Massage Therapists Salary
The median pay for a massage therapists in Louisiana is $36,480/year ($17.54/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $18K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $41,797 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,191/month, about 47.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Louisiana?
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Pay for massage therapists in Louisiana runs about 38% below the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,191/month, which is 47.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for massage therapistss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level massage therapists (10th percentile) start around $18K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $42K spread from bottom to top.
Massage Therapists salary by metro in Louisiana
7 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $47K | +28% | 50 |
| Lake Charles | $43K | +17% | 60 |
| New Orleans-Metairie | $40K | +8% | 180 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $38K | +5% | 100 |
| Lafayette | $36K | -2% | 90 |
| Baton Rouge | $31K | -16% | 250 |
| Monroe | $22K | -40% | 60 |
Compare to other states
Track massage therapists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a massage therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 47.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for massage therapists in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new massage therapists typically earn — is $18K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,085/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 110% 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 Louisiana?
Local pay runs 38% below the national median — $36K here vs. $58K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for massage therapists?
Louisiana pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s -38%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do massage therapists make in Louisiana?
The median is $36,480 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $18,080, and experienced massage therapists can clear $59,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,523/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 47.2% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $41,797 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.