Average Massage Therapist Salary

How Much Does a Massage Therapist Make?

On average, a Massage Therapist make $63,430 a year. The lowest-paid 10 percent made $33,280, while the top-paid 10 percent made $97,450.

Annually National Average Salary: $63,430

$33K

$44K

$63K

$77K

$97K

10%

25%

50%

75%

90%

* Based on information from the May 2024 salary report from the BLS.

Salary by State

Annually

Monthly

Hourly

Annual Salary by State

State	10% Annual	25% Annual	Avg. Annual	75% Annual	90% Annual
Alabama	$24,930	$31,610	$53,370	$65,150	$89,750
Alaska	$56,200	$92,800	$126,320	$153,700	$167,550
Arizona	$37,650	$49,740	$68,050	$81,450	$90,640
Arkansas	$23,040	$24,310	$39,130	$41,760	$63,430
California	$34,000	$35,440	$60,070	$76,080	$101,390
Connecticut	$32,640	$44,190	$59,470	$66,020	$89,380
Delaware	$45,090	$47,680	$65,200	$81,520	$108,090
District of Columbia	$54,100	$54,100	$71,730	$85,110	$110,290
Florida	$26,760	$38,800	$50,610	$56,960	$74,490
Georgia	$18,770	$41,530	$58,710	$81,550	$83,760
Hawaii	$35,280	$57,870	$137,700	$109,930	$161,410
Idaho	$35,040	$63,240	$66,790	$75,270	$85,630
Illinois	$30,000	$46,450	$62,980	$72,260	$97,360
Indiana	$35,230	$39,300	$55,670	$71,480	$79,580
Iowa	$41,840	$46,950	$64,100	$75,130	$91,350
Kansas	$30,770	$41,890	$50,290	$55,000	$68,060
Kentucky	$36,670	$47,490	$60,600	$76,880	$89,700
Louisiana	$37,800	$45,230	$57,430	$70,140	$80,340
Maine	$31,490	$43,850	$71,460	$93,170	$116,210
Maryland	$31,200	$34,210	$59,180	$76,800	$100,260
Massachusetts	$41,430	$47,980	$68,190	$77,820	$104,370
Michigan	$33,910	$46,480	$58,510	$73,100	$85,070
Minnesota	$39,990	$50,550	$69,960	$84,910	$95,840
Mississippi	$26,080	$30,410	$53,230	$51,260	$123,060
Missouri	$39,890	$48,360	$69,200	$91,580	$98,540
Montana	$26,590	$36,080	$58,990	$80,520	$87,870
Nebraska	$47,920	$49,040	$60,990	$76,780	$82,460
Nevada	$24,860	$28,460	$58,170	$69,700	$88,760
New Hampshire	$48,170	$56,560	$67,440	$73,300	$96,860
New Jersey	$41,890	$46,700	$62,790	$75,310	$96,650
New Mexico	$29,590	$41,250	$56,060	$80,270	$89,120
New York	$35,360	$42,380	$67,040	$75,380	$104,060
North Carolina	$30,580	$51,360	$67,440	$82,360	$92,400
North Dakota	$33,140	$37,630	$65,210	$88,400	$89,390
Ohio	$35,610	$45,620	$52,520	$58,640	$65,820
Oklahoma	$43,430	$43,880	$69,790	$96,770	$97,640
Oregon	$45,910	$63,170	$80,770	$95,870	$103,150
Pennsylvania	$27,820	$47,880	$59,760	$72,060	$91,140
South Carolina	$17,870	$47,350	$62,390	$77,930	$98,550
South Dakota	$35,310	$37,540	$44,980	$51,980	$57,650
Tennessee	$35,480	$39,380	$50,070	$55,240	$61,150
Texas	$29,500	$45,880	$55,970	$61,820	$85,160
Utah	$30,390	$52,120	$66,290	$75,720	$103,990
Vermont	$36,300	$67,500	$90,920	$117,740	$124,490
Virginia	$35,930	$46,750	$64,390	$72,550	$120,590
Washington	$59,160	$72,210	$83,970	$97,720	$115,920
West Virginia	$23,270	$27,720	$45,410	$58,640	$71,740
Wisconsin	$23,980	$35,220	$57,490	$77,940	$92,220
Wyoming	$18,020	$18,020	$41,450	$56,260	$74,350
Guam	$20,930	$23,060	$28,500	$36,030	$36,030
Puerto Rico	$20,760	$21,250	$26,200	$28,780	$30,030

