Massage Therapists Salary
The median pay for a massage therapists in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI is $68,470/year ($32.92/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $27K at the entry level to $83K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $71,659 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,519/month, about 33.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $68K get you in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood sits well above the national pay line for massage therapists, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. Rent runs $1,519/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn | $71K | $71K |
| Lansing-East Lansing | $75K | $79K |
| Ann Arbor | $60K | $60K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $50K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI
Entry-level massage therapists (10th percentile) start around $27K. Mid-career wages sit at $68K. Top earners bring in $83K or more, a $56K 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a massage therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $68K, rent takes 34% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,519/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for massage therapists in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new massage therapists typically earn — is $27K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,627/month. At HUD’s $1,519/month FMR, rent would take 93% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $68K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood compare to the national average for massage therapists?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood pays $68K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $72K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do massage therapists make in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI?
The median is $68,470 a year, that works out to about $33 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $27,110, and experienced massage therapists can clear $82,770. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $68K enough to live in Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,470/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,519/month, which eats 34% 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 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood?
Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (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 $71,659 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.