Massage Therapy Careers

Massage therapy careers are exciting and flexible. You help your client relax, reduce stress and relieve pain through specialization in different types of massage. If you enjoy working with others, have strong hands and are self-motivated you may consider this career option. There are many type of massage techniques and most massage therapists specialize in various areas.

Dental Health | Nutrition/Dietitian | Healthcare Careers | Healthcare Management | Holistic Health | Massage Therapy | Medical Administration | Medical Assistant | Medical Billing/Coding | Medical Laboratory | Nursing | Occupational Therapy | Office Assistant | Personal Training | Pharmacy Technician | Physician Assistant | Physical Therapy | Psychology | Public Health | Radiology | Respiratory therapy |

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Massage therapy is used to relieve pain, reduce stress, lower anxiety, rejuvenate and avoid fatigue. It is also used in other areas such as prenatal or pregnancy massage, geriatric care, sports massage, chiropractic therapy, physical therapy, hospice massage, infant massage, and pre and post operative therapeutic massage. With massage therapy careers, you can work in hospitals, geriatric care, chiropractic clinics and nursing facilities, spas, resorts, hotels, cruise ships, gyms, salons, and health clubs.

Education and Training

Most states require massage therapists to be licensed, complete a formal massage therapy education and passed a state or national certification exam. Everest College has campuses in many states. For online courses, Penn Foster is a good recommendation. Some states also require massage therapists to enroll in continuing education classes throughout their careers to maintain their certification, so be sure to check your state requirements. There are many accredited massage therapy schools to choose from. You will generally take classes to human anatomy and physiology, detecting pressure points, and determining if clients need to see a physician if they are in pain. The curriculum also focuses on kinesiology, professional ethics, hydrotherapy, and pharmacology.

Expected Salary

Many massage therapists work on an hourly wage earning about $15.50 according to the U.S. Department of Labor. Many massage therapists also earn tips. There are many job openings and salaries range from $41,000 to about $58,000 a year. Most massage therapists are self-employed, and many report that they work 15-30 hrs thus providing flexibility. Many massage therapists work either independently or part-time, or a combination of the two. Since the work can be physically demanding, massage therapists may choose to separate their appointments. Massage therapy can be reasonably billed out at $25 to $100 per hour, and a massage therapist’s income can be substantially supplemented by cash gratuities and tips.

Projected Career Growth

Employment opportunities in massage therapy careers are expected to increase faster than average through 2014, as more and more people begin to appreciate the benefits of massage. The U.S. Department of Labor projects growth to increase between 18-26%, based on the rising interest in alternative medicine and growth in health education and preventative health care.

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