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17 schools in North Carolina offer massage therapy-related programs, compared below on official cost, completion, and earnings data.
North Carolina requires a state license — the Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist (LMBT) credential — from the North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy. The education minimum rose from 500 to 650 in-class hours under a 2024 law, and applicants must also pass the MBLEx or an NCBTMB exam, a jurisprudence exam, and a background check. Licenses renew every two years with 24 hours of continuing education.
Official source: North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy · Exam: MBLEx (FSMTB) or NCBTMB examination, plus the Board's North Carolina jurisprudence exam · Typical requirement: 650 hours of in-class instruction from a board-approved school (raised from 500 hours by Senate Bill 607, enacted July 2024); fingerprint background check and jurisprudence exam
| School | City | Type | Net price / yr | Completion | Earnings (10 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Johnston Community College | Smithfield | public | $1,776 | 40.5% | $37,310 |
| Lenoir Community College | Kinston | public | $4,127 | 36.3% | $33,866 |
| Sandhills Community College | Pinehurst | public | $4,157 | 35.9% | $31,656 |
| Southwestern Community College | Sylva | public | $5,207 | 41.4% | $34,145 |
| South Piedmont Community College | Polkton | public | $6,675 | 26.9% | $37,308 |
| Gaston College | Dallas | public | $6,592 | 44.1% | $35,386 |
| Pitt Community College | Winterville | public | $7,337 | 29.3% | $37,259 |
| Wake Technical Community College | Raleigh | public | $8,759 | 31.8% | $41,769 |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Winston-Salem | public | $7,200 | 32.9% | $34,139 |
| Davidson-Davie Community College | Thomasville | public | $8,753 | 38.3% | $36,337 |
| Tri-County Community College | Murphy | public | $7,799 | 34% | $32,232 |
| Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College | Asheville | public | $11,602 | 33.6% | $36,048 |
| Carteret Community College | Morehead City | public | $10,764 | 37.5% | $33,357 |
| Center for Massage | Asheville | private for-profit | $18,631 | 90.6% | $19,244 |
| Southeastern College-Charlotte | Charlotte | private for-profit | $30,611 | 68.3% | $31,548 |
| Gwinnett College | Raleigh | private for-profit | $30,219 | 63.2% | $29,234 |
| College of Wilmington | Wilmington | private for-profit | $23,108 | 27.7% | $19,235 |
Ranking = median earnings 10 years after entry per $1,000 of average yearly net price (methodology). Schools without both figures sort last — "not reported" means the federal dataset lacks the value, not that the school is bad.
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