Clinical Massage Therapists

Median Salary: $35,200

Many clinical massage therapists across the country share a number of key professional traits. For example, integrity, cooperation, and self control can be crucial for success in the industry, especially when coupled with career training. Around 55,920 individuals were employed as clinical massage therapists nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's vital to build on these characteristics and receive excellent training, particularly if you're preparing to move forward in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for clinical massage therapists in the U.S. was $35,200 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $16.90. Of course, income can vary with training and by locale. Below, you'll find more data about clinical massage therapists, including wages and job density for metropolitan areas all over the country.

Clinical massage therapists should be skilled in:

  • Dynamic Strength
  • Trunk Strength
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Speech Recognition
  • Static Strength

Different individuals go into different careers; clinical massage therapists are typically:

  • Realistic
  • Investigative
  • Conventional

Working as a clinical massage therapist requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Therapy and Counseling
  • English Language
  • Psychology

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of individuals employed as clinical massage therapists). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of clinical massage therapists in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Montgomery NA $48,800 $23.40 $52,300 $25.20 NA
Alaska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Anchorage 260 $99,700 $47.90 $117,300 $56.40 262.6%
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 1,090 $40,800 $19.60 $55,000 $26.40 44.4%
Prescott NA $19,500 $9.40 $43,000 $20.70 NA
Tucson 470 $39,600 $19.00 $52,200 $25.10 200.2%
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fayetteville 80 $25,700 $12.40 $34,700 $16.70 -9.6%
Hot Springs 40 $20,100 $9.70 $23,700 $11.40 185%
Little Rock 50 $39,200 $18.90 $53,600 $25.80 -65.2%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bakersfield 120 $33,400 $16.10 $39,100 $18.80 5.8%
Chico NA $91,200 $43.90 $100,000 $48.10 NA
Fresno 90 $40,200 $19.30 $54,900 $26.40 -34.1%
Los Angeles (Area) 1,940 $34,900 $16.80 $45,300 $21.80 -5.8%
Napa 290 $32,900 $15.80 $50,800 $24.40 990%
Oakland 410 $29,300 $14.10 $36,700 $17.70 -3%
Oxnard 130 $36,100 $17.40 $46,100 $22.20 0.7%
Redding 50 $35,400 $17.00 $40,200 $19.30 100.2%
Riverside 780 $36,800 $17.70 $69,800 $33.60 51.6%
Sacramento 620 $35,500 $17.10 $50,500 $24.30 69.6%
Salinas 230 $37,500 $18.00 $65,300 $31.40 242.1%
San Diego 1,130 $42,700 $20.50 $53,300 $25.60 107.2%
San Francisco (Area) 1,810 $28,700 $13.80 $43,600 $21.00 114.5%
San Francisco (City) 1,400 $28,100 $13.50 $50,600 $24.30 232%
San Jose 480 $40,400 $19.40 $66,600 $32.00 26.6%
Santa Barbara 80 $45,800 $22.00 $80,200 $38.60 7.2%
Santa Cruz NA $20,000 $9.60 $25,700 $12.40 NA
Santa Rosa 160 $52,300 $25.10 $69,000 $33.20 107.2%
Stockton NA $31,000 $14.90 $40,100 $19.30 NA
Vallejo 90 $29,300 $14.10 $31,400 $15.10 72.9%
