Are you seeking an impacting change in your life or just additional income? There has never been a better time to start a career in massage therapy than right now. There are so many massage therapy schools with so many options available; it can be a little overwhelming. Massage therapy school programs vary in cost based on the individual state's licensing requirements. On average, tuition ranges from about $6.00 to $17.00 per credit hour of class time. When considering the length of a massage therapy training program, the time required is influenced by whether you just need the bare-bone minimum required by your state to practice general massage therapy or if you need extensive training necessary to meet specific proficiency criteria to master massage therapy professional disciplines, as a registered massage therapist. Depending on the program you choose, it can take as long as a few weeks up to 2 years to complete.

Training requirements for massage therapy programs are different based on the locale. Commonly, your core subjects will be what are required by massage therapy standardizations and state regulations for licensing, such as anatomy, structure and function; legal and business ethics; massage and allied health modalities; kinesiology, body mechanics; pathology; and including but not limited to general education and electives required in some states. There are no 2 massage therapy schools alike, so it is important to distinguish which program most closely fits your career intentions, personality, schedule, and financial situation. Today, there are so many online massage therapy schools. Explore and compare education and training requirements, certification, and licensing required ensuring that you get the best foundation to jump start your career. In addition to massage therapy certification and licenses, students can earn massage therapy degrees, such as an Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Applied Sciences.

Do schools do background checks? There are many schools that require criminal background checks prior to admission and some states will require one prior to licensing as well. Massage therapy is a health career. With this in mind, some schools will request a criminal background check, and up-to-date immunization records including but not limited to a Tuberculosis screening, MMR, and DPT immunizations. When applying with a massage therapy school, you will be given pre-admission requisites that you should scrutinize carefully. If you have concerns not addressed in the packet, it's okay to check with your academic advisor for more information.