Prevailing Wage for Massage Therapists
Prevailing wage for Massage Therapists is set by the DOL using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data specific to each worksite location. Whether you work as a Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT), a Bodywork Therapist, or a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), DOL assigns your offer to one of four experience levels, and the floor shifts considerably from city to city.
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Entry-level practitioners with limited hands-on experience, typically recent graduates of accredited massage therapy programs. Scope is routine massage modalities under supervision, with minimal clinical decision-making or independent client assessment.
Qualified therapists with moderate independent experience applying a defined set of techniques. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Massage Therapists, reflecting a practitioner who works autonomously but within established clinical protocols.
Experienced therapists who apply advanced or specialized modalities, such as clinical or integrated deep tissue work, with significant independent judgment. May mentor junior staff or contribute to developing client therapy plans.
Fully competent senior practitioners or lead therapists who design treatment protocols, supervise clinical staff, and exercise complete autonomy across a broad range of soft-tissue and joint therapy techniques.
Prevailing Wage for Massage Therapists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Massage Therapists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your modality matches the filed SOC
Titles like 'Wellness Practitioner' or 'Spa Therapist' sometimes get filed under a different SOC, missing the Massage Therapists floor entirely. Before accepting a sponsored offer, verify the LCA lists SOC 31-9011 and not a personal care or cosmetology code.
Watch out for tip and gratuity exclusions
Many spa and resort employers supplement base wages with expected gratuities. DOL prevailing wage compliance counts only guaranteed base salary, so an offer that depends on client tips to reach the floor does not satisfy the LCA wage requirement.
Target Pacific Northwest metros for the highest floors
Seattle and Bremerton in Washington and Salem and Bend in Oregon consistently post the highest prevailing wages for this occupation. Prioritizing offers in these metro areas means even an L1 entry-level floor clears what experienced therapists earn nationally.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
Migrate Mate shows which employers have previously sponsored Licensed Massage Therapists and similar roles, so you can focus on practices, resort groups, and healthcare networks that have already navigated the LCA process for this occupation.
Jobs for Massage Therapists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for Massage TherapistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 31-9011.00 alongside Massage Therapists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Bodywork Therapist Prevailing Wage
Bodywork Therapist Prevailing Wage
Bodywork Therapist positions fall under SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) Prevailing Wage
Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Certified Massage Therapist (CMT) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Clinical Massage Therapist Prevailing Wage
Clinical Massage Therapist Prevailing Wage
Clinical Massage Therapist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Integrated Deep Tissue Massage Therapist Prevailing Wage
Integrated Deep Tissue Massage Therapist Prevailing Wage
Integrated Deep Tissue Massage Therapist positions fall under SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Massage Therapist (LMT) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) Prevailing Wage
Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) Prevailing Wage
Registered Massage Therapist (RMT) positions fall under SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Soft Tissue Specialist Prevailing Wage
Soft Tissue Specialist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Soft Tissue Specialist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Therapeutic Massage Technician Prevailing Wage
Therapeutic Massage Technician Prevailing Wage
Therapeutic Massage Technician is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 31-9011.00 (Massage Therapists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Massage Therapists?
DOL derives prevailing wages for Massage Therapists from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OFLC maps survey results to SOC 31-9011 and publishes four wage levels for each metropolitan or nonmetropolitan area. Employers file a Labor Condition Application citing the level that matches the offered position, and the certified LCA wage becomes the enforceable floor.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
Level 1 covers entry-level work under supervision; Level 2 reflects qualified independent practice and is where most sponsorships are filed; Level 3 applies to experienced therapists using specialized techniques with significant autonomy; Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with full clinical independence. Your level is determined by the duties and supervision described in the LCA, not your years of experience alone, so review the job description carefully against DOL's level definitions.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same role vary so much by city?
OFLC uses regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics data, so each metropolitan statistical area has its own survey sample reflecting local labor market conditions. The LCA must list the actual worksite city, and compliance is assessed against that city's floor. Dense employer markets with organized wellness industries, such as those in the Pacific Northwest, drive local survey wages well above the national median, while rural or lower-cost metros produce significantly lower floors.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An LCA certifying a wage below the applicable prevailing wage floor cannot legally be filed by the employer. If a certified LCA is later found to misrepresent the wage, DOL's Wage and Hour Division can investigate, order back pay to the worker, and debar the employer from future filings. USCIS will also deny or revoke an H-1B petition where the underlying LCA wage is non-compliant. Negotiate any offer to at least the prevailing wage before LCA submission.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search tool to look up SOC 31-9011 and select the metropolitan area matching the worksite address on the job offer. The tool returns all four wage levels for that area. For employers actively sponsoring the role, Migrate Mate lists practices and healthcare employers with verified sponsorship history, letting you cross-reference the employer's filing track record alongside OFLC data before you accept an offer.
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