The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) sees an increasing trend in the health and fitness markets. This is brought about by the American population’s increasing desire to be more physically active and healthy to avoid the burden of getting sick. In line with this, more and more Americans are seeking relief from day-to-day stresses of home life and work through stress therapy. Some do it with their psychotherapists; others prefer the more physical way of managing stress by enrolling in yoga, Pilates, fitness programs, among others. This trend is going to make health- and fitness-related occupations attractive. This has also brought about a parallel increase in the demand for relief from sore muscles and sports-related injuries through massage therapy. This will in turn drive the massage therapy salary upward as more and more people would require their services.
Massage therapists specialize in a diverse field of modalities, or approaches to manipulate the soft-tissue muscles of the body to sooth tired muscles, break tension, or remedy injuries. The Bureau has even forecasted that the growth of employment opportunities for massage therapists is going to be faster than the average, which means a 19% increase (from 2008) through 2018.
Relative to other fitness-related jobs like fitness instruction and personal training, massage therapy salary is competitive. As of May 2009, massage therapists earned annual mean wages of $39,780. Their mean hourly rates were $19.13. The middle 50% earned an annual wage of $35,230, while the bottom 10% and 25% earned $17,270 and $23,550, respectively. The top 25% and 10% earned $51,750 and $68,670, respectively.
Most massage therapists work part-time in spas and hotels, or are self-employed. Opportunities for advancement are more lateral than vertical. A massage therapist increases his or her earnings from a large client base. Trainings and workshops increase the therapists’ skills, and consequently, hourly rate. Vertically, a massage therapist can move up to become a massage clinic’s or spa’s manager.
Massage therapists are well-paid in specialty hospitals, earning an annual mean wage of $55,100 as of May 2009. They are however employed most in personal care clinics or in private practice, earning an annual mean wage of $37,700.
This occupational group is highly-compensated in Alaska, where they earned an annual mean wage of $85,050. Washington followed at $52,550. The rest of top-paying states were Oregon, Delaware and New York, where they earned an annual mean wage of $51,800, $49,900, and $48,900, respectively.
In metropolitan areas, massage therapy salary is most attractive in Anchorage, Alaska, where they earned an annual mean wage of $86,530. This was followed in May 2009 by Chico, California, where the therapists earned $82,790. Therapists in Eugene-Springfield, Oregon, Yakima, Washington, and Bremerton-Silverdale, Washington, were the other three top-paying states where therapists earned above $66,000 annually.
The future indeed looks bright for massage therapists. If the current rate of earnings is any indication, the occupation is going to be an attractive alternative for other fitness professionals who may be interested to take advantage of flexible schedules and bigger paycheck.