Massage Therapists pay in California
$55,630avg. a year
$26.75 an hour · 14,600 employed
Massage Therapists in California earn an average of $55,630 a year. That is $8,200 (13%) less than the U.S. average of $63,830. The best-paying metro area is Salinas, CA at $75,230.
$45,970Median pay
$26.75Average hourly
+24%Avg. pay since 2020
#40Of 49 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for massage therapists by metro area. Swipe to see all 20.
1240 jobs
Salinas, CA
$75,230
$36.17 an hour
2110 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$70,040
$33.68 an hour
340 jobs
Chico, CA
$69,110
$33.22 an hour
4120 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$66,080
$31.77 an hour
51,820 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$59,940
$28.82 an hour
6680 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$59,870
$28.78 an hour
7210 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$59,220
$28.47 an hour
8100 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$58,570
$28.16 an hour
9310 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$58,190
$27.98 an hour
1090 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$58,100
$27.93 an hour
111,800 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$56,920
$27.36 an hour
121,330 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$55,960
$26.90 an hour
13720 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$55,760
$26.81 an hour
14170 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$55,310
$26.59 an hour
15190 jobs
Fresno, CA
$53,070
$25.51 an hour
16140 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$52,600
$25.29 an hour
1740 jobs
Redding, CA
$52,360
$25.17 an hour
1860 jobs
Modesto, CA
$52,200
$25.10 an hour
195,680 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$52,130
$25.06 an hour
20250 jobs
Napa, CA
$49,140
$23.63 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Massage Therapists pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California massage therapists work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $56k$56k–$63k$63k–$68k$68k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $63,830 | $30.69 |
| California | $55,630 | $26.75 |
| Oregon | $82,160 | $39.50 |
| Arizona | $65,250 | $31.37 |
| Nevada | $60,240 | $28.96 |
Related jobs in California
- Medical Assistants$55,100
- Dental Assistants$54,710
- Phlebotomists$56,600
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers$47,250
- Healthcare Support Workers, All Other$56,100
- Medical Equipment Preparers$65,100
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do massage therapists make in California?
The average is $55,630 a year, and the median is $45,970. That is $8,200 (13%) less than the U.S. average of $63,830.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$26.75 an hour on average; the median is $22.10.
Where in California do they earn the most?
Salinas, CA ($75,230), followed by Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($70,040). The lowest average among 20 metro areas with data is Napa, CA ($49,140).
How does California rank?
California ranks #40 of 50 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 31-9011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national massage therapists page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.