Data released this past summer by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put May 2020 employment numbers for massage therapists at more than 85,000. Just under 3,700 massage therapy jobs were in the six-state New England region. A review of BLS data reveals New England to be one of the nation's best for massage therapist pay, with four states in the region recording massage therapist annual mean wages above the national average. This included three states, home to more than 63% of the region's massage therapists, that ranked among the ten best in the nation for massage therapist annual mean wages. An exception to the favorable pay environment for massage therapists was Rhode Island, which ranked among the ten states with the lowest annual mean wage levels for MTs. A closer look at BLS data from May 2020 shows us the following about massage therapist pay in New England:
Massage Therapist Pay in New England |
State | # Employed | Annual Mean Wages | Wage Rank* |
CT | 940 | $49,090 | 17th |
MA | 1,670 | $69,790 | 2nd |
ME | 300 | $56,560 | 6th |
NH | 350 | $53,260 | 9th |
RI | 160 | $33,990 | 45th |
VT | 240 | $45,400 | 29th |
U.S. | 85,040 | $47,350 | ------- |
(*) annual mean wage ranking among the 50 states and the District of Columbia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OES. Data extracted on June 5, 2021