Massage Therapy Overview: Education & Job Outlook

The complete guide to massage therapy programs, certification, careers and advancement opportunities.
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Massage Therapy Career Facts

Introduction

One of the most relaxing therapies in the health care industry is a massage. Sometimes it’s a 30-minute massage, sometimes it’s 60 but if you have ever had a therapeutic massage with soothing music, aromatherapy scents, you know the magic a therapist performs.

A massage by definition is the manipulation of muscles and soft tissue of the body. This increases the circulation of the manipulated area, relieves pain, stress, and increases relaxation.  A massage therapist performs this activity and their clients are often referred by Doctors and Physicians.

The human body muscular system is complex, and most Massage Therapists attend schools to train in the techniques of this profession to study the body.

The art of massages have Eastern and Western origins. Western massage programs such as Swedish, prenatal, deep-tissue, and sports massage among others are some of the different techniques that the therapist will use on the client.

A therapist uses these different techniques depending on their clients’ needs or body types such as athletes, the elderly, or those who just have pain.

Massage Therapy is a $16 billion industry today and expected to grow to be a $68 billion market within a decade. The Bureau of Labor (BLS) predicts 35,400 new jobs in the next 5 years so the job prospects are excellent.

Massage Therapist: Degrees and Programs

There are more than 300 massage therapy schools that offer an accredited program in Massage Therapy and average about 500 hours of training for certification.

A full-time program can be completed in about 8 months and part-time 10-12 months. California, Indiana, and Virginia require a Massage Therapy Certification. Wyoming, Kansas, Oklahoma, Minnesota, and Vermont do not require a license. The other states regulate therapist in various ways but usually require a minimum number of training hours but check with your state for exact requirements.

A state license helps to standardize practices and to ensure safety and confidence for clients.

The table below shows whether each state offers either a license or certificate, the number of required training hours, and the name of the licensing/certification exam.

State + License or Certificate Education Hours Certified Exam
Alabama - L
650
MBLEx
Alaska - L
500
MBLEx
Arizona - L
700
MBLEx
Arkansas - L
500
MBLEx
California - C
500
MBLEx, BCTMB
Colorado - L
500
MBLEx, BCTMB
Connecticut - L
500
MBLEx
Delaware - C or L
300 or 500
none or MBLEx
Florida - L
500
MBLEx
Georgia - L
500
MBLEx
Hawaii - L
570
HMTEx
Idaho - L
500
MBLEx
Illinois - L
600
MBLEx
Indiana - C
500
MBLEx
Iowa - L
600
MBLEx
Kansas - none
none
none
Kentucky - L
600
MBLEx
Louisiana - L
500
MBLEx
Maine - L
500
MBLEx
Maryland - L
600
MBLEx
Massachusetts - L
550
None
Michigan - L
500
MBLEx
Minnesota - none
none
none
Mississippi - L
700
MBLEx and MSLE
Missouri - L
500
MBLEx
Montana - L
500
MBLEx
Nebraska - L
1,000
MBLEx
Nevada - L
550
MBLEx
New Hampshire - L
750
MBLEx
New Jersey - L
500
MBLEx
New Mexico - C
650
MBLEx
New York - L
1,000
NY Castle
North Carolina - L
500
MBLEx
North Dakota - L
750
MBLEx
Ohio - L
750
MBLEx
Oklahoma - L
500
None
Oregon - L
500
MBLEx
Pennsylvania - L
600
MBLEx
Rhode Island - L
500
MBLEx
South Carolina - L
500
MBLEx
South Dakota - L
500
MBLEx
Tennessee - L
600
MBLEx
Texas - L
500
MBLEx
Utah - L
600
MBLEx
Vermont - none
none
none
Virginia - C
500
MBLEx
Washington - L
500
MBLEx
West Virginia - L
500
MBLEx
Wisconsin - L
600
MBLEx
Wyoming - none
none
none
District of Columbia (D.C.) - L
500
MBLEx

The licensing and certifying exams are listed below:

  • Massage and Bodywork Licensing Exam (MBLEx)
  • Mississippi State Law Exam (MSLE)
  • Board Certification Exam fpor Therapeutic Massage and Bodyworks (BCTMB)
  • Hawaii Massage Therapy Exam (HMTEx)

Tuition costs will vary at the more than 300 different accredited technical schools. Tuition will be about $10 per credit hour which means on average you will pay about $5,000 for a 500-hour class.

A typical massage therapy program that meets many state requirements would be:

  • Anatomy: 50 hours
  • Kinesiology: 50 hours
  • Physiology: 25 hours
  • Pathology: 40 hours
  • Techniques, theory, and practice of soft tissue manipulation: 200 hours (with no less than 125 hours devoted to Swedish massage therapy technique)
  • Hydrotherapy: 20 hours
  • Laws and rules, ethics, and business practice: 45 hours
  • Hygiene, health, universal precautions, first aid, and CPR: 20 hours
  • Internship: 50 hours

Many states follow the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) licensing programs which offers the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEX) but check your state for the latest requirements. You can also take the NCBTMB Board Certification exam that is accepted by states for licensing purposes.

Massage Therapist Salaries

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has detailed statistics on role which vary state by state but the median average salary for Massage Therapist is $41,420 per year.

Several factors determine the final salary or wage of a Massage Therapist including specialization within a field, experience, and geography to name a few. The areas with a higher cost of living tend to pay above average. Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Hawaii and Massachusetts are the top five top paying states according to the BLS.

Quick Facts: Massage Therapy
2018 Median Pay

$41,420 per year

$19.92 per hour

Typical Entry-Level EducationPost-secondary non degree award
On-the-job TrainingNone
Number of Jobs, 2018159,800
Job Outlook, 2018-2822% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2018-2835,400

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Massage Therapy Job Growth

The future is very bright for Massage Therapist job growth. According to BLS, they predict employment to grow 22% from now through 2028.

This is a much faster than average growth occupation in the Allied Health industry in terms of jobs. The BLS predicts 35,400 Massage Therapist jobs will be added in the next several years.

The need for Massage Therapists is in every state but some areas have more need and are willing to pay more to start. California, Florida, Texas, Colorado and Illinois are the top five states with the most jobs needs according to BLS.

Massage Therapy Career Opportunities

After learning the skills through training and practice, you can choose to work full-time or part-time in a variety of different environments such as:

Holistic

  • Wellness Centers
  • Rehabilitation Centers
  • Massage Clinics

Athletic

  • Sports teams
  • Marathon and Sporting Events
  • Fitness Centers

Luxury Lifestyle

  • Spas
  • Resorts
  • Cruise Lines
  • Upscale hotels

Professional

  • Hospitals
  • Medical Offices
  • Chiropractic
  • Physical Therapy

A typical job description for a Massage Therapists:

  • Discuss with clients their symptoms, medical history, and desired results
  • Locate painful or tense areas of the body
  • Massage muscles and other soft tissues of the body
  • Guide clients on stretching, strengthening, overall relaxation
  • Track clients’ conditions and progress

Massage Therapist Personality Traits

Massage Therapists help heal and comfort their patients and patients look for a therapist they can trust.

Here are some traits that can help you succeed:

  • Social and business skills
  • A great listener
  • Patience
  • Genuine compassion for clients
  • Thrive in interacting with people

If you love a hands on and caring profession with clients who need healing and are passionate about the health industry, a Massage Therapist maybe the career that will be fulfilling for you.

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