Visalia NA $29,800 $14.30 $56,600 $27.20 NA
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boulder 160 $43,200 $20.80 $54,200 $26.00 143.2%
Colorado Springs 200 $40,500 $19.50 $61,200 $29.40 85.5%
Denver 890 $40,700 $19.60 $53,100 $25.50 71%
Fort Collins NA $35,500 $17.10 $57,700 $27.70 NA
Grand Junction NA $38,800 $18.60 $58,800 $28.30 NA
Greeley 40 $38,700 $18.60 $44,800 $21.50 13.6%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 310 $48,300 $23.20 $107,300 $51.60 73.1%
Hartford 420 $27,300 $13.10 $39,600 $19.00 75.7%
New Haven 80 $40,000 $19.20 $59,700 $28.70 -32.5%
Norwich 110 $63,800 $30.70 $70,300 $33.80 87.1%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 890 $39,300 $18.90 $49,200 $23.60 -4.2%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton 210 $39,100 $18.80 $47,500 $22.80 101.2%
Cape Coral 140 $28,600 $13.80 $33,300 $16.00 61.2%
Deltona 70 $29,000 $14.00 $39,700 $19.10 2.3%
Gainesville 60 $44,300 $21.30 $51,500 $24.80 9.8%
Jacksonville 170 $32,700 $15.70 $52,600 $25.30 -31.3%
Lakeland 40 $36,300 $17.50 $47,500 $22.80 -54.7%
Miami (Area) 1,430 $34,200 $16.50 $45,700 $22.00 60.5%
Naples 110 $40,200 $19.30 $71,200 $34.20 114.7%
Orlando 760 $40,400 $19.40 $49,800 $24.00 78.5%
Palm Bay 40 $29,000 $13.90 $53,600 $25.80 -50%
Pensacola 50 $29,800 $14.30 $36,600 $17.60 -29.4%
Port St. Lucie NA $52,500 $25.20 $56,300 $27.10 NA
Punta Gorda NA $40,100 $19.30 $44,100 $21.20 NA
Tallahassee NA $62,700 $30.10 $88,700 $42.60 NA
Tampa 650 $29,400 $14.10 $39,100 $18.80 34.6%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlanta 1,570 $32,200 $15.50 $46,500 $22.40 59.8%
Savannah 80 $21,900 $10.50 $36,200 $17.40 25.9%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu 290 $37,100 $17.80 $58,200 $28.00 59.6%
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City NA $30,000 $14.40 $33,000 $15.90 NA
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bloomington NA $24,500 $11.80 $33,000 $15.80 NA
Champaign NA $70,600 $34.00 $82,600 $39.70 NA
Chicago (Area) 2,320 $41,100 $19.80 $53,300 $25.60 11.9%
Rockford NA $28,400 $13.70 $31,500 $15.20 NA
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fort Wayne 80 $24,600 $11.80 $27,400 $13.20 -11.9%
Indianapolis 410 $33,800 $16.20 $39,700 $19.10 10%
South Bend 60 $32,800 $15.80 $43,600 $21.00 13.1%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Davenport 120 $25,700 $12.40 $41,800 $20.10 47%
Sioux City 40 $25,600 $12.30 $35,200 $16.90 13.8%
Waterloo 30 $35,600 $17.10 $39,300 $18.90 -11%
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Wichita 110 $26,900 $13.00 $47,800 $23.00 -14.3%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington 50 $29,000 $14.00 $32,400 $15.60 -49.8%
Louisville 50 $34,900 $16.80 $55,600 $26.70 -78.5%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 60 $24,200 $11.60 $34,700 $16.70 -63.8%
Lake Charles 40 $16,700 $8.00 $25,000 $12.00 3.3%
New Orleans 200 $29,300 $14.10 $34,700 $16.70 -10.5%
Shreveport 40 $27,800 $13.40 $62,700 $30.10 -42.8%
Maine
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 110 $32,300 $15.50 $53,500 $25.70 25.2%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore 670 $40,600 $19.50 $66,800 $32.10 25.2%
Hagerstown 60 $24,100 $11.60 $32,300 $15.50 33.6%
