Massage Therapists Salary
The median pay for a massage therapists in Bellingham, WA is $83,790/year ($40.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $116K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.33), that's roughly $81,090 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,794/month, about 32% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $84K get you in Bellingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bellingham’s Regional Price Parity (103.33). 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 Bellingham
Bellingham sits well above the national pay line for massage therapists, local pay runs about 43% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $1,794/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 103.33) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for massage therapists in metros near Bellingham, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $94K | $85K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $77K | $77K |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | $78K | $76K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $80K | $80K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bellingham, WA
Entry-level massage therapists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $116K or more, a $55K 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 |
| Montana | $54K | -8% | 200 |
| Nevada | $54K | -8% | 1,620 |
| 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 with published data
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 Bellingham numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a massage therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bellingham?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 32% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,794/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for massage therapists in Bellingham?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new massage therapists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,657/month. At HUD’s $1,794/month FMR, rent would take 49% 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 Bellingham?
Local pay is 43% above the national median — $84K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Bellingham compare to the national average for massage therapists?
Bellingham pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +43%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.33), the purchasing-power equivalent is $81K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do massage therapists make in Bellingham, WA?
The median is $83,790 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,950, and experienced massage therapists can clear $115,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in Bellingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,611/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,794/month, which eats 32% 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 Bellingham?
Bellingham has a Regional Price Parity of 103.33 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median massage therapists salary is worth about $81,090 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.