Annual Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is Hawaii, where the average salary is $137,700.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

Hawaii - $137,700

Alaska - $126,320

Vermont - $90,920

Washington - $83,970

Oregon - $80,770

Monthly Salary by State

State	10% Monthly	25% Monthly	Avg. Monthly	75% Monthly	90% Monthly
Alabama	$2,000	$2,583	$4,417	$5,417	$7,417
Alaska	$4,667	$7,667	$10,500	$12,750	$13,917
Arizona	$3,083	$4,083	$5,667	$6,750	$7,500
Arkansas	$1,917	$2,000	$3,250	$3,417	$5,250
California	$2,833	$2,917	$5,000	$6,333	$8,417
Connecticut	$2,667	$3,667	$4,917	$5,500	$7,417
Delaware	$3,750	$3,917	$5,417	$6,750	$9,000
District of Columbia	$4,500	$4,500	$5,917	$7,083	$9,167
Florida	$2,167	$3,167	$4,167	$4,667	$6,167
Georgia	$1,500	$3,417	$4,833	$6,750	$6,917
Hawaii	$2,917	$4,750	$11,417	$9,083	$13,417
Idaho	$2,917	$5,250	$5,500	$6,250	$7,083
Illinois	$2,500	$3,833	$5,167	$6,000	$8,083
Indiana	$2,917	$3,250	$4,583	$5,917	$6,583
Iowa	$3,417	$3,833	$5,333	$6,250	$7,583
Kansas	$2,500	$3,417	$4,167	$4,583	$5,667
Kentucky	$3,000	$3,917	$5,000	$6,333	$7,417
Louisiana	$3,083	$3,750	$4,750	$5,833	$6,667
Maine	$2,583	$3,583	$5,917	$7,750	$9,667
Maryland	$2,583	$2,833	$4,917	$6,333	$8,333
Massachusetts	$3,417	$3,917	$5,667	$6,417	$8,667
Michigan	$2,750	$3,833	$4,833	$6,083	$7,083
Minnesota	$3,250	$4,167	$5,750	$7,000	$7,917
Mississippi	$2,167	$2,500	$4,417	$4,250	$10,250
Missouri	$3,250	$4,000	$5,750	$7,583	$8,167
Montana	$2,167	$3,000	$4,833	$6,667	$7,250
Nebraska	$3,917	$4,083	$5,000	$6,333	$6,833
Nevada	$2,000	$2,333	$4,833	$5,750	$7,333
New Hampshire	$4,000	$4,667	$5,583	$6,083	$8,000
New Jersey	$3,417	$3,833	$5,167	$6,250	$8,000
New Mexico	$2,417	$3,417	$4,667	$6,667	$7,417
New York	$2,917	$3,500	$5,583	$6,250	$8,667
North Carolina	$2,500	$4,250	$5,583	$6,833	$7,667
North Dakota	$2,750	$3,083	$5,417	$7,333	$7,417
Ohio	$2,917	$3,750	$4,333	$4,833	$5,417
Oklahoma	$3,583	$3,583	$5,750	$8,000	$8,083
Oregon	$3,750	$5,250	$6,667	$7,917	$8,583
Pennsylvania	$2,250	$3,917	$4,917	$6,000	$7,583
South Carolina	$1,417	$3,917	$5,167	$6,417	$8,167
South Dakota	$2,917	$3,083	$3,667	$4,250	$4,750
Tennessee	$2,917	$3,250	$4,167	$4,583	$5,083
Texas	$2,417	$3,750	$4,583	$5,083	$7,083
Utah	$2,500	$4,333	$5,500	$6,250	$8,583
Vermont	$3,000	$5,583	$7,500	$9,750	$10,333
Virginia	$2,917	$3,833	$5,333	$6,000	$10,000
Washington	$4,917	$6,000	$6,917	$8,083	$9,583
West Virginia	$1,917	$2,250	$3,750	$4,833	$5,917
Wisconsin	$1,917	$2,917	$4,750	$6,417	$7,667
Wyoming	$1,500	$1,500	$3,417	$4,667	$6,167
Guam	$1,667	$1,917	$2,333	$3,000	$3,000
Puerto Rico	$1,667	$1,750	$2,167	$2,333	$2,500

