Massage Therapy

Massage therapists relieve stress from the soft tissues of the body using different techniques usually involving touch and pressure. The training massage therapy precludes in health care involves treatments for painful ailments, overworked muscles, built-up stress, and sports injuries. Clients seek massage just as often for relaxing purposes as they do for medical treatments.

To learn more about colleges for massage therapy and massage therapy programs feel free to request more information.

Massage Therapist Salary

Graduates from massage therapy courses have a wide range of salaries. The median salary reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2008 was approximately $17 an hour; however, massage therapists report as low as $8 an hour and as high as $34 an hour or more. Salary is heavily dependent upon location, experience, and clientele that provide recommendations and reputation.

Massage Therapy Training and Qualifications

The District of Columbia and 42 States have laws regulating massage therapy. Massage therapists in those States require completing a formal massage education from accredited massage therapy schools and passing an examination to practice. Education programs are available from public and private colleges and typically require 500 or more hours of study to complete. Accreditation of educational programs for massage therapy schools may come from approval from the State board or from an independent accrediting agency.

In States where licensure is required, licensure may be pursued after completing an academic program. The examination may be through the State and/or one of two nationally recognized tests: the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCETMB); or the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx). Prospective massage therapists should check with their State board for which licensure(s) are required for practice.

Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a 19% job growth for graduates from massage therapy schools in the 2008 to 2018 decade. The number of spas that employ massage therapists is increasing, offering more job opportunities to the certified massage therapist. Massage clinic franchises that offer more affordable massage therapy options are also hot spots for individuals with training for massage therapy. New massage therapists should only expect part time employment, however, as they establish a reputation within their practice.

Advancement

Massage therapists seek advancement in their career by increasing their client base. As a massage therapist establishes a reputation, they may receive higher pay for their services and even branch off to their own practice. Self-employed massage therapists with a high client base have the most lucrative salaries.

Massage therapists may also advance into specific massage specialties with additional training for massage therapy.

Learn More

To learn more about attending massage therapy programs from accredited massage therapy schools, fill out the form below for information. Alternatively, check out massage specialties.