States with the Highest Wages
Looking at the top five paying states for the massage therapy profession, Alaska stands out as paying an exceptionally high average annual salary at $80,500. Massage therapists in Alaska earn approximately $29,240 more than therapists employed in the state of New York. This is a 57% difference. But upon further study, the salaries between the remaining 4 states on the chart are much closer together. Massage therapists in Connecticut earn an average of $6,360 more than therapists in New York which is 12% higher. Excluding Alaska, as of May 2008 according to the U.S. Department of Labor, massage therapists earned compensation in the $51,000 to $57,000 range on the average in the top 4 paying sates.
Massage therapists are often self-employed. They work in a number of businesses including the travel/hospitality industry, physician offices, health care facilities, fitness centers and health clubs, and physical therapy or occupational rehabilitation facilities to name a few. Compensation is determined by a number of factors and the state in which the job exists is one of them. Other factors include the years of experience, the industry of employment and the method of charging.
Many therapists become self-employed after first working for someone else to gain experience. A massage therapist usually has a choice of working full or part-time which is one of the advantages of this career. As more and more people learn to appreciate the benefits of massage, the employment opportunities are expected to grow steadily. If possible, you can choose a geographic area known to pay higher salaries to massage therapists in order to maximize compensation.
States with the Highest Employment Levels
Massage therapy salaries for states with the highest employment levels are all over the pay spectrum. In Alaska, massage therapists earned an average annual pay of $80,500 or $38.70 per hour in May 2008. In Nevada, massage therapists earned an average of $11.22 per hour. In other words, Nevada massage therapists earned 245% more than Nevada massage therapists.
Pay amounts among the top five vary considerably with therapists in Colorado earning $39,520 or 19 per hour while those in Washington State earned $55,460 or $26.66 per hour. The Hawaii massage therapists earned pay similar to Colorado therapists at $20.238 per hour or $42,380 annually. This chart indicates that geographic location should be considered when seeking to earn top dollar in the massage therapy industry.
Massage therapists had a negative image at one point, but that has drastically changed. This is a career that is respected and is employed in a number of industries. Though frequently hired by medical facilities and nursing homes, massage therapists are now offering stress relieving massages in dentist offices and physician offices. The hospitality industry is another area where employment opportunities are expanding.
A growing population coupled with broader acceptance of massage therapy as a legitimate and health benefitting practice is creating an expanding job market for massage therapists. Therapists with experience who are certified in various types of massages will find excellent opportunities for earning top pay. Carefully choosing the state of employment will enable therapists to increase compensation at a faster rate than would be possible otherwise.
