Harper College will be closed on Monday, September 7, in observance of Labor Day.
Interested in starting your career in massage therapy? To learn more about the Massage Therapy Program offered at Harper College, fill out our request information form.
Massage therapy is one of the oldest known health care practices. References to massage are found in ancient medical texts written more than 4,000 years ago.
Massage therapy is the manipulation of the soft tissues of the body for the purpose of enhancing health and well-being. Massage therapy consists of a group of manual techniques that include applying fixed or moving pressure, holding, and/or causing movement to parts of the body. While massage therapy is applied primarily with the hands, sometimes the forearms or elbows are used. These techniques can cause targeted effects for the muscular, skeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, nervous, and other systems of the body. Learning what those effects can be and how to use them safely and intentionally is the goal of massage therapy education.
While there are many types of massage, called modalities, the techniques taught in the training at Harper College fall into two main categories:
Relaxation Massage: also known as classic or Swedish-style massage; practiced in settings like spas, wellness centers, resorts, cruise ships and private practices
Rehabilitative Massage: sometimes called deep tissue, medical, therapeutic or clinical massage; practiced in many settings such as clinics, hospitals and chiropractic offices for patients after an injury or illness, and private practices; Techniques include trigger point therapy, myofascial release, cross-fiber friction, deep tissue (more accurately called 'specific tissue') massage, hydrotherapy and more. Students also are introduced to massage for special populations, such as the elderly, patients with cancer, and specific orthopedic conditions and injuries. The program also includes sports massage, commonly used with athletes.
Many massage therapists work in a combination of settings, sometimes including private practice and need to be able to offer a variety of technique choices for the clients in those different settings. Harper's Massage Therapy Program prepares you to use a wide variety of massage therapy skills based on what will help the patient reach their goal of that particular session.
Harper College offers a comprehensive Massage Therapy program that meets state requirements for licensure and sets our graduates on a path toward success. Harper College is one of two schools in Illinois to be accredited by both the Higher Learning Commission and the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). We offer a top-tier program with experienced faculty dedicated to your success. Being part of a community college, we are able to offer an outstanding menu of services and student benefits to aid current students and graduates, all for a virtually unbeatable in-district tuition cost.
Combining a variety of massage therapy modalities with a focus in both relaxation and rehabilitative massage approaches, our program provides a diverse education that increases a graduate's potential for working in a variety of environments.
Excellent, experienced instructors along with the combination of classroom and clinical experiences allow the student move into the profession prepared for real-world situations.
We keep our classes small to facilitate individualized attention. We maintain a maximum student:teacher ratio of 28:1 in lecture-only courses, 14:1 in lab sections and 6:1 in our clinic to ensure students can receive individual support and instruction throughout their educational journey. Throughout the entire training, our faculty members prioritize the students' learning and help prepare them for a successful career as a Licensed Massage Therapist.
We offer a full-time day program which meets three to four days per week and a part-time program that meets 2-3 weekday evenings and a longer day on Saturday. The full-time program can typically be completed in 3 semesters or about 11-months, while the part-time program can be completed in 4 semesters or roughly 17-months. Graduates are prepared to sit for the competency exam used by Illinois and most other states, the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx).
The Massage Therapy Program is offered at Harper College's main campus, located in the northwest Chicago suburb of Palatine. The program is housed in Harper's Avante Center, Building X (near Parking Lot 4). View maps and directions.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook for Massage Therapists (published 8/27/2026), employment of massage therapists is projected to grow 15 percent from 2025 to 2035, "much faster than the average" for all occupations (3% growth for all occupations nationally over the same period). Continued growth in the demand for massage therapy services will likely lead to new openings for massage therapists.
The Massage Therapy program at Harper College prepares graduates to become a state Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) and to become Board Certified for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (BCTMB).
A massage therapist can be self-employed, an hourly or salaried employee, or work as an independent contractor running their business. Common job opportunities include rehabilitation centers, salons and spas, sports clinics and sports teams, Children's Hospitals, fitness centers, medical and chiropractic clinics, geriatric/nursing homes, and many more.
Job Growth Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Massage Therapists (visited Aug 29, 2026).
Yes. The state of Illinois requires that massage therapists successfully complete a minimum of 600 hours of in-person education including hands-on training from a program which meets the state's standards. Graduates are then required to pass the national licensing exam. Harper College's Massage Therapy Program prepares students for this national licensing exam called the Massage Board Licensing Exam (MBLEx).
