Massage Therapist vs Pharmacist

Side-by-side license comparison

Live DataLast updated: April 13, 2026·Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards

Quick Verdict

Higher Earning

Pharmacist

Easier to Obtain

Massage Therapist

Lower Fee

Massage Therapist

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Massage Therapist	Pharmacist
Category	Personal Care	Healthcare
Median Salary	$53,530	$136,030
Avg Initial Fee	$145	$402
Difficulty	Low-Medium	Very High
Education	500-1000 hours training	PharmD (6 years)
Exam	MBLEx	NAPLEX + MPJE
Time to License	6-12 months	6-8 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	24 hrs	30 hrs
States Requiring	42 of 53	53 of 53

Salary Comparison

Massage Therapist

Median Salary$53,530

Avg Salary$53,530

Avg License Fee$145

Pharmacist

Median Salary$136,030

Avg Salary$136,030

Avg License Fee$402

Pharmacist earns $82,500 more per year on average. Over a 10-year career span, that adds up to approximately $825,000 in additional earnings.

Explore Each Occupation

Massage TherapistView all 53 state requirements PharmacistView all 53 state requirements

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LicenseWize Editorial TeamData Specialists

The LicenseWize editorial team aggregates and verifies licenses data from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.

✓ Sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics & State Licensing Boards✓ Quarterly review✓ No paid placements

Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Massage Therapist or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher median salary at $136,030 per year, compared to $53,530 for Massage Therapist — a difference of $82,500 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Massage Therapist or a Pharmacist?

Massage Therapist licensing is rated Low-Medium difficulty, while Pharmacist is rated Very High. Massage Therapist requires 500-1000 hours training and typically takes 6-12 months, compared to PharmD (6 years) and 6-8 years for Pharmacist.

Which license costs more: Massage Therapist or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher average initial fee of $402, while Massage Therapist averages $145 — a difference of $257.

Do all states require a license for Massage Therapist and Pharmacist?

Massage Therapist requires licensing in 42 of 53 jurisdictions, while Pharmacist requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Massage Therapist or Pharmacist?

Massage Therapist typically takes 6-12 months from start to licensure, while Pharmacist takes 6-8 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.

Detailed Comparison

Metric	Massage Therapist	Pharmacist
Category	Personal Care	Healthcare
Median Salary	$53,530	$136,030
Avg Initial Fee	$145	$402
Difficulty	Low-Medium	Very High
Education	500-1000 hours training	PharmD (6 years)
Exam	MBLEx	NAPLEX + MPJE
Time to License	6-12 months	6-8 years
Renewal Period	Every 2 yr	Every 2 yr
CE Hours / Cycle	24 hrs	30 hrs
States Requiring	42 of 53	53 of 53

Frequently Asked Questions

Which pays more: Massage Therapist or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher median salary at $136,030 per year, compared to $53,530 for Massage Therapist — a difference of $82,500 annually.

Is it harder to get licensed as a Massage Therapist or a Pharmacist?

Which license costs more: Massage Therapist or Pharmacist?

Pharmacist has a higher average initial fee of $402, while Massage Therapist averages $145 — a difference of $257.

Do all states require a license for Massage Therapist and Pharmacist?

Massage Therapist requires licensing in 42 of 53 jurisdictions, while Pharmacist requires it in 53 of 53 jurisdictions. Requirements vary significantly by state.

Which career is faster to enter: Massage Therapist or Pharmacist?

Massage Therapist typically takes 6-12 months from start to licensure, while Pharmacist takes 6-8 years. Consider both the time investment and earning potential when making your decision.