Home › Illinois › Massage Therapy schools
Massage Therapy Schools in Illinois
24 schools in Illinois offer massage therapy-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data.
Occupation pay is what working massage therapy professionals in Illinois 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 Illinois: State license required
Illinois requires a state license from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to practice massage therapy. Applicants complete 600 hours of supervised instruction in an approved program, pass the MBLEx or NCBTMB exam, and clear a fingerprint background check. Renewal is every two years with 25 hours of continuing education, including a required hour on domestic violence and sexual assault awareness starting with the 2026 renewal.
Official source: Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), Massage Licensing Board · Exam: MBLEx (FSMTB) or NCBTMB examination · Typical requirement: 600 clock hours of supervised classroom and hands-on instruction in an approved program; age 18+, high school diploma, fingerprint criminal background check; roughly $225 in initial fees
Official license records related to massage therapy in Illinois
From the U.S. Department of Labor's License Finder — these may include contractor, specialty, or related licenses beyond entry-level requirements:
- MASSAGE THERAPISTS — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- Massage Therapy — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- RADIATION THERAPIST — Illinois Emergency Management Agency
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
- PHYSICAL THERAPIST ASSISTANT — Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Valley Community College | Oglesby | public | $2,232 | 37.2% | $40,810 |
| Lake Land College | Mattoon | public | $2,254 | 55% | $38,877 |
| Moraine Valley Community College | Palos Hills | public | $2,829 | 29.6% | $43,892 |
| Kishwaukee College | Malta | public | $4,574 | 36.6% | $39,657 |
| Morton College | Cicero | public | $5,191 | 26.2% | $42,406 |
| Shawnee Community College | Ullin | public | $4,162 | 42.1% | $32,999 |
| Elgin Community College | Elgin | public | $6,026 | 32.5% | $45,516 |
| John A Logan College | Carterville | public | $5,541 | 31.7% | $34,096 |
| College of Lake County | Grayslake | public | $7,607 | 34.1% | $43,424 |
| Parkland College | Champaign | public | $8,048 | 29.5% | $38,320 |
| City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College | Chicago | public | $7,220 | 28.8% | $32,427 |
| William Rainey Harper College | Palatine | public | $11,607 | 38.4% | $48,071 |
| Waubonsee Community College | Sugar Grove | public | $11,442 | 32.2% | $44,788 |
| Illinois Eastern Community Colleges | Olney | public | $10,092 | 56.1% | $37,533 |
| Southwestern Illinois College | Belleville | public | $10,427 | 33.1% | $36,884 |
| Southeastern Illinois College | Harrisburg | public | $11,437 | 39.3% | $33,763 |
| Illinois Central College | East Peoria | public | $12,961 | 36.3% | $37,366 |
| Estelle Medical Academy | Skokie | private for-profit | $8,628 | 92.2% | $24,290 |
| Universal Spa Training Academy | Downers Grove | private for-profit | $21,965 | 95.1% | $41,928 |
| First Institute of Travel Inc. | Crystal Lake | private for-profit | $20,528 | 74.8% | $36,196 |
| University of Spa & Cosmetology Arts | Springfield | private for-profit | $16,000 | 61.8% | $27,084 |
| Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois | Springfield | private for-profit | $27,793 | 71.9% | $33,601 |
| Pacific College of Health and Science | Chicago | private for-profit | not reported | 35.7% | $26,209 |
| Soma Institute-The National School of Clinical Massage Therapy | Chicago | private for-profit | not reported | not reported | $32,349 |
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 Illinois
- How much do Massage Therapy schools cost in Illinois?
- The median annual net price (what students actually pay after aid) across 24 massage therapy schools in Illinois is $8,338. 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 Illinois?
- Illinois requires a state license from the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) to practice massage therapy. Applicants complete 600 hours of supervised instruction in an approved program, pass the MBLEx or NCBTMB exam, and clear a fingerprint background check. Renewal is every two years with 25 hours of continuing education, including a required hour on domestic violence and sexual assault awareness starting with the 2026 renewal.
- What does a massage therapy earn in Illinois?
- Working massage therapy professionals in Illinois earn a median of $60,490 per year, ranging from about $33,770 to $82,910 (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 Illinois
Federal and state aid programs have windows and deadlines. Get them for your trade and state, plus program matches.
We may share your info with matched school and program partners so they can contact you about enrollment. Unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.
Massage Therapy schools in nearby states
- Massage Therapy schools in Alabama
- Massage Therapy schools in Arizona
- Massage Therapy schools in Arkansas
- Massage Therapy schools in California
- Massage Therapy schools in Colorado
- Massage Therapy schools in Connecticut
- Massage Therapy schools in Delaware
- Massage Therapy schools in Florida
- Massage Therapy schools in Georgia
- Massage Therapy schools in Idaho
See all states & the full massage therapy guide →