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Barnstable Town 50 $30,700 $14.70 $42,700 $20.50 11.7%
Boston (Area) 890 $40,100 $19.30 $49,800 $23.90 16.8%
Springfield NA $50,400 $24.20 $55,300 $26.60 NA
Worcester NA NA NA NA NA NA
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ann Arbor 50 $34,800 $16.70 $43,100 $20.70 -41.1%
Detroit (Area) 720 $28,100 $13.50 $40,500 $19.50 -3.7%
Grand Rapids 100 $19,800 $9.50 $45,200 $21.80 -34.1%
Holland 50 $29,100 $14.00 $36,200 $17.40 14.3%
Kalamazoo 110 NA NA NA NA 89%
Lansing 120 $35,700 $17.20 $54,600 $26.20 44.6%
Niles 70 $35,700 $17.20 $40,800 $19.60 191.8%
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Minneapolis 980 $43,200 $20.80 $60,600 $29.10 32.2%
Rochester 50 $48,200 $23.20 $53,200 $25.60 3%
St. Cloud 40 $30,300 $14.60 $47,000 $22.60 -13.8%
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Gulfport 30 $21,400 $10.30 $25,900 $12.50 -25.7%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Columbia 70 $19,100 $9.20 $27,000 $13.00 90.4%
Kansas City 470 $42,100 $20.20 $57,200 $27.50 10.7%
Springfield 80 $51,100 $24.60 $56,800 $27.30 -4.9%
St. Louis 520 $28,700 $13.80 $40,700 $19.50 -7.5%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lincoln 160 NA NA NA NA 131.5%
Omaha 230 $32,000 $15.40 $37,900 $18.20 19.9%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 1,440 $18,000 $8.70 $27,000 $13.00 290.7%
Reno 60 $16,800 $8.10 $18,800 $9.00 -26.9%
New Hampshire
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Manchester 30 $38,900 $18.70 $51,800 $24.90 -26.6%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlantic City 120 NA NA NA NA 104.9%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque NA $52,700 $25.30 $59,000 $28.40 NA
Santa Fe 60 $29,900 $14.40 $39,100 $18.80 114%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 90 $37,100 $17.90 $57,400 $27.60 -50.5%
Buffalo 130 $29,100 $14.00 $32,200 $15.50 -41.1%
Ithaca 40 $40,300 $19.40 $58,600 $28.20 99.3%
New York (Area) NA $36,700 $17.70 $54,100 $26.00 NA
Poughkeepsie NA $30,000 $14.40 $32,400 $15.60 NA
Rochester 50 $34,100 $16.40 $43,200 $20.80 -75.5%
Syracuse 60 $35,900 $17.30 $54,100 $26.00 -50.5%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Asheville 190 NA NA NA NA 160.5%
Charlotte 450 $43,400 $20.90 $64,200 $30.80 24.5%
Durham 120 $42,800 $20.60 $46,200 $22.20 0.7%
Greensboro 100 $57,900 $27.80 $63,000 $30.30 -35.7%
Jacksonville 30 $19,200 $9.20 $26,700 $12.80 68.7%
Raleigh 270 $48,300 $23.20 $58,900 $28.30 25.9%
Wilmington NA $42,900 $20.60 $48,000 $23.10 NA
Winston-Salem 30 $37,100 $17.80 $42,200 $20.30 -63.1%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron 90 $26,400 $12.70 $30,900 $14.80 -32.7%
Cincinnati 280 $22,900 $11.00 $32,900 $15.80 -33.6%
Cleveland 480 $30,000 $14.40 $47,700 $22.90 12.6%
Columbus 320 $34,500 $16.60 $41,600 $20.00 -17.8%
Dayton 80 $28,200 $13.60 $41,800 $20.10 -48.4%
Springfield NA $17,800 $8.60 $19,300 $9.30 NA
Toledo NA $25,700 $12.40 $35,200 $16.90 NA
Youngstown 60 $25,800 $12.40 $30,600 $14.70 -40.7%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City NA $19,200 $9.20 $20,800 $10.00 NA
Tulsa NA $39,800 $19.10 $44,500 $21.40 NA
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bend 50 $35,400 $17.00 $95,600 $46.00 104.7%
