Healthcare Support · SOC 31-9011
Massage therapy is fundamentally tactile — skilled manual soft tissue work cannot be replicated by any current AI.
Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
Timeline: Massage chairs automate relaxation but not therapeutic treatment; licensed massage therapists face economic pressure from cheaper alternatives, not meaningful AI displacement, through 2035.
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Healthcare Support
$37,700 median pay
Healthcare Support
$41,590 median pay
$46,050 median pay
$39,530 median pay
AI job-risk card
Massage Therapists is resilient on AIFear. Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
AIFear.com
Our AI Fear Score for Massage Therapists is 12/100 (Resilient). Hands-on, interpersonal or high-stakes work AI struggles to replace.
12 out of 100, based on an AI-model review of this occupation's O*NET tasks against what current AI can actually do.
Most exposed: Initial soft tissue and range-of-motion assessment, Preparing and blending treatment oils. Harder to automate: Manual massage and kneading of muscles and soft tissue, Developing individualized client treatment plans, Maintaining sanitation and restocking supplies, Building therapeutic client relationships.
Lean into Anatomy and soft tissue assessment, Client intake and treatment planning, Specialized modalities (sports, prenatal, myofascial), Client relationship management. Consider roles such as Physical therapist aide or Spa or wellness director or Occupational therapy aide.
Tasks, skills and AI-exposure for this role were reviewed by an AI model against its O*NET task profile (curated roles use published research anchors). Pay and employment, where shown, are U.S. BLS OEWS (May 2024) figures. This is an estimate, not a prediction about any individual's job. Compare all occupations.