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Massage Therapy Schools in California
45 schools in California offer massage therapy-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data. Prefer to earn while you learn? 1 registered apprenticeship program in California trains massage therapy apprentices — see apprenticeships.
Occupation pay is what working massage therapy professionals in California earn (all experience levels) — school "earnings" figures above are medians for each school's recent federally-aided students across all its programs, which read lower.
Massage Therapy licensing in California: Licensed at city/county level
California has no mandatory state massage license — regulation is set at the city and county level, and requirements vary by jurisdiction. The statewide alternative is voluntary certification from the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), which takes 500 hours at a CAMTC-approved school plus a background check and lets you work in any California city or county without pulling a local permit. Many cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, require either CAMTC certification or a local massage permit, so check the rules where you plan to practice.
Official source: California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC) — state-authorized certifying body; permits issued by cities/counties · Exam: No state exam; CAMTC certification currently requires approved schooling and a background check rather than a written exam · Typical requirement: CAMTC certification: minimum 500 hours at a CAMTC-approved school (at least 100 in anatomy/physiology, contraindications, hygiene, business/ethics) plus a Live Scan background check; local permit requirements vary by city/county
Official license records related to massage therapy in California
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- Kinesiological Electromyography (KEMG) Certificate — Department of Consumer Affairs~Physical Therapy Board of California
- Occupational Therapist — Department of Consumer Affairs~California Board of Occupational Therapy
- Physical Therapist — Department of Consumer Affairs~Physical Therapy Board of California
- Physical Therapist Assistant — Department of Consumer Affairs~Physical Therapy Board of California
- Registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (AMFT) , Registration — Department of Consumer Affairs~Board of Behavioral Sciences
- Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), License — Department of Consumer Affairs~Board of Behavioral Sciences
Wage and license data provided by CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration (DOLETA) and Minnesota DEED.
Schools, ranked by earnings per tuition dollar
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Skyline College | San Bruno | public | $1,738 | 26.7% | $55,702 |
| De Anza College | Cupertino | public | $6,642 | 43.6% | $56,596 |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Santa Rosa | public | $6,331 | 35% | $47,224 |
| MiraCosta College | Oceanside | public | $7,339 | 28.4% | $43,845 |
| Ohlone College | Fremont | public | $11,130 | 26% | $54,278 |
| CET-Salinas | Salinas | private nonprofit | $6,924 | 70.6% | $32,986 |
| Monterey Peninsula College | Monterey | public | $11,373 | 16.2% | $42,176 |
| Downey Adult School | Downey | public | $13,695 | 45.6% | $46,851 |
| CET-San Jose | San Jose | private nonprofit | $16,101 | 79.6% | $32,986 |
| Angeles College | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $28,639 | 84.6% | $49,108 |
| American College of Healthcare and Technology | Riverside | private for-profit | $19,649 | 79.7% | $31,109 |
| Southern California University of Health Sciences | Whittier | private nonprofit | $45,848 | 65.3% | $70,649 |
| Blake Austin College | Vacaville | private for-profit | $29,136 | 81.3% | $42,518 |
| Institute for Business and Technology | San Jose | private for-profit | $27,207 | 83% | $38,015 |
| North-West College-Anaheim | Anaheim | private for-profit | $28,922 | 53.5% | $39,876 |
| Milan Institute-Visalia | Visalia | private for-profit | $24,040 | 49.6% | $32,493 |
| North-West College-Pomona | Pomona | private for-profit | $30,851 | 67.5% | $39,876 |
| North-West College-West Covina | West Covina | private for-profit | $30,332 | 67.1% | $37,542 |
| North-West College-Riverside | Riverside | private for-profit | $33,139 | 62.1% | $39,876 |
| Milan Institute-Palm Desert | Palm Desert | private for-profit | $24,730 | 52.3% | $29,491 |
