Massage Therapists Salaries by State

Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for massage therapistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).

National mean salary $63,830 ≈ $31/hr
National median salary $58,450
Total employment 98,790 nationwide

Job Outlook, 2024–2034

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.

Projected growth +15.4% Much faster than average
Annual openings 24,700 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 168,000 → 193,900 (+25,900)
Typical entry education Postsecondary nondegree award

Salary Map

Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.

💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States

  1. Hawaii$122,580
  2. Alaska$121,350
  3. Washington$87,460
  4. Oregon$82,160
  5. Rhode Island$80,470

📉 5 Lowest-Paying States

  1. Louisiana$38,140
  2. Arkansas$44,680
  3. West Virginia$48,410
  4. South Dakota$48,790
  5. New Mexico$50,130
#StateMeanMedian Hourlyvs. U.S.Employment
1 Hawaii $122,580 $81,280 $59 +92% 1,330
2 Alaska $121,350 $134,930 $58 +90.1% 570
3 Washington $87,460 $87,360 $42 +37% 3,740
4 Oregon $82,160 $86,970 $40 +28.7% 2,250
5 Rhode Island $80,470 $74,960 $39 +26.1% 290
6 New Hampshire $79,270 $80,360 $38 +24.2% 270
7 District of Columbia $76,020 $64,110 $37 +19.1% 120
8 North Dakota $74,810 $74,140 $36 +17.2% 100
9 Maine $73,300 $73,290 $35 +14.8% 370
10 Massachusetts $73,100 $63,390 $35 +14.5% 2,830
11 Virginia $72,490 $62,220 $35 +13.6% 2,730
12 Minnesota $69,720 $63,070 $34 +9.2% 1,690
13 Colorado $68,380 $61,060 $33 +7.1% 3,950
14 New York $67,860 $62,630 $33 +6.3% 4,500
15 Missouri $67,760 $62,050 $33 +6.2% 1,500

Top-Paying Metro Areas

Highest median pay among 292 metro areas.

#Metro areaMedianMeanEmployment
1 Alaska nonmetropolitan area $135,630 $124,160 90
2 Fairbanks-College, AK $130,590 $116,560 50
3 Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $125,280 $118,200 200
4 Pittsfield, MA $102,120 $79,930 50
5 Kahului-Wailuku, HI $96,820 $101,690 330
6 Salem, OR $96,080 $91,630 160
7 Grants Pass, OR $94,610 $85,520 40
8 Bend, OR $94,580 $85,280 210
9 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $94,220 $92,510 2,230
10 Upper Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area $86,160 $76,700 60

Pay by Industry

Highest-paying industries employing massage therapistss (BLS OEWS, by median).

#IndustryMedianMeanEmployment
1 Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries $97,790 $105,900 110
2 Spectator Sports $97,630 $102,830 110
3 Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals $76,280 $73,010 40
4 Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Hospitals, Privately Owned $76,280 $73,010 40
5 Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals, Privately Owned $74,960 $84,530 30
6 Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals $72,850 $81,580 40
7 Offices of Chiropractors $72,800 $72,010 11,010
8 Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) $68,140 $63,000 30
9 Offices of Other Health Practitioners $67,140 $70,950 30,840
10 Hospitals, Privately Owned $66,310 $72,660 630
11 Ambulatory Health Care Services $65,850 $70,440 32,460
12 Sector 62 - Health Care and Social Assistance $65,800 $70,440 33,300

Workforce Deep-Dive

Distribution and demographics from Census ACS (2023, self-reported). Wage figures here are ACS averages and run lower than the authoritative BLS wages above; use them for shape, not exact pay.

Annual wage distribution

< $10K
102,282
$10-20k
21,417
$20-30k
29,465
$30-40k
30,058
$40-50k
19,154
$50-60k
10,502
$60-70k
5,868
$70-80k
4,984
$80-90k
2,654
$90-100k
997
$100-110k
926
$110-120k
104
$120-130k
205
$140-150k
715
$150-160k
110
$160-170k
185
$200k+
423

Pay by age band

16-24
$19,157
25-34
$24,272
35-44
$24,678
45-54
$23,109
55-64
$20,625
65+
$8,743

Education level

1 or more years of college credit, no degree
$22,730
Bachelors Degree
$20,138
Associates Degree
$22,030
Regular high school diploma
$23,393
Some college, but less than 1 year
$20,968
GED or alternative credential
$14,615
Masters Degree
$30,446
Professional degree
$28,551
No schooling completed
$15,948
12th grade - no diploma
$20,129
Grade 10
$8,965
Grade 11
$13,670
Doctorate degree
$18,173
Grade 8
$13,506
Grade 9
$17,677
Grade 5
Grade 7
$16,652
Grade 4
$28,546

Full-time vs part-time

Part-time
80,288 · $29,645
Full-time
60,763 · $42,512

Race / ethnicity

White
$20,788
Two or More Races
$23,039
Asian
$22,542
Black
$24,242
Other
$25,158
American Indian
$35,093
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
$21,439
American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races
$18,983

Top fields of study

Psychology
$20,080
English Language And Literature
$23,837
Business Management And Administration
$38,889
Miscellaneous Health Medical Professions
$22,947
Physical Fitness Parks Recreation And Leisure
$12,212
General Business
$10,675
Elementary Education
$30,311
Nursing
$17,546

Top Skills

Most important skills for this role (O*NET importance, 1–5 scale).

Speaking
3.6
Active Listening
3.6
Social Perceptiveness
3.3
Service Orientation
3.3
Judgment and Decision Making
3.1
Critical Thinking
3.0
Reading Comprehension
3.0
Active Learning
3.0
Monitoring
3.0
Writing
3.0
Complex Problem Solving
3.0
Time Management
2.9

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do massage therapists make in the U.S.?

The median massage therapists salary in the United States is $58,450 per year (mean $63,830), and about 80% earn between $33,640 and $100,200.

How much do massage therapists make per hour?

Roughly $31 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $63,830 and 2,080 work hours per year.

Which state pays massage therapists the most?

Hawaii has the highest average pay for massage therapists at $122,580 per year (median $81,280).

What is the job outlook for massage therapists?

Employment is projected to change +15.4% from 2024 to 2034 (Much faster than average), with about 24,700 openings per year.