The Average Salary of a Medical Massage Therapist

Average Salary

In its survey of employment across the United States carried out in May 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics collated wage information from 55,920 physical therapists and concluded that the average yearly wage for the profession was $39,780. As such, a physical therapist would typically earn $3,315 per month or $19.13 an hour. Those in the top 10 percent of earners were reported to receive an average in excess of $68,670 while those in the lowest 10 percent earned an average less than $17,270. Physical therapists are also likely to receive additional benefits, such as paid vacation and health insurance coverage.

Among the different sectors of the medical industry, the bureau found that speciality hospitals paid massage therapists the highest average wages, at $55,100. Outpatient care centers were listed at an average salary of $45,720 while positions within the private offices of physicians offered $39,450. Therapists working in the offices of other health practitioners, such as occupational therapists or physical therapists, earned an average of $44,290.

The bureau found that, across all industry sectors, Washington, Oregon and Delaware were among the states in which a massage therapist was likely to receive the highest wages, with averages of $52,550, $51,800 and $49,900, respectively. Nevada, in contrast, was listed at an average of $21,520. Wage comparison website SalaryExpert.com, in a survey of salary levels in some major cities, listed New York, New York State, Boston, Massachusetts and Charlotte, North Carolina as lucrative locations. The average wages in these cities were $31,803, $31,021 and $29,466, respectively. Houston, Texas was listed at just $19,109.

While the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a national growth rate across all occupations of between 7 and 13 percent during the decade between 2008 and 2018, it estimates that employment opportunities for massage therapists will exceed this, growing by around 19 percent over the same period. An aging population will be the primary motivation for this healthy growth rate, with opportunities likely to be greatest in nursing homes and assisted-living facilities. As such, massage therapist salary levels should rise in the immediate future, particularly for those who have undertaken formal training.