Also called: Sports Massage Therapist, Recovery Specialist
Uses massage to help athletes recover, prevent injuries, and stay loose.
They work on athletes before and after games, at marathon finish lines, and in recovery clinics. Knowing anatomy and muscle injuries is key. Some travel with teams.
Based on BLS massage therapists, May 2024 estimates; many are paid per session.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 1 year after high school. Certificate from a massage therapy program (500-1,000 hours) plus state license.
Ways in: Trade school, Certification. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Massage Therapy (trade school).
Growing much faster than average (about 15% over 10 years). Much-faster-than-average growth projected.
Low risk for 10 years. Massage robots exist, but hands-on work with athletes and reading their bodies stays human.
Classes: Anatomy and physiology, Health science CTE, Physical education.
Official data: O*NET occupation 31-9011.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.