Eugene 100 $65,700 $31.60 $85,800 $41.20 62.9%
Medford 40 $31,100 $15.00 $38,300 $18.40 17.3%
Portland 990 $46,700 $22.40 $59,700 $28.70 131.8%
Salem 30 $25,600 $12.30 $55,800 $26.80 -44.9%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 40 $34,500 $16.60 $48,600 $23.40 -74.5%
Lancaster NA $39,100 $18.80 $59,200 $28.40 NA
Philadelphia (Area) 610 $40,800 $19.60 $65,900 $31.70 -39.5%
Pittsburgh NA $33,700 $16.20 $36,400 $17.50 NA
Reading 50 $48,900 $23.50 $56,400 $27.10 -22.9%
Scranton NA $53,200 $25.60 $60,100 $28.90 NA
State College 30 $45,200 $21.70 $72,800 $35.00 8.6%
York 50 $44,800 $21.50 $64,900 $31.20 -31.1%
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence NA $29,400 $14.20 $35,700 $17.20 NA
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 160 $23,700 $11.40 $89,500 $43.10 35.3%
Columbia 60 $34,200 $16.50 $71,100 $34.20 -57.5%
Greenville 130 $37,500 $18.00 $46,200 $22.20 2.3%
Myrtle Beach 40 $15,900 $7.70 $27,800 $13.40 -19.2%
South Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Sioux Falls 80 $32,600 $15.70 $36,300 $17.50 33.6%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chattanooga NA $23,000 $11.00 $27,900 $13.40 NA
Knoxville 110 $40,300 $19.40 $58,600 $28.20 -22.7%
Memphis 200 $35,400 $17.00 $52,900 $25.40 -23.1%
Nashville NA $47,600 $22.90 $56,800 $27.30 NA
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin NA $29,600 $14.20 $59,100 $28.40 NA
Corpus Christi 100 $40,000 $19.20 $48,900 $23.50 25.5%
Dallas (Area) 1,160 $34,700 $16.70 $43,200 $20.80 -13.1%
El Paso NA $21,200 $10.20 $26,400 $12.70 NA
Houston 950 $30,700 $14.80 $44,400 $21.30 -13.1%
McAllen NA $46,900 $22.60 $52,000 $25.00 NA
Midland NA $40,000 $19.20 $53,900 $25.90 NA
San Antonio 700 $32,900 $15.80 $48,400 $23.30 94.9%
Tyler 60 NA NA NA NA 39.5%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden NA $20,300 $9.80 $28,600 $13.70 NA
Provo 60 NA NA NA NA -25.7%
Salt Lake City 200 $41,900 $20.10 $49,600 $23.80 -22.4%
St. George 60 $38,600 $18.60 $70,400 $33.90 214%
Vermont
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Burlington NA $28,200 $13.60 $66,300 $31.90 NA
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charlottesville 60 $32,100 $15.40 $37,000 $17.80 53.5%
Richmond NA $22,000 $10.60 $23,500 $11.30 NA
Virginia Beach 180 $28,500 $13.70 $38,900 $18.70 -44.2%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bellingham 80 $59,500 $28.60 $72,500 $34.90 149.1%
Bremerton NA $68,100 $32.70 $80,900 $38.90 NA
Olympia 160 $56,600 $27.20 $63,000 $30.30 298.8%
Seattle (Area) 1,400 $49,800 $23.90 $57,200 $27.50 112.6%
Spokane 130 $53,100 $25.50 $63,800 $30.70 53%
Wenatchee 50 $37,800 $18.20 $42,800 $20.60 187.9%
Yakima 30 $62,000 $29.80 $89,700 $43.20 -11.2%
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 50 $26,200 $12.60 $31,500 $15.10 -21.7%
Huntington 60 $31,100 $14.90 $36,100 $17.40 17.1%
Parkersburg 40 $35,100 $16.90 $39,700 $19.10 46.5%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eau Claire 30 $35,800 $17.20 $41,900 $20.10 3.7%
La Crosse 30 $39,300 $18.90 $47,000 $22.60 5.8%
Madison NA $44,800 $21.50 $49,900 $24.00 NA
Milwaukee 310 $30,200 $14.50 $44,200 $21.30 -11%
Oshkosh 40 $17,500 $8.40 $47,400 $22.80 -3.3%