Side-by-side distribution
Esthetician
$87,360
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 88.2%
- Live roles
- 17
Massage Therapist
$41,600
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 17.9%
- Live roles
- 28
Highest-paying jobs
Licensed Esthetician (Full-time)
Licensed Esthetician - Southern California
Licensed Esthetician - New Jersey
Licensed Esthetician - Northern California
Licensed Esthetician - Washington
Master Licensed Esthetician (Full-time)
Licensed Esthetician (Laser Certification) (Full-time)
Licensed Esthetician - Texas
Licensed Esthetician - Colorado
Advanced Licensed Esthetician (Part-time)
Highest-paying jobs
Licensed Massage Therapist
Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) – $25–$26/hr | No Weekends | Chiropractic Setting
Massage Therapist, Urbana Country Club
Thai - Speaking Massage Therapist Opportunity in Europe
Spa Massage Therapist
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
OrangeTwist
|
$93,600 | 11 |
Centura College
|
$39,520 | 2 |
|
Urbana Country Club
|
$41,600 | 1 |
|
East Bank Club
|
$13,520 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Upstream Rehabilitation
|
$72,800 | 1 |
|
Sustainable Talent
|
$53,040 | 1 |
|
Urbana Country Club
|
$41,600 | 1 |
|
Apt Resources
|
$15,092 | 1 |
|
East Bank Club
|
$14,560 | 1 |
Esthetician vs Massage Therapist: which pays more?
The median for Esthetician is $87,360 per year (typically $61,880–$93,600), versus $41,600 for Massage Therapist ($15,092–$53,040). That puts Esthetician about 110% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Esthetician and Massage Therapist are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.