If you want to give yourself the best opportunity to earn a living as a masseuse, find a place where there is a lot of demand. After all, more customers means more business.
But at the same time, the high demand for therapists also means that there is a flood of therapists to tap into that business. The result? Places with a high demand for massage services tend to also have the majority of people working in the field.
However, if you only search for the states with the most massage therapists, you will end up with only the largest and most populous states: California, Florida, and New York. Therefore, to compare apples to apples, it is necessary to look at the states with the most therapists per capita. These are the states where there are a large number of people employed in the industry relative to the number of people in the state.
The data below comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), which tracks the number of people employed in the profession across the country.
Alaska
Surprised? The nation’s largest state may not be the most populous, but it takes the cake when it comes to masseurs per person. While the state only has about 750,000 residents, it employs 770 massage therapists – that’s roughly one therapist for every 1,000 residents.
However, despite having the highest concentration of massage therapists, Alaska also offers the highest salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary is $ 85,110. That’s more than $ 20,000 more than the state second by salary.
Hawaii
If you are thinking in a state known for relaxation, Hawaii is likely to occur to you. Hawaii is a hotbed of massage therapies. The state ranks 40th in population, but second in massage therapists per person. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, the state has 1,390 massage therapists. That goes to a massage therapist for a little over every 1,000 people.
Median wages are healthy too. You can expect an average salary of more than $ 53,000 per year. Not bad for the ability to practice massage in paradise.
Colorado
Another tourist mecca, there seems to be a lot of demand for massages when people get off the slopes. Colorado is home to 4,950 massage therapists who serve a population of 5.5 million. That’s roughly one therapist for every 1,100 people. However, that figure is a bit misleading.
Since so many tourists go to Colorado to enjoy the mountains and scenery, many of the massages are likely to be given to tourists from out of state.
Washington
Rounding out the top four, and the quartet of western states, is Washington. The state’s economy is booming and it is also home to some of the world’s most famous companies such as Starbucks, Microsoft, and Amazon. Meanwhile, the population continues to increase, with approximately 7.2 million inhabitants.
However, the number of masseurs keeps pace. Today, 4,030 therapists work in the state, which means that there is approximately one therapist for every 1,800 residents. And despite that large amount of “supply,” Washington state massage therapists still earn a solid median salary of $ 55,920, one of the highest in the nation.