Monthly Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is Hawaii, where the average salary is $11,417.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

Hawaii - $11,417

Alaska - $10,500

Vermont - $7,500

Washington - $6,917

Oregon - $6,667

Hourly Salary by State

State	10% Hourly	25% Hourly	Avg. Hourly	75% Hourly	90% Hourly
Alabama	$11.98	$15.20	$25.66	$31.32	$43.15
Alaska	$27.02	$44.62	$60.73	$73.90	$80.55
Arizona	$18.10	$23.91	$32.72	$39.16	$43.58
Arkansas	$11.08	$11.69	$18.81	$20.08	$30.50
California	$16.35	$17.04	$28.88	$36.58	$48.75
Connecticut	$15.69	$21.25	$28.59	$31.74	$42.97
Delaware	$21.68	$22.92	$31.35	$39.19	$51.96
District of Columbia	$26.01	$26.01	$34.49	$40.92	$53.03
Florida	$12.86	$18.66	$24.33	$27.39	$35.81
Georgia	$9.02	$19.97	$28.23	$39.21	$40.27
Hawaii	$16.96	$27.82	$66.20	$52.85	$77.60
Idaho	$16.85	$30.40	$32.11	$36.19	$41.17
Illinois	$14.42	$22.33	$30.28	$34.74	$46.81
Indiana	$16.94	$18.89	$26.77	$34.37	$38.26
Iowa	$20.12	$22.57	$30.82	$36.12	$43.92
Kansas	$14.79	$20.14	$24.18	$26.44	$32.72
Kentucky	$17.63	$22.83	$29.14	$36.96	$43.13
Louisiana	$18.17	$21.75	$27.61	$33.72	$38.62
Maine	$15.14	$21.08	$34.36	$44.79	$55.87
Maryland	$15.00	$16.45	$28.45	$36.92	$48.20
Massachusetts	$19.92	$23.07	$32.78	$37.41	$50.18
Michigan	$16.30	$22.35	$28.13	$35.14	$40.90
Minnesota	$19.22	$24.31	$33.63	$40.82	$46.08
Mississippi	$12.54	$14.62	$25.59	$24.64	$59.16
Missouri	$19.18	$23.25	$33.27	$44.03	$47.38
Montana	$12.78	$17.35	$28.36	$38.71	$42.24
Nebraska	$23.04	$23.58	$29.32	$36.91	$39.64
Nevada	$11.95	$13.68	$27.96	$33.51	$42.67
New Hampshire	$23.16	$27.19	$32.42	$35.24	$46.57
New Jersey	$20.14	$22.45	$30.19	$36.21	$46.47
New Mexico	$14.23	$19.83	$26.95	$38.59	$42.85
New York	$17.00	$20.38	$32.23	$36.24	$50.03
North Carolina	$14.70	$24.69	$32.43	$39.60	$44.43
North Dakota	$15.94	$18.09	$31.35	$42.50	$42.98
Ohio	$17.12	$21.93	$25.25	$28.19	$31.64
Oklahoma	$20.88	$21.09	$33.56	$46.53	$46.94
Oregon	$22.07	$30.37	$38.83	$46.09	$49.59
Pennsylvania	$13.37	$23.02	$28.73	$34.64	$43.82
South Carolina	$8.59	$22.76	$30.00	$37.47	$47.38
South Dakota	$16.98	$18.05	$21.63	$24.99	$27.72
Tennessee	$17.06	$18.93	$24.07	$26.56	$29.40
Texas	$14.18	$22.06	$26.91	$29.72	$40.94
Utah	$14.61	$25.06	$31.87	$36.41	$50.00
Vermont	$17.45	$32.45	$43.71	$56.61	$59.85
Virginia	$17.27	$22.48	$30.96	$34.88	$57.98
Washington	$28.44	$34.72	$40.37	$46.98	$55.73
West Virginia	$11.19	$13.33	$21.83	$28.19	$34.49
Wisconsin	$11.53	$16.94	$27.64	$37.47	$44.34
Wyoming	$8.66	$8.67	$19.93	$27.05	$35.75
Guam	$10.06	$11.09	$13.70	$17.32	$17.32
Puerto Rico	$9.98	$10.22	$12.60	$13.84	$14.44

