a Massage Therapist in Ohio (2026)

Q: How long does massage therapist training take in Ohio?

Most people become a Massage Therapist in Ohio through a board-approved massage program that meets this state's hour requirement, an exam (often MBLEx), and a state massage license where required.

Q: How much do massage therapists earn in Ohio?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), massage therapists in Ohio earned a median annual wage of approximately $55,990. Employment concentration in Ohio is roughly 0.50 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for massage therapists in Ohio?

Ohio currently employs approximately 1,760 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 15.4% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

Ohio employs about 1,760 massage therapists earning a median $55,990 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 State Medical Board of Ohio.

Key Facts

Median wage (Ohio): $55,990/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Employed in Ohio: 1,760 workers (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Location quotient: 0.50x U.S. average (Source: BLS OEWS, 2025)
Projected growth: 15.4% (2024-2034) (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024)
Licensing/credentialing body: State Medical Board of Ohio (Source: State licensing agency, 2025)

Compare Massage Therapist Schools in Ohio

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	EHOVE Career Center	75.4	Contact school for pricing	$50,326	89%	—	31 mi
2	Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County	71.2	Contact school for pricing	$46,534	83%	—	55 mi
3	Lorain County Community College	58.2	Contact school for pricing	$52,814	32%	Yes*	41 mi
4	Columbus State Community College	56.1	Contact school for pricing	$52,681	28%	Yes*	70 mi
5	Cuyahoga Community College District	47.6	Contact school for pricing	$49,698	30%	Yes*	57 mi
6	Orion Institute	47.0	Contact school for pricing	$24,826	Not reported	—	75 mi
7	Stark State College	46.3	Contact school for pricing	$49,440	23%	Yes*	53 mi
8	Hocking College	44.3	Contact school for pricing	$44,764	Not reported	Yes*	102 mi
9	Raphael's School of Beauty Culture Inc-Boardman	39.2	Contact school for pricing	$20,189	70%	—	93 mi
10	American Institute of Alternative Medicine	38.6	Contact school for pricing	$56,477	Not reported	—	62 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.

Ohio employs approximately 1,760 massage therapists according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $55,990 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 Ohio, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: board-approved massage therapy program (find programs)
Typical timeline: a board-approved massage program that meets this state’s hour requirement, an exam (often MBLEx), and a state massage license where required
Licensing authority: State Medical Board of Ohio
Exam: MBLEx or the exam the board uses
Median wage (Ohio): $55,990 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Massage Therapist in Ohio

How to become a Massage Therapist in Ohio? 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 State Medical Board of Ohio.

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 State Medical Board of Ohio.

Do I need a license in Ohio? Yes. Ohio credentials this role through State Medical Board of Ohio ³. See the licensing section below.

What do massage therapists earn in Ohio? The median annual wage for massage therapists in Ohio is $55,990 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $40,340 and experienced professionals can earn $78,520 or more ¹.

How to Become a Massage Therapist in Ohio

Meet board entry rules. Confirm age and education rules with State Medical Board of Ohio. Do not treat minimum age as years of work.
Complete a board-approved massage program. Finish the hour requirement State Medical Board of Ohio publishes. Confirm the current total with the board. This is not a DAS registered apprenticeship.
Pass MBLEx or the state exam. Most states use MBLEx. Confirm with State Medical Board of Ohio.
Apply for the massage license. Apply to State Medical Board of Ohio 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 Ohio

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

Typical path

Complete a board-approved program.
Pass MBLEx or the state exam.
Apply to State Medical Board of Ohio.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with State Medical Board of Ohio before you enroll.

Massage Therapist Wages by Metro Area in Ohio

Massage Therapists Wages by Metro Area in Ohio

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

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
Cincinnati	440	$55,990	$60,080	$45,970	$98,010
Columbus	390	$57,580	$57,930	$40,690	$77,030
Cleveland	350	$54,770	$56,260	$38,640	$75,470
Akron	190	$47,990	$53,830	$44,330	$73,470
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek	130	$56,720	$55,320	$40,280	$71,530
Toledo	90	$54,850	$55,800	$40,860	$71,040
Youngstown-Warren	40	$57,130	$63,290	$42,310	$95,110
Huntington-Ashland	40	$44,150	$43,130	$26,310	$62,820
Canton-Massillon	30	$50,980	$48,760	$31,930	$59,750

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 Ohio? Ohio currently employs approximately 1,760 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 Ohio with an out-of-state license? Contact the State Medical Board of Ohio for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

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

How much do massage therapists earn in Ohio compared to the national average? The median annual wage for massage therapists in Ohio is $55,990, which is $1,960 below the national median of $57,950 according to BLS data ¹.

In Ohio

Ohio Trade Schools 2026: Programs, Costs, Licensing

Top local programs

Explore More Trades in Ohio

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

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
State Medical Board of Ohio - Licensing Information: https://www.med.ohio.gov ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

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

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / 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)