Side-by-side distribution
Esthetician
$24.50/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 22.6%
- Live roles
- 106
Massage Therapist
$23.23/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 21.1%
- Live roles
- 308
Highest-paying jobs
Licensed Esthetician (Laser Certification) (Part-time)
Advanced Licensed Esthetician (Full-time)
Marketing Specialist - Skin Care
Esthetician - Guerlain
Esthetician – The Oak Spa, Malibu
Beauty Services Licensed Esthetician - Anastasia - Century City
Beauty Counter Manager & Licensed Esthetician - Anastasia - Del Amo Fashion Center
Beauty Counter Manager & Licensed Esthetician - Anastasia - Topanga
Beauty Services Licensed Esthetician - Spa Nordstrom - Downtown Seattle
Beauty Services Licensed Esthetician - Drybar Hair Stylist - Bellevue Square
Highest-paying jobs
Massage Therapist (as needed)
Massage Therapist
Advanced Massage Therapist
Massage Therapist
Advanced Massage Therapist
Massage Therapist, per diem - Center For Healthy Living
Massage Therapist
Registered Massage Therapist - Part Time
Massage Therapist
Massage Therapist - Per Diem
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Nordstrom
|
$57,304 | 8 |
|
Four Seasons
|
$38,064 | 3 |
|
OrangeTwist
|
$86,320 | 2 |
| PG Procter & Gamble | $82,750 | 1 |
| JK Jenni Kayne | $59,280 | 1 |
|
Loblaw
|
$51,428 | 1 |
Sono Bello
|
$47,674 | 1 |
Centura College
|
$45,760 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$42,640 | 10 |
|
Four Seasons
|
$38,064 | 7 |
Montage International
|
$35,152 | 6 |
| BI Beth Israel Lahey Health | $104,000 | 4 |
Advocate Health
|
$65,780 | 3 |
| HF Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) | $132,381 | 2 |
Trinity Health
|
$66,352 | 2 |
|
Midtown Athletic Clubs
|
$63,960 | 2 |
Massage Therapist salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| New York | $98,111 | 4 |
Esthetician vs Massage Therapist: which pays more?
The median for Esthetician is $24.50/hr per year (typically $21.50/hr–$27.75/hr), versus $23.23/hr for Massage Therapist ($16.38/hr–$31.63/hr). That puts Esthetician about 5% 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.