Hourly Rate by Years Experience for Massage Therapist Jobs

Starting Salaries for Massage Therapy

The chart on Starting Salaries for Massage Therapy shows that beginning salaries pale in comparison to the salaries that can be earned after many years of experience. Massage is clearly a hands-on job that benefits from practical experience. While education and training provide vital preparation, massage therapists hone their skills through practical experience. Lower starting salaries for massage therapy may reflect industry standards as well as the fact that it takes time to establish a successful massage practice. Especially for self-employed massage therapists, it may take a few years to build up a consistent clientele. Once established, choosing to run your own business may prove to be a wise choice; measuring a Massage Therapist's Salary by Employer Type shows that, for self-employed massage therapists, salary tends to be higher.

Massage therapy is a physically demanding career. As you compare starting salaries for massage therapy to salaries down the road, keep in mind that self-care is critical for maintaining a successful practice over many years. Some massage therapists choose to teach or do other part-time work in order to lessen the wear-and-tear on their own bodies as well as supplement their massage therapist salary. For most massage therapists, salary is probably not the primary motivation for choosing to enter the field. In addition to the satisfaction of helping people, massage therapists often get to set their own hours, work in pleasant settings and be successful business owners. They also have a range of options available when it comes to industry or specialization. The chart showing Salaries for Massage Therapy by Industry provides examples of how salaries may vary at a day spa, medical office, hotel or other setting.

Massage Therapists: Salary and Cost of Living

Regardless of experience level or work setting, salaries for massage therapy will always be subject to regional differences. Looking at Salaries for Massage Therapy by State, we can see a wide range of salaries based on location. And measuring a Massage Therapist's Salary by City shows the same variation. If you're looking for massage therapist salary data for a specific area, whether you want to work in a large city or small town, be sure to take cost of living into consideration. The PayScale Cost of Living Calculator provides both salary and cost of living data for U.S. cities. For example, both New York and San Francisco are known for having a high cost of living, but which city offers higher salaries for massage therapy? Use the calculator to compare both Cost of Living and Salaries for Massage Therapy in both cities.

Median vs. Average Salaries for Massage Therapy

Salary is an important consideration for all careers, and massage therapy is no exception. PayScale's Dr. Salary may not know the difference between Swedish Massage and Shiatsu, but he can help with your massage therapist salary research. Find out why asking, "what is the median massage therapist's salary" is a better question than, "what is the average massage therapist's salary" by reading the Ask Dr. Salary article, "Why is Median Better than Mean for a Typical Salary?"