The median annual wage of massage therapists was $34,900 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $17,970, and the top 10 percent earned more than $69,000.
Most massage therapists earn a combination of wages and tips.
Many massage therapists work part time; only about 1 out of 4 worked full time in 2010. Because therapists work by appointment in most cases, their schedules and the number of hours worked each week vary considerably. In addition to hours giving massages, therapists may also spend time recording patient notes, marketing, booking clients, washing linens, and other general business tasks.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition