SOC 31-9011 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Massage Therapists — Louisiana
Louisiana · 7 metro areas compared
The median wage for Massage Therapists in Louisiana is $36,480 per year, substantially below the national median of $58,450 — a gap of 37.6%.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
Salary overview
The median wage for Massage Therapists in Louisiana is $36,480 per year, substantially below the national median of $58,450 — a gap of 37.6%. Pay ranges from under $18,080 at the tenth percentile to more than $59,680 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $23,330 to $48,300.
Employment stands at 890, or 0.5 jobs per thousand held locally. Among the 50 states with published data for this occupation, Louisiana ranks 50th by median wage. Shreveport leads the state's metro areas for this occupation, at $46,810. Set against every other occupation measured in the same area, it ranks 556th of 679 by median pay.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $18,080 | −69.1% |
| 25th | $23,330 | −60.1% |
| Median (50th) | $36,480 | −37.6% |
| 75th | $48,300 | −17.4% |
| 90th | $59,680 | +2.1% |
| Mean | $38,140 | −34.7% |
Highest-paying metro areas in Louisiana
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | $46,810 | 50 | |
| 2 | Lake Charles | $42,830 | 60 | |
| 3 | New Orleans | $39,500 | 180 | |
| 4 | Slidell | $38,130 | 100 | |
| 5 | Lafayette | $35,610 | 90 | |
| 6 | Baton Rouge | $30,820 | 250 | |
| 7 | Monroe | $21,730 | 60 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Louisiana run 11.8% below the national average, so the median of $36,480 goes as far as $41,361 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 29.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$36,480as reported by BLSLocal price level
88.2US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$41,361US average = 100 · BEA 2024Key takeaways
- Median pay is $36,480 a year, 37.6% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $18,080 to $59,680 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 890 jobs in this occupation.
- It ranks 50th of 50 states for this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Shreveport, at $46,810.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Massage Therapists in Louisiana?
The median annual wage is $36,480, or $17.54 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $58,450, so pay in Louisiana is 37.6% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Louisiana earns more than $59,680 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $18,080 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Shreveport, at $46,810 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 890 jobs in this occupation in Louisiana. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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