OK, so you think you may have found your passion in life – becoming a massage therapist.

However, the million-dollar question is…

How much will I earn per year as a licensed massage therapist?

We will share more information on massage therapist salaries with you, but there are some other things to consider first:

Is being a massage therapist a growing or a dying career?

How are the employment prospects for a licensed massage therapist?

And where is the best place to live and get paid as a licensed massage therapist?

Keep reading and, hopefully, we can answer some of these questions for you.

What kind of salary can I expect?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for massage therapists was $39,990 in May 2017. By the term “median wage,” we mean that half the workers in the occupation earned more than this. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $77,470.

What are the highest paying states for massage therapists?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 highest paying states. Numbers are based on the mean.

  • Alaska – $41.82 per hour / $86,980 per year
  • Washington – $29.73 per hour / $61,840 per year
  • Oregon – $28.55 per hour / $59,390 per year
  • New York – $28.43 per hour / $59,130 per year
  • Hawaii – $25.89 per hour / $53,860 per year

What are the lowest paying states for massage therapists?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the 5 lowest paying states. Numbers are based on the mean.

  • Puerto Rico – $11.66 per hour / $24,250 per year
  • Mississippi – $13.28 per hour / $27,630 per year
  • Kansas – $13.94 per hour / $28, 990 per year
  • Nevada – $14.68 per hour / $30, 530 per year
  • Louisiana – $15.26 per hour / $31,750 per year

What is the career ranking for this job?

Well, according to usnews.com, becoming a licensed massage therapist is exceptionally fulfilling. They analyze a boatload of data about salary, unemployment rate, and stress to select the top jobs for each year.

Massage therapists are ranked:

  • #4 in Best Health Care Support Jobs
  • #43 in The 100 Best Jobs

What is the growth potential as a massage therapist?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the typical job growth in a sector is 7%. Massage therapist job growth between 2016 and 2026 is expected to be 26%, adding 42,100 new jobs. That is much faster than the average.

What are the unemployment figures like for massage therapists?

When looking at a career to get into, it is a good idea to factor in data on how long you can stay employed. Massage therapists have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the US. According to usnews.com, the unemployment rate for massage therapists is only 1%.

The bottom line: Becoming a massage therapist is not just a rewarding career; it is a growing and lucrative one, too.