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Complementary Medicine Practitioner, Manual Therapist, Masseur, Masseuse
In Canada, the federal government groups and organizes occupations based on a National Occupational Classification (NOC) system. This alis occupation may not reflect the entire NOC group it is part of. Data for the NOC group can apply across multiple occupations.
The NOC system is updated every 5 years to reflect changes in the labour market. Government forms and labour market data may group and refer to an occupation differently, depending on the system used.
Here is how this occupation has been classified over time.
2006 NOC
2006 NOC-S
2011 NOC
2016 NOC
2021 NOC
2023 OaSIS
Massage therapists may be trained in various massage techniques, including:
In general, they:
Massage therapists may work in private practice or as part of a multidisciplinary health-care team. They usually work with one client at a time. Therapists may often help or assist clients onto or off the treatment table. Those who travel to client offices and homes must lift and move equipment that weighs up to 35 kilograms.
The work is physically demanding. It requires standing for long periods of time. Hours of work depend on each work setting and therapist. Some massage therapists work evenings and weekends. Others work part time in several locations.
Full-time work for a massage therapist is considered to be 5 massage treatments a day for 5 days weekly. That works out to 25 hours of treatment time. An additional 5 to 7 hours of record-keeping and other duties make for a total of 30-32 hours of work.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
To find out how well this occupation fits your work personality types, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Click or tap a personality type for its description.
Find other alis occupations that match this occupation’s work personalities.
To identify or change your work personalities, complete the Work Personalities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2023 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Massage therapists
2023 OaSIS: 32201.00
The graph below shows how well your scores match the overall abilities for this occupation.
The closer your ability scores are to the center, the more they match this occupation’s. The further away they are, the less they match this occupation’s.
The lower your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the more challenging the occupation will likely be for you. The higher your ability scores are compared to the occupation’s, the less challenging the occupation will likely be for you.
To find out how well this occupation fits your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
The 49 abilities are grouped into 5 abilities sets: Critical Thinking, Numbers and Patterns, Physical Activity, Mind-Body Coordination, and Senses.
Some abilities are more relevant to an occupation than other abilities. Individual abilities that are not relevant to an occupation are greyed out.
To fill in or change the values for your abilities, complete the Abilities Quiz in Find Your Fit.
Critical Thinking includes 9 abilities related to identifying and solving problems, thinking of ideas, and communication, such as speaking and writing.
This is how well your scores match the set of Critical Thinking abilities for this occupation:
Numbers and Patterns includes 10 abilities related to math, memorizing, and multitasking. It also includes how we perceive patterns, shapes, and distances.
This is how well your scores match the set of Numbers and Patterns abilities for this occupation:
Physical Activity includes 9 abilities related to strength, balance, flexibility, coordination, and endurance.
This is how well your scores match the set of Physical Activity abilities for this occupation:
Mind-Body Coordination includes 9 abilities related to movement control and how we react to signals. It also includes fine motor skills, such finger and hand dexterity and hand-eye coordination.
This is how well your scores match the set of Mind-Body Coordination abilities for this occupation:
Senses includes 12 abilities related to seeing, hearing, and speaking.
This is how well your scores match the set of Senses abilities for this occupation:
Massage therapists need:
They should enjoy:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
This chart shows which job skills are currently in highest demand for this occupational group. It was created using this occupation's 111 most recent Alberta job postings, collected between Oct 11, 2024 and Nov 03, 2025.
Review these skills to learn:
| Tasks: Administer massage techniques through soft tissue manipulation, relaxation techniques, hydrotherapy, trigger point therapy, joint pain and lower grade mobilizations | 87 |
|---|---|
| Tasks: Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body | 85 |
| Tasks: Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body | 77 |
| Tasks: Assess clients by conducting range of motion and muscle tests and propose treatment plans | 72 |
| Tasks: Maintain records of treatments given | 68 |
| Tasks: Explain procedures, risks and benefits to clients | 62 |
| Tasks: Suggest home care instructions and provide information about techniques | 55 |
| Certificates, Licences, Memberships, and Courses : Certification by a provincial or territorial association for massage therapists | 47 |
| Construction Specialization: Client focus | 45 |
| Financial benefits: Gratuities | 32 |
Massage therapy is not a regulated health profession in Alberta.
Some municipalities require massage therapists to be licensed under local bylaws or to provide an annual police security clearance.
To join a professional massage therapy association, a student must complete an educational program of no less than 2,200 hours of training. This is also required for clients to have treatment costs reimbursed by health benefits insurance companies.