Hourly Average Salary: Top 5 States

The top earning state in the field is Hawaii, where the average salary is $66.20.

These are the top 5 earning states in the field:

Hawaii - $66.20

Alaska - $60.73

Vermont - $43.71

Washington - $40.37

Oregon - $38.83

Massage Therapists: Salary Overview

Massage therapists relieve pain, improve circulation, relieve stress, increase relaxation, and help heal injuries using touch.

Their job description usually includes talking with clients about their medical history and symptoms, locating the painful or tense areas in their clients’ bodies, manipulating muscles and other soft tissue using touch, educating clients on stretching and relaxation methods, and documenting their clients’ progress.

Massage therapists typically specialize in one or several massage techniques, such as Swedish massage, deep-tissue massage, or sports massage.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for massage therapists was $42,820 in May 2019, which means that half of them earned less than this amount while half earned more.

Salaries vary depending on a wide range of factors, including the therapist’s level of experience, education, the region, and their skills.

The lowest 10 percent earned less than $21,810 while the highest 10 percent made more than $80,630 a year.

Many massage therapists supplement their earnings with tips.

Those who have good technical and communication skills and provide high-quality services can earn more in tips than in their fixed salary.

Massage Therapist Salary by Industry

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, massage therapists held about 159,800 jobs in the United States in 2018, most of them working in the field of personal care services or as self-employed workers.

BLS report shows that the average annual wage reported by massage therapists in personal care services was $45,060 while those who were employed in offices of other health practitioners earned, on average, $50,700 a year.

The average annual wage was $47,050 for massage therapists in the travel accommodation industry and $44,860 for those in other amusement and recreation industries.

Massage therapists who worked in offices of physicians reportedly earned $47,340 a year as of May 2019.

The highest average annual salary was reported by massage therapists who worked for specialty hospitals (except psychiatric and substance abuse).

In this sector, the reported average annual wage was $67,560.

Salaries were also higher for massage therapists who were employed in the field of individual and family services.

In this sector massage therapists reportedly earned $62,210 on average.

The region of employment is another factor that may influence a massage therapist’s salary.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying states for this profession were Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.

The average annual wage reported by massage therapists in Alaska was $77,080 as of May 2019, significantly higher than the national average.

Massage therapists in Washington reportedly earned $65,770 on average, while those in Oregon reported an average annual wage of $62,130.

Massage therapists in Mississippi, Lousiana, South Dakota, Alabama, Georgia, Kansas, South Carolina, Iowa, and Nevada, on the other hand, reported average annual salaries that were below the $40,000 mark.

Earning the National Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) certification can qualify you for licensure in any state.

There are many other factors that can influence your earnings as a massage therapist.

Having a few years of experience and completing your continuing education classes will help you improve your skills and learn new techniques.

If you’re able to practice multiple massage techniques you may have more clients and thus you will earn more.

Joining a professional organization is another way to find new clients and to build a reputation.

Job Prospects

Job prospects for massage therapists are looking good in the future.

As more people start to accept massage therapy as a way to treat illnesses and alleviate pain, the demand for massage therapists is projected to grow.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment for massage therapists is projected to grow 22 percent from 2018 to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.

* Based on information from the May 2024 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Massage Therapists. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.

* Employment conditions in your area may vary.