Did you know? - In a poll of 25-35 year olds; 79% said they would like their health insurance plan to cover massage! 1

Therapeutic massage has fast become a viable line of work and fruitful career option for many a prospective health professional; also, practicing health professionals find it easy to augment their primary careers with this flexible (yet well compensating) line of work. The aforementioned statistic serves to strengthen this argument from the demand side as it is now being understood how the general public recognizes massage therapy as an important instrument in their healthcare plan.

Did you know? - The number of hospitals offering massage therapy increased by over 30 percent in between just the years 2004 and 2006! 2

As more avenues open up for massage therapists, the need for quality massage therapy certification is now direr than ever! Earning professional credentials is not that hard either, all you require is the right information and the right attitude to pursue a well defined goal...some financial backing would not hurt, but there is a way around that possible constraint as well.

What you need to know before making the final decision:

What are the employment opportunities for a certified massage therapist?

Which sort of profile does this profession suit? A specialist or a part timer?

Information regarding compensation package; Pay Scale/Dimension(s)?

How lengthy and expensive is a program in massage therapy?

1.EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

''One of the most common fears when people enter the job market is the economy; what are the prospects of a recently certified massage therapist keeping in mind the fluctuations of the economy?''

Did you know? - Employment for massage therapists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2006 to 2016, faster than average for all occupations! 3

Most of the massage therapists are actually self-employed. Those who prefer a working contract have the following probable avenues to choose from

Fitness Centers

Hospitals

Nursing Homes

Private Offices (Mostly Corporations)

Sports Facilities, Clubs and Studios4

2. PROFILE

''Is massage therapy a viable option for specialization?''

There's nothing regarding this industry that does not allow for a specialist to grow in stature and business with time and effort. On average, it takes around two to three years for certified massage therapists to establish themselves in the industry. The factors that your career will depend on are the same as in any line of work: - Quality of work, effective marketing and networking (word of mouth is most effective form of advertisement in this industry).

''Is it then feasible to maintain a primary line of work and keep massage therapy as a side job?''

Being mostly self employed, massage therapists choose for how many hours a week and at what time of the day will they be operating. This means that you can maintain another primary career and still augment your yearly income through massage therapy!

Did you know? 82% of massage therapists started practicing massage therapy as a second career and 58% go on to still derive income from it as a secondary career!5

This means the other twenty-four percent found the compensation and work benefits of massage therapy to outweigh those offered by their original line of work and chose the former to be their primary line of work!

3. EXPECTED SALARY

''What kind of compensation package can an average massage therapist look forward to?''

On average, a massage therapist charges $63 per hour for sessions!5

Did you know? - In 2008, the average annual income for a massage therapist (including tips) who provides 15 hours of massage per week was $31,500; compared to incomes in 2006 of $28,170 for full-time healthcare support workers; $27,190 for full-time medical assistants and $23,290 for occupational therapist aides.5

As is the case with any profession, the salaries vary depending upon a person's experience, location and form of employment.

Did you know? - A registered massage therapist has a gross salary potential of around $70,000+!6

4. THE PROCESS of CERTIFICATION

''To change one's life: 1. Start immediately. 2. Do it flamboyantly. 3. No exceptions!'' -- William James

''From where can a prospective massage therapist get certification?''

Did you know? - There are over 300 accredited massage schools and programs in the United States alone!5

''What is the usual length of a massage therapy training program?''

Programs can usually take from a few weeks to two years, depending on the structure and requirement of student.

''What will be the cost of the program?''

Shorter programs usually cost as little as $1000; while more advanced massage therapy programs usually cost around $12,000 (for the full two years that is).7

''What if I do not want the advance certification or cannot afford the full program?''

Massage therapist often take the shorter initial training and then start working in the field. It enables them to expand on their experience as well as accumulate funds for any future classes they would like to take! Most massage therapy schools offer financial assistance for students in need as well.

References:

1 National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork - www [dot] ncbtmb [dot] org/consumers_massage_facts.php

2 National Survey conducted by the Health Forum/American Hospital Association (2006)

3 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook

4 Martin Ashley. Who hires hire massage therapist school graduates? - www [dot] naturalhealers [dot] com/qa/massagecareers.html

5 American Massage Therapy Association. AMTA Industry Survey - www [dot] amtamassage [dot] org/news/MTIndustryFactSheet.html

6 Massage Therapist's Salary - www [dot] massagetherapy101 [dot] com/mailbag01.aspx

7 Income and Tuition Fees - www [dot] massagetherapy101 [dot] com/mailbag-tuition.aspx

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