Massage Therapist: Salary Details

The BLS reports the median annual wage for massage therapists was $38,040 in 2015. The best-paid 10 percent in the profession made more than $74,860, while the lowest-paid 10 percent made less than $18,860. The top-paying metropolitan areas for this occupation include Fairbanks, Alaska; Anchorage, Alaska; and Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

75th Percentile$56,180

Median$38,040

25th Percentile$25,350

Average Massage Therapist Pay vs. Other Best Jobs

Many massage therapists work in posh spas and have clients with comfortable incomes. But the average worker in this profession makes a low annual salary compared with other occupations in similar fields. Massage therapists, who earned an average salary of $43,170 in 2015, have comparable pay to clinical laboratory technicians ($41,420). However, registered nurses ($71,000) and physical therapists ($85,790) made more. Paramedics ($35,430) and medical assistants ($31,910) tend to make less money than massage therapists.

PhysicalTherapistRegisteredNurseMassageTherapistClinicalLaboratoryTechnicianParamedicMedicalAssistant

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Best Paying Cities for Massage Therapists

The highest paid in the massage therapist profession work in the metropolitan areas of Fairbanks, Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, and Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The Lynchburg, Virginia area also pays well, as does the city of Kahului, Hawaii.