Massage Therapy Careers

Massage Therapy Careers are being advertised as the up and coming profession with high paying salaries, great working conditions as well as doing something more meaningful.

Massage Therapists are in demand as massage is more accepted by health insurance, doctors, the medical profession and the alternative medical professions. Massage is no longer the luxury that most made it out to be. It is now more of a necessity. People are seeking out massage therapists to help them deal with stressful lifestyles that result in injuries, pain, health conditions and improving overall wellness.

Massage Therapy Careers can be financially as well as mentally, emotionally and spiritually rewarding. Like any other career path, it provides an opportunity for growth in all of these areas. Working with people who are in pain actually requires that a massage therapist be more inclined toward their own personal growth work as it can help enhance their own practice or jobs.

People will come to the massage profession because they have a strong call to help others. It is important to find the career that is best for you - one that inspires you and motivates you to keep learning and to be successful. You will need that passion to keep you going in a career in massage.

While most massage therapists start their own massage business there are more jobs opening up with the creation of many different massage franchises. Spas are probably the next biggest employer of massage therapists. Hospitals, medical clinics and alternative medicine professionals like chiropractors are also hiring more massage therapists. The opportunities are really just beginning. The Massage Therapy Job Outlook report from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics offers an indepth look at careers and massage job descriptions.

With that in mind, the other side of massage therapy careers is that there are many massage therapists who are out there struggling to get by and the physical demands of the profession takes its toll on massage therapists bodies. The salaries for massage therapists are often not what they are made out to be by some massage schools. Most massage therapists start their own business like a spa that focuses on relaxation massage or an individual clinic that does relaxation massage as well as injury treatments and prevention. Here are some ideas of what kinds of things you will need to be doing when you start your own massage business.

So if you are still interested in becoming a massage therapist and massage therapy careers, you will first need to find out what massage training you will need in your state. Each state has different requirements. Getting licensed in one state does not mean that you can work in any state. You will have to fulfill the requirements in each different state, if you wish to move at any time in your career. Currently (as of 6/24/12), most states require some sort of licensing except for Alaska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Minnesota and Vermont. Be sure to check to see if laws are being implemented in these states. Read more about massage licensing to find out what is required in your state. Licensing can be confusing when you are first researching careers in massage. Certification is different than licensing. You will get a certificate from your massage school when you complete your course of study. There is also something called National Certification but it makes things even more confusing because it still does not mean you can practice in any state. Learn more about massage certification.

Your massage school will also be able to help you more with licensing and certification and what you will need to be able to practice massage in your state. You will need to learn more about choosing a massage school and finding a school that will meet your needs for learning and applying the information into a real life job or business situation. There are over 1400 massage schools in the US alone - each with their own unique course of study and usually with a different number of hours offered. Deciding on what school is best for you is a process of learning about what you own needs are and finding a school that will meet those needs. Massage school tuition varies from $6000 a year to $30,000 a year.

The average age of massage therapists is 45 so massage schools are geared more toward teaching adult learners in general, but as more high school students become interested in careers in massage because of more jobs being available, schools are often challenged by teaching younger learners.

You can also get more complete info on licensing requirements, choosing a
school and figuring out if a career in massage is for you in my Book -A Career In Massage - Is it for you?-
The truth about becoming a massage therapist."

While there are many challenges in starting and running a business or finding a higher paying job, you can still be very successful and make the money that you dream about. The thing is to know what you are getting into before you begin so you can gear your learning towards the things you will need.

It will help you understand the massage profession and make a more informed choice about becoming a massage therapist as well as help you to choose a massage school that is best for you. Many massage therapists struggle to get by in this profession but it doesn't have to be that way especially if you start out being aware of the challenges you will face.

It is possible to make a Great living as a massage therapist and even make $50-$100,000 a year with your own business or even as an employee. Currently the number of massage therapists that do make that much are very few, mainly because of all of the mis-information that is provided before you enter massage school. What it really takes is knowing yourself and building the self confidence to make what you need.Find a Massage School

See also:

Read the Book on Massage Therapy Careers

Read more real stories about Successful Massage Therapists - A Day in the Life of a Massage Therapist

Learn All About Massage - how it works, what kinds of conditions it helps with

Career Statistics - More information on statistics like salaries and jobs.

Massage Therapy Jobs What jobs are out there for people considering a career in massage

Massage Therapy Schools How to choose the massage school that is best for you to start your massage therapy career.

FAQ's about becoming a Massage Therapist,

Become a Sports Massage Therapists

Become a Spa Massage Therapists

How to Choose the Best Career for you.

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