Massage Therapists Salary
The median pay for a massage therapists in Altoona, PA is $50,480/year ($24.27/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $106K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.51), which stretches that salary to about $56,396 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,138/month, about 33.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $50K get you in Altoona?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Altoona’s Regional Price Parity (89.51). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About massage therapists
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What this looks like in Altoona
Pay for massage therapists in Altoona runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $1,138/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for massage therapists in metros near Altoona, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $60K | $58K |
| Pittsburgh | $59K | $63K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $48K | $49K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $50K | $50K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Altoona, PA
Entry-level massage therapists (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $50K. Top earners bring in $106K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Massage Therapists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Massage Therapists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | $135K | +131% | 570 |
| Washington | $87K | +49% | 3,740 |
| Oregon | $87K | +49% | 2,250 |
| Hawaii | $81K | +39% | 1,330 |
| New Hampshire | $80K | +37% | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +28% | 290 |
| North Dakota | $74K | +27% | 100 |
| Maine | $73K | +25% | 370 |
| Michigan | $71K | +21% | 2,410 |
| District of Columbia | $64K | +10% | 120 |
| Massachusetts | $63K | +8% | 2,830 |
| Minnesota | $63K | +8% | 1,690 |
| New York | $63K | +7% | 4,500 |
| Arizona | $62K | +7% | 2,530 |
| Maryland | $62K | +7% | 1,350 |
| Connecticut | $62K | +7% | 700 |
| Virginia | $62K | +6% | 2,730 |
| Utah | $62K | +6% | 1,840 |
| Missouri | $62K | +6% | 1,500 |
| Wyoming | $62K | +6% | 150 |
| Colorado | $61K | +4% | 3,950 |
| North Carolina | $61K | +4% | 2,460 |
| Illinois | $60K | +3% | 4,950 |
| Idaho | $60K | +3% | 170 |
| Kentucky | $60K | +2% | 780 |
| Texas | $59K | +2% | 8,630 |
| Delaware | $59K | +1% | 230 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -0% | 2,990 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | -1% | 1,520 |
| South Carolina | $58K | -1% | 1,840 |
| Iowa | $58K | -1% | 540 |
| Ohio | $56K | -4% | 1,760 |
| Indiana | $56K | -5% | 1,480 |
| Nebraska | $54K | -8% | 270 |
| Nevada | $54K | -8% | 1,620 |
| Montana | $54K | -8% | 200 |
| South Dakota | $52K | -11% | 180 |
| Georgia | $51K | -13% | 1,700 |
| New Jersey | $50K | -14% | 2,890 |
| Tennessee | $50K | -14% | 1,230 |
| Kansas | $50K | -14% | 780 |
| Florida | $50K | -15% | 9,280 |
| Alabama | $49K | -16% | 600 |
| West Virginia | $47K | -20% | 250 |
| California | $46K | -21% | 14,600 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -31% | 230 |
| Arkansas | $40K | -32% | 430 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -35% | 360 |
| Oklahoma | $37K | -37% | 520 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -38% | 890 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track massage therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Altoona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a massage therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Altoona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $50K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,138/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for massage therapists in Altoona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new massage therapists typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,393/month. At HUD’s $1,138/month FMR, rent would take 82% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is massage therapist a high-paying job in Altoona?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $50K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Altoona compare to the national average for massage therapists?
Altoona pays $50K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $56K — below the national median.
How much do massage therapists make in Altoona, PA?
The median is $50,480 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $23,210, and experienced massage therapists can clear $105,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $50K enough to live in Altoona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,421/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,138/month, which eats 33.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a massage therapists salary go in Altoona?
Altoona has a Regional Price Parity of 89.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median massage therapists salary is worth about $56,396 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do massage therapists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.