| American Career College-Los Angeles | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $32,408 | 70.8% | $38,430 |
| Southern California Health Institute | North Hollywood | private for-profit | $29,326 | 84.5% | $34,558 |
| Mayfield College | Cathedral City | private for-profit | $24,948 | 79.8% | $29,384 |
| California Healing Arts College | Carson | private for-profit | $21,504 | 64.4% | $25,151 |
| American Career College-Ontario | Ontario | private for-profit | $33,431 | 70.6% | $38,492 |
| Fremont University | Cerritos | private for-profit | $34,483 | 63.4% | $39,003 |
| International School of Beauty Inc | Palm Desert | private for-profit | $18,347 | 88.5% | $19,799 |
| Milan Institute-Clovis | Clovis | private for-profit | $23,238 | 60.3% | $24,879 |
| Carrington College-Stockton | Stockton | private for-profit | $37,481 | 69.5% | $39,633 |
| Milan Institute-Bakersfield | Bakersfield | private for-profit | $24,487 | 52.5% | $24,879 |
| North-West College-Van Nuys | Van Nuys | private for-profit | $31,999 | 61.3% | $32,488 |
| Carrington College-Sacramento | Sacramento | private for-profit | $41,338 | 71.3% | $39,633 |
| National Holistic Institute | Emeryville | private for-profit | $33,287 | 74.6% | $27,978 |
| Bellus Academy-Poway | Poway | private for-profit | $32,767 | 69.4% | $25,223 |
| Los Angeles College of Aesthetics | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $21,911 | 85.3% | $16,540 |
| Coastline Beauty College | Fountain Valley | private for-profit | $22,007 | 85.6% | $11,585 |
| Pacific College of Health and Science | San Diego | private for-profit | $51,918 | 55.8% | $26,209 |
| Healing Hands School of Holistic Health | Escondido | private for-profit | $52,498 | 66.7% | $24,366 |
| American Institute of Massage Therapy | Santa Ana | private for-profit | $9,364 | 97.5% | not reported |
| Universal Healthcare Careers College | Los Angeles | private for-profit | $25,414 | 90.1% | not reported |
| San Bernardino Beauty College | San Bernardino | private for-profit | $29,459 | 81.8% | not reported |
| ICOHS College | San Diego | private nonprofit | $99,682 | 58.7% | not reported |
| Victory Career College | Carson | private for-profit | not reported | 87.7% | not reported |
| San Francisco School of Massage & Bodywork | San Francisco | private for-profit | $33,402 | not reported | not reported |
| CalCopa Massage School | Huntington Beach | private for-profit | $36,241 | not reported | not reported |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Figures are institution-wide federal medians for each school as a whole — not massage therapy graduates specifically. Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
Common questions: Massage Therapy school in California
- How much do Massage Therapy schools cost in California?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 45 massage therapy schools in California is $27,923. Individual schools range widely — the table above shows each school's real cost, not sticker price.
- Do you need a license to work as a massage therapy in California?
- California has no mandatory state massage license — regulation is set at the city and county level, and requirements vary by jurisdiction. The statewide alternative is voluntary certification from the California Massage Therapy Council (CAMTC), which takes 500 hours at a CAMTC-approved school plus a background check and lets you work in any California city or county without pulling a local permit. Many cities, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, require either CAMTC certification or a local massage permit, so check the rules where you plan to practice.
- Can you get paid to train as a massage therapy in California?
- Yes — California has 1 registered apprenticeship program where you earn wages while you train instead of paying tuition. See the massage therapy apprenticeships page for the current list.
- What does a massage therapy earn in California?
- Working massage therapy professionals in California earn a median of $45,970 per year, ranging from about $34,320 to $89,880 (U.S. Department of Labor). This is what people in the job earn, which differs from a school's reported graduate-earnings figure.
Aid deadlines for massage therapy programs in California
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Massage Therapy schools in nearby states
- Massage Therapy schools in Alabama
- Massage Therapy schools in Arizona
- Massage Therapy schools in Arkansas
See all states & the full massage therapy guide →