Several private vocational schools in Alberta offer training programs, often in specific massage techniques. Before choosing a training program, prospective massage therapists should discuss their education options with people who already work in this field.
Massage therapists should attend ongoing professional development workshops to keep their skills up to date. Continuing education programs may be offered on an as-needed basis.
The following schools offer programs and courses that meet this occupation’s educational requirements. Other eligible programs and courses may be available.
The following schools offer programs or courses that are related to this occupation but are not required to enter the field.
To expand or narrow your program options, visit Post-Secondary Programs and start your search with:
Completing a program does not guarantee entrance into an occupation. Before enrolling in an education program, prospective students should look into various sources for education options and employment possibilities. For example, contact associations and employers in this field.
There is currently no provincial legislation regulating this occupation in Alberta.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Most massage therapists are self-employed. They work as independent contractors. They may travel to clients’ offices or homes, or they may work in:
Massage therapists may also work in clinics shared with other health-care providers. These may include:
Advancement in this field most often takes the form of building a larger client base. Business management skills are an asset.
This section shows the industries where the majority of people in this occupation work. The data is based on the 2016 Census.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Massage therapists
2016 NOC: 3236
84.4% of people in this occupational group work in:
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
This section shows the Alberta job market condition, or short-term demand forecast, for this occupation over a 3-year period. It also shows the number of people employed in the occupation.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2024-2026 Alberta Short-Term Employment Forecast
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
To see data for all occupations, visit Occupations in Demand.
This section shows the employment outlook for this occupation in Alberta over a 5-year period.
Employment outlook is influenced by a wide variety of factors including:
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2016 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups.
Source: 2021-2025 Alberta Regional Occupational Demand Outlook
Annual growth is from 2021 to 2025. New positions created each year are in addition to job openings created by employment turnover.
NOC groups often include several related occupations. Although there is labour market data for the larger NOC group, this occupation makes up only a part of that group. It means data for this occupation may be different than the data shown. For examples, see Note.
Employment turnover is expected to increase as members of the baby boom generation retire over the next few years.
Income in this occupation depends on the type of employment, location, and number of clients. Massage therapists may charge from $40 to $90 for a half-hour treatment and $65 to $175 for a 1-hour treatment (2024 estimates).
Massage therapists generally bill 20 to 30 client hours a week, depending on their schedule.
Massage therapists who contract their services to clinics often receive a percentage (60%-80%) of billings.
In Alberta, this occupation is part of 1 or more 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) groups. If there are multiple related NOC groups, select a NOC heading to learn about each one.
Unless otherwise noted, the data shown here is for all industries and all regions in Alberta.
All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production), and other forms of compensation.
To see the full survey data for this NOC group, visit the wage profile.
Other wage sources
To make an informed wage and salary decision, research other wage sources to supplement this data.
Lower Reliability, represents a CV of between 15.01% and 33.00% and/or if fewer than 20 survey observations and/or if survey observations represent less than 33% of all estimated employment for the occupation.
| Wages* | Low (5th percentile) | High (95th percentile) | Average | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starting | $16.23 | $48.00 | $35.07 | $35.71 |
| Overall | $19.16 | $52.00 | $38.85 | $38.46 |
| Top | $19.66 | $60.44 | $54.23 | $60.44 |
Swipe left and right to view all data. Scroll left and right to view all data.
* All wage estimates are hourly except where otherwise indicated. Wages and salaries do not include overtime hours, tips, benefits, profit shares, bonuses (unrelated to production) and other forms of compensation.
Pay brackets for hourly wages
| ALL INDUSTRIES | $67,509 |
|---|---|
| Health Care & Social Assistance | $72,408 |
Canadian Council of Massage Therapy Schools (CCMTS) website: www.ccmts.ca
Canadian Massage and Manual Osteopathic Therapists Association (CMMOTA) website: cmmota.com
Canadian Massage Therapy Council for Accreditation (CMTA) website: www.cmtca.ca
Canadian Sport Massage Therapists Association (CSMTA) website: www.csmta.ca
Certified Registered Massage Therapist Association (CRMTA) website: crmta.com
Massage Therapists Association of Alberta (MTAA) website: www.mtaalberta.com
Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC) website: www.nhpcanada.org
Get information and referrals about career, education, and employment options from Alberta Supports.
Updated Mar 31, 2024. The information contained in this profile is current as of the dates shown. Salary, employment outlook, and educational program information may change without notice. It is advised that you confirm this information before making any career decisions.
