Best US States for Massage Therapists
All 50 states + DC ranked by Massage Therapist salary. State tax structure noted for take-home math.
| # | State | Estimated salary | Cost mult. | State tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $60,100 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $55,900 | 1.20× | ~5% effective |
| 3 | California | $55,200 | 1.18× | ~5% effective |
| 4 | New York | $54,100 | 1.15× | ~5% effective |
| 5 | Alaska | $53,500 | 1.13× | No state tax |
| 6 | New Jersey | $53,500 | 1.13× | ~5% effective |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $53,100 | 1.12× | ~5% effective |
| 8 | Virginia | $53,000 | 1.03× | ~5% effective |
| 9 | Nevada | $52,700 | 1.02× | No state tax |
| 10 | Connecticut | $52,400 | 1.10× | ~5% effective |
| # | State | Salary | After state tax (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $60,100 | $44,083 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $55,900 | $41,003 |
| 3 | California | $55,200 | $40,489 |
| 4 | New York | $54,100 | $39,682 |
| 5 | Alaska | $53,500 | $41,917 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $53,500 | $39,242 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $53,100 | $38,949 |
| 8 | Virginia | $53,000 | $38,876 |
| 9 | Nevada | $52,700 | $41,290 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $52,400 | $38,435 |
| 11 | Washington | $52,400 | $41,055 |
| 12 | Florida | $51,900 | $40,664 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $51,900 | $38,069 |
| 14 | Maryland | $51,700 | $37,922 |
| 15 | Colorado | $50,700 | $37,188 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $50,700 | $39,723 |
| 17 | Oregon | $50,700 | $37,188 |
| 18 | Louisiana | $50,600 | $37,115 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $50,000 | $36,675 |
| 20 | South Carolina | $49,100 | $36,015 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $49,100 | $38,470 |
| 22 | Arizona | $49,000 | $35,942 |
| 23 | Delaware | $49,000 | $35,942 |
| 24 | Illinois | $49,000 | $35,942 |
| 25 | Vermont | $48,700 | $35,721 |
| 26 | Maine | $48,000 | $35,208 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $48,000 | $35,208 |
| 28 | Texas | $48,000 | $37,608 |
| 29 | Utah | $48,000 | $35,208 |
| 30 | Georgia | $46,900 | $34,401 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $46,900 | $34,401 |
| 32 | Idaho | $46,600 | $34,181 |
| 33 | Michigan | $46,600 | $34,181 |
| 34 | Montana | $46,600 | $34,181 |
| 35 | Wisconsin | $46,600 | $34,181 |
| 36 | Wyoming | $46,600 | $36,511 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $46,300 | $33,961 |
| 38 | North Dakota | $46,300 | $33,961 |
| 39 | Indiana | $45,900 | $33,668 |
| 40 | Kansas | $45,900 | $33,668 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $45,900 | $33,668 |
| 42 | Ohio | $45,900 | $33,668 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $45,900 | $35,963 |
| 44 | Iowa | $45,600 | $33,448 |
| 45 | Missouri | $45,600 | $33,448 |
| 46 | Alabama | $44,900 | $32,934 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $44,900 | $32,934 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $44,900 | $32,934 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $44,200 | $32,421 |
| 50 | West Virginia | $44,200 | $32,421 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $43,500 | $31,907 |
What moves with you and what does not
State lines matter more for Massage Therapist than for most occupations, because the work requires State license required; 500-1,000 hours of approved training. A license is issued by one state and recognized by others only where a reciprocity agreement exists. Before treating any state on this list as reachable, check what its board requires of an out-of-state Massage Therapist — the answer ranges from a form to a full re-examination.
Tax and what the numbers are worth
Income tax reshuffles this ranking. Alaska, Nevada appear in the top ten and levy no state income tax, so the gross figures understate take-home there by roughly 3–6% relative to a taxing state at the same salary. Against a high-tax state, that is worth several thousand dollars a year at this occupation's median of $49,000.
No state funds itself on nothing. The income-tax advantage in these states typically shows up again as higher property or sales tax, which changes the calculation depending on whether you rent, own, and how much you spend.
The spread from Mississippi ($43,500) to Hawaii ($60,100) is 38%. Cost of living explains most of it — a state paying 25% above the national median for this role usually costs proportionally more to live in, which is why cost-adjusted rankings look different from nominal ones.
Where the field is heading
Nationally, Massage Therapist employment is projected to grow strongly — 15% through 2034, with roughly 24,700 openings a year counting replacements. Growth is rarely evenly distributed: states with the industry concentration driving that growth will feel it first, and the ranking above is a reasonable proxy for where.
Salaries are modelled from BLS national medians adjusted for local price level at a wage elasticity below 1 — pay rises with local costs but not proportionally. See our methodology.