In Illinois a license applicant must be at least 18-years of age, have a high school diploma (or the equivalent) and must be able to pass a fingerprint-based national criminal history background check.
Important note: If a student does not have a US Social Security number, there are additional steps necessary to qualify for a license. Notify the program coordinator so these steps can be started as early as possible.
As of Aug 2026, 46 states plus the District of Columbia require a license to practice and one state (CA) has a voluntary state certification in place. MN passed a voluntary state credential in May 2026 but it will not be operational until 2028. In states without a state-level credential, (KS, WY), local jurisdictions (cities or counties) may require a local massage "license" in order to practice.
Students are strongly encouraged to research the laws and rules for the jurisdiction in which they plan to work. More information about the requirements of different states can be found at the website for the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), the most respected professional association for massage therapists. Upon successful completion of the Harper College Massage Therapy Program students will graduate with 600 clock hours of training. (Note: Completion of any massage therapy program does not guarantee licensure. It is also important to understand states can and do change their licensure requirements. Students can use the AMTA website link above to check the requirements in states they are thinking of moving to.) Reasons a state may deny licensure to an applicant include but are not limited to a finding from a criminal history background check, not completing and submitting the required application materials, not paying the application or licensing fee, failure to pass the competency examination (MBLEx), or fraud, material misrepresentation, or false information in connection with licensure.
Students in Harper College's Massage Therapy Program get a free student membership in the AMTA for their entire time as a Harper Massage Therapy student.
While there is no way to guarantee a graduate will be licensed or hired, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage reported in 2025 for massage therapists nationwide was $58,450, while the median wage in the Chicago-Elgin-Naperville region is reported as $61,200. The highest-paid 10 percent in the profession in our region made more than $83,000, while the bottom 10 percent made less than $33,770. Many massage therapists are self-employed or work part-time, so earnings widely vary.
Looking at just the cost of tuition, students who qualify to pay in-district tuition rates are charged $145.75/credit, meaning our 24-credit program tuition will cost $3,498.00 (using tuition costs in place for the 2026-27 Academic Year.) Click HERE to view a spreadsheet of the estimated costs for students qualifying for in-district tuition.
Students who live in the Harper College geographic district automatically qualify for the in-district tuition rate. If a student lives outside of the geographic district there are alternative ways to still qualify for the lower tuition rate. If the student works for an employer at a facility in the Harper College geographic district, they can apply using the Business EdVantage program. Or if they live in the district of another IL community college that does not offer a massage therapy program, they can apply to their home district college for a reciprocal agreement, (sometimes called a Joint Agreement or CAREER agreement.) This last option can work, but does take time to set up so applying early is important. In the Massage Therapy program we also offer our District Assist program, (where we connect you with local massage therapy employer partners where you can apply for an front desk or administrative role to work part or full time while you are in school to qualify for the in-district tuition rate and gets your foot in the door with a potential employer for when you complete the program and get your license). For more information contact the Program Coordinator.
In addition to tuition, there are also college registration and course fees, as well as textbooks and supplies. Overall between tuition, fees, supplies and books, the estimated grand total for the Massage Therapy Certificate Program comes to less than $5,400. This cost is spread over the number of semesters a student is in the program, so the full cost is not due all at once. That cost also includes getting the student a professional-grade massage table to practice with at home (and which is theirs to keep at the end of the program) as well as paying the cost of the Licensing Exam at graduation.
Because Harper's Massage Therapy Program is accredited, financial aid may be available for those who qualify, including grants, scholarships, and as a last resort, student loans, as well as other forms of tuition relief, such as work study as a student aide for a college administrative office. The way to access any of these forms of financial aid is to start with the FAFSA form. Once scholarships and grant opportunities have been exhausted, federal student loans may be available for those who qualify as a last resort. For more information, contact the massage therapy Program Coordinator.
There are no prerequisite courses to complete prior to starting the Massage Therapy program.
There is a Program Admissions process, and motivated students can complete these steps fairly quickly.
Once a student has attained Conditional Program Acceptance status, there is a Program Orientation session that must be completed. There is no cost to attend the Orientation session, but registration is required.
The full-time program starts every Fall semester and typically takes 3 semesters to complete, (Fall-Spring-Summer), or roughly 11 calendar months. In this program structure, students attend class Monday-Thursday with classes starting no earlier than 8:00 A.M. and typically ending no later than 3:30 p.m.
