Massage Therapists Salary
The median pay for a massage therapists in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $78,320/year ($37.66/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $114K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $75,547 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,960/month, about 36% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $78K get you in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater sits well above the national pay line for massage therapists, local pay runs about 34% higher than the U.S. median of $58K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,960/month, which is 37.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for massage therapists in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $94K | $85K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $77K | $77K |
| Bellingham | $84K | $81K |
| 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, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level massage therapists (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $78K. Top earners bring in $114K or more, a $78K 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a massage therapist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $78K, rent takes 37.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for massage therapists in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new massage therapists typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,144/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Local pay is 34% above the national median — $78K here vs. $58K nationally.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for massage therapists?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $78K median vs. the U.S. average of $58K — that’s +34%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $76K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do massage therapists make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $78,320 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,740, and experienced massage therapists can clear $113,570. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $78K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,290/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 37.1% 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 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (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 $75,547 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.