Research Summary. Following comprehensive research by the Zippia data science team, we present the updated insights on massage therapist salaries across the United States for 2026:
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Alaska boasts the highest average massage therapist salary at $69,287
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Florida reports the lowest average massage therapist salary at $46,229
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The national average salary for massage therapists stands at $53,935
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The national hourly wage for massage therapists is $25.93
For more details, please refer to our specific methodology.
Background
Surveys consistently show that salary is the most crucial element of a job for many individuals. The pressing question remains: how much do massage therapists earn in different regions?
Several factors influence your potential earnings, but robust data is available on average salaries for massage therapists by state, categorized by experience level. While your local salary may vary slightly from the state average, these figures provide a solid benchmark for expectations.
As of 2026, the state with the highest salary for massage therapists remains Alaska.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for massage therapist salaries:
Let’s delve deeper into the rankings and explore how these salaries are determined.
Highest-Paid Massage Therapists By State
| Rank | State | Average Massage Therapist Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $69,287 | $40,000 | $118,000 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $62,420 | $36,000 | $107,000 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $62,394 | $36,000 | $107,000 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $62,363 | $36,000 | $107,000 |
| 5 | Vermont | $62,082 | $36,000 | $106,000 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $62,070 | $36,000 | $106,000 |
| 7 | Maine | $61,570 | $35,000 | $106,000 |
| 8 | New York | $61,566 | $35,000 | $105,000 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $61,197 | $35,000 | $104,000 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | $59,872 | $35,000 | $101,000 |
| 11 | Delaware | $59,215 | $34,000 | $100,000 |
| 12 | Oregon | $58,218 | $33,000 | $100,000 |
| 13 | Maryland | $57,836 | $34,000 | $97,000 |
| 14 | Washington | $57,594 | $33,000 | $99,000 |
| 15 | Michigan | $56,898 | $34,000 | $94,000 |
| 16 | California | $56,085 | $32,000 | $96,000 |
| 17 | Nevada | $55,212 | $32,000 | $94,000 |
| 18 | Virginia | $55,153 | $32,000 | $92,000 |
| 19 | Ohio | $54,970 | $33,000 | $91,000 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $54,631 | $33,000 | $89,000 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $54,504 | $33,000 | $87,000 |
| 22 | Minnesota | $54,272 | $33,000 | $88,000 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $54,255 | $32,000 | $90,000 |
| 24 | Idaho | $53,327 | $31,000 | $90,000 |
| 25 | Illinois | $53,143 | $32,000 | $87,000 |
| 26 | Arizona | $52,952 | $31,000 | $88,000 |
| 27 | Montana | $52,553 | $31,000 | $87,000 |
| 28 | Indiana | $52,466 | $31,000 | $86,000 |
| 29 | Iowa | $51,665 | $31,000 | $84,000 |
| 30 | South Dakota | $51,545 | $31,000 | $83,000 |
| 31 | New Mexico | $51,281 | $30,000 | $85,000 |
| 32 | Utah | $51,262 | $30,000 | $86,000 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $51,023 | $30,000 | $84,000 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $51,011 | $30,000 | $84,000 |
| 35 | Nebraska | $50,262 | $30,000 | $81,000 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $50,130 | $30,000 | $82,000 |
| 37 | Missouri | $49,957 | $30,000 | $81,000 |
| 38 | Texas | $49,646 | $30,000 | $80,000 |
| 39 | Colorado | $49,484 | $30,000 | $81,000 |
| 40 | Kansas | $49,325 | $30,000 | $80,000 |
| 41 | Tennessee | $49,251 | $29,000 | $80,000 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $48,975 | $35,000 | $68,000 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $48,796 | $29,000 | $80,000 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $48,725 | $29,000 | $79,000 |
| 45 | Arkansas | $48,613 | $29,000 | $79,000 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $48,497 | $29,000 | $78,000 |
| 47 | Georgia | $48,151 | $29,000 | $78,000 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $48,129 | $29,000 | $78,000 |
| 49 | Alabama | $47,991 | $29,000 | $78,000 |
| 50 | Florida | $46,229 | $28,000 | $74,000 |
Methodology: Massage Therapist Salary By State
To analyze massage therapist salaries by state, Zippia has compiled data from various reputable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This information is then enhanced with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team calculates a weighted average of these inputs to establish an average salary for massage therapists by state.
We aggregated annual salary data for massage therapists and ranked each state based on these findings, identifying the state with the highest salary as the leader in massage therapist compensation.
Massage Therapist Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for massage therapists?
The highest-paid state for massage therapists is Alaska, with an average salary of $69,287 per year.
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What city pays massage therapists the most?
Arlington, MA offers the highest compensation for massage therapists, averaging $62,450 per year.
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What is the worst state for massage therapists?
The state with the lowest average salary for massage therapists is Florida, at $46,229 annually.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