The part-time program starts every January and typically takes 4 semesters to complete (Spring-Summer-Fall-Spring) or roughly 17 calendar months. In this program structure, students attend class 2-3 evenings per week and a full day Saturday with classes during the week starting no earlier than 5:30 p.m. and ending no later than 10:00 p.m. and class on Saturday typically no earlier than 8:00 A.M. and ending no later than 6:00 p.m.
(Times provided here are rough estimates and are subject to change.)
Harper's Massage Therapy Program used to be set up as a 34 credit program, calculating out to 768-clock hours of training. In Oct, 2023, the US Department of Education under the Biden/Harris administration announced a rule change that officially took effect July 1, 2024. This rule change said that for a massage program to remain eligible to offer students federal financial aid, the program's length in clock hours cannot be a single hour over the state's minimum training requirement to apply for a license. So using IL as an example, to qualify for a state massage therapy license, a graduate must have a minimum of 600-hours of training. This meant that our program must be exactly 600-hours in length - no more, no less. Our program has been approved for this change by the College's Curriculum Committee, the IL Community College Board, and our accreditor, the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA). This means Harper can continue to offer our students the ability to apply for financial aid through the federal FAFSA program. Students who start the program in the Fall 2024 semester and beyond will be in the new program which is 24 credits, which works out to exactly 600-clock hours of training.
The clinic is operated as a "teaching clinic" where each student receives individualized instruction while providing massage therapy treatments to real-world clients. The Harper Massage Therapy Clinic is on campus and simulates a real-world massage therapy working environment for our students. Students are provide massage therapy care to patients from the public under the supervision of Licensed Massage Therapists who are Massage Therapy Program faculty members.
NOTE: < em data-start="127" data-end="601">The information below is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or a determination of any individual’s eligibility for licensure. Applicants or students who are concerned that a criminal history may affect their eligibility to become a Licensed Massage Therapist in Illinois should contact the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) at 800-560-6420 and/or consult with a qualified attorney.
After graduating from the Massage Therapy Program, students who want to work as massage therapists in Illinois must apply for a state massage therapy license. As part of the licensing process, applicants must submit fingerprints for a national criminal history background check that includes both Illinois State Police and FBI records.
Having a criminal record does NOT automatically prevent someone from becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist in Illinois. Illinois law identifies a limited number of criminal convictions that are automatic bars to massage therapy licensure. According to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR), these include:
For other criminal convictions, IDFPR considers the applicant’s individual circumstances rather than automatically denying a license. Factors that may be considered include the relationship of the offense to the profession, whether there have been additional convictions, the applicant’s age at the time of the offense, completion of the sentence or probation, professional character, and evidence of rehabilitation.
IDFPR specifically notes that a criminal conviction that is not an automatic bar does not usually result in denial of licensure. Applicants may have an opportunity to provide additional information and evidence supporting their eligibility for a license.
Completion of any massage therapy education program, including Harper College’s Massage Therapy Program, does not guarantee that a graduate will qualify for or be issued an Illinois massage therapy license.
Many massage therapy students come to the profession as adult learners, career changers, or people returning to school after many years away.
In fact, the life and work experience adult learners bring with them can be a real strength. Skills such as communication, empathy, professionalism, problem-solving, and understanding how to work with different kinds of people all translate well into massage therapy practice.
It is also very common for students to feel a little nervous about returning to the classroom after a long break. You will not be expected to figure everything out on your own. Harper offers a wide range of academic and student support resources, and the Massage Therapy Program faculty, several of whom came to Massage therapy as their own second careers, are here to help you navigate the transition back to school and beyond.
No matter your age, your previous career, or how long it has been since you were last a student, there is absolutely a place for you in our classroom. For many people, massage therapy becomes an exciting new chapter — and sometimes an entirely new career.
You can do this!!
We're happy to try to help!
You are invited to connect with Jeremy Miller, Massage Therapy Program Coordinator, by email jmiller4@harpercollege.edu or by phone 847.925.6076. Students new to Harper who proactively reach out can be given an application fee waiver code and tips to navigate the Harper College application. If you'd like to set up time to meet in-person and get a tour of our massage therapy facilities, just email us at the link above - would love to meet you!
You can also attend an online Health Careers Info Session to learn more about the Massage Therapy program at Harper College - these are a great way to learn more about the program!
For more information about professional massage therapy training courses offered at Harper College, fill out our Request Information form now or visit the Massage Therapy Program main page.