Massage Therapists Salary
The median pay for a massage therapists in California is $45,970/year ($22.1/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $90K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $43,311 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 77.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $46K get you in California?
About massage therapists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in California
Pay for massage therapists in California runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 78.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for massage therapistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level massage therapists (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $90K or more, a $56K spread from bottom to top.
Massage Therapists salary by metro in California
20 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico | $63K | +38% | 40 |
| Salinas | $61K | +34% | 240 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $61K | +32% | 120 |
| Vallejo | $59K | +28% | 100 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $58K | +26% | 110 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $57K | +25% | 90 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $52K | +13% | 720 |
| Redding | $51K | +10% | 40 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $51K | +10% | 310 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $50K | +9% | 210 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $50K | +9% | 680 |
| Fresno | $49K | +7% | 190 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $45K | -1% | 140 |
| Modesto | $45K | -1% | 60 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $45K | -2% | 1,820 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $45K | -3% | 1,330 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $44K | -4% | 170 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $44K | -5% | 5,680 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $40K | -12% | 1,800 |
| Napa | $39K | -14% | 250 |
Showing 1–10 of 20 metros
Compare to other states
Track massage therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a massage therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 78.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for massage therapists in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new massage therapists typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,059/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 120% 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 California?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $46K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does California compare to the national average for massage therapists?
California pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do massage therapists make in California?
The median is $45,970 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,320, and experienced massage therapists can clear $89,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,161/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 78.2% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $43,311 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.