Massage Career FAQ's
Massage Career FAQ's ( Frequently Asked Questions) No matter what stage you are in there is help for you.
Massage
Licensing and Massage Certification. Licensing is different than
certification. You have to be licensed by the state you want to work
in. Each state is different so if you want to move you have to contact
the state you want to work in. Being Nationally Certified does not mean
you can just move to wherever you want. It just means you passed a
test that may or may not be required by the state you want to live and
work in. Check with each state's licensing board to find out what you
need to do. See these important pages!
For high school students who are thinking about going to massage school.
Massage Licensing Find out what is needed to get a professional massage license in your state.
Massage licensing Boards Find the massage licensing board for the state you are interested in working in. Each state has different requirements. All questions about licensing are to be directed to the State Board of Massage in the state that you want to work in.
Massage National Certification
Becoming a massage therapist.
- How much can you make as a massage therapist? You
can make as little or as much as you want really. Most of the salary
statistics online are inaccurate. Most massage therapists work only
about 20-25 hours a week because of the physical demands. Most jobs pay
only about $15-$30 an hour and that is only when you are doing a
massage. You will get paid minimum wage and be required to clean and
organize. Most massage therapists start their own massage business because it is much more financially rewarding. You
can make a decent living in the massage profession if you are
committed, passionate about massage and creative. You can read more in
my Ebooks on Massage Careers and Massage Jobs
- Where can you work as a massage therapist? Many
places are starting to hire massage therapists but the pay is generally
low. Spas are probably the largest employer of massage therapists
which includes day spas, destination spas, medical spas and resorts.
Other places such as chiropractors, hospitals, chair massage businesses
and medical clinics as well as small individual massage clinics are also
hiring massage therapists. The best way is to really create your own
job with a population or group of people that you really want to work
with. Most massage therapists actually start their own business at sometime as it is much more lucrative and rewarding.
- Why do most massage therapists start their own businesses? While
there are more places hiring massage therapists, the pay is still
really low for the most part averaging about $15-$40 an hour but you
only get paid that when you are actually doing a massage. You get paid
minimum wage at other times. Massage therapists usually start out
working somewhere and go on to start their own business after learning
more about business. It is much more rewarding both financially and
emotionally.
- What is it like to be a massage therapist? It
isn't like all of the nice pictures on the massage school websites -
that is for sure. They forget to mention how much work it takes to get
and keep clients. They forget to put pictures of overweight people,
people with large scars down their back and people who are very stressed
out and in pain. Most people think that massage is just about
helping others when it really has little to do with that. It is more
about learning to take care of yourself and help yourself. It is about
becoming more aware of yourself so that you can stay present with people
who are stressed out and in pain.
- What requirements are there for becoming a massage therapist and going to massage school? Massage
school is only a 500 to 1000 hour program so not much is usually
required except for having a high school education. That being said the
average age of massage therapists in the US is 45 meaning that most
massage schools are geared towards teaching adults. For high school
students right out of school it is usually better to go to college for
business, marketing or just liberal arts and get some life experience
first.
FAQ's about Massage Jobs
- How much can you make at a massage job? Entry
level salaries in massage start at $15-$25 an hour. Most massage
employers only pay you that wage when you are actually doing a massage.
Your hours are also limited by the number of massages you can
physically/emotionally do in one day. Massage jobs are a fairly new
concept which means you can create your "Ideal Massage Job" if you are
willing to do the work of proving your value to a potential massage
employer. You can read more how to do that in my EBook - The Massage
Therapy Job Guide
- Where can I find work as a massage therapist? The
largest employers of massage therapist are spas, day spas and resorts.
Massage franchises are also hiring massage therapists. Chiropractors,
medical professionals and even hospitals are now hiring massage
therapists.
- Why do I have to do a massage as a part of the interview process? Massage
employers want to know if you know how to massage! They aren't out to
get free massages. It actually can be quite taxing getting lots of
massages from new massage therapists. The best way to succeed in a
massage interview is to just go in and treat them like a real client
asking all of the interview questions and doing the best massage that
you can do
- What if I can't find a job in massage? Jobs
are all over the place. If you can't find a job that fits your needs,
think about creating your "Ideal Massage Job". You can find out more in
my Ebook on "Massage Therapy Job Guide"
Starting a Massage Business
- How much does it take to start a massage business
Starting a massage business really doesn't take much in the way of
cash. You can start on a shoestring budget which most massage therapist
do anyway. All you need is an office space to rent, business cards and
a name for your business. You should also have your own website. You
can start your business by renting a room for a few hours a week from an
already established massage therapist or from another type of health
care provider or fitness facility. - How much should I pay for rent for a massage office?
The question is really how much do you want to pay? You need to figure
out a spending plan for yourself and determine what you can afford.
Many massage therapists who are already established usually have a few
hours open or even a day or two open that you can rent.
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