Last Updated: April 11th, 2022 by
Massage therapists help clients improve their overall wellbeing through the power of touch. In this role, you’ll help clients relieve pain, heal faster, and relax through various massage therapies.
These massage therapies come in several forms, like Swedish Massage, Sports Massage, and more. They all involve manipulating a client’s muscles and soft tissue to remove tension and speed up the healing process.
This guide will help you see what it’s like to work as a massage therapist. On top of that, we’ll also look at the necessary education and training necessary for how to become a massage therapist.
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Job Description
In the next few sections, we’ll explore how to become a massage therapist but before we do, let’s take a look at what a massage therapist is and what they do.
The responsibilities of a massage therapist begin with discussions about a client’s condition and their intended outcomes.
Once there’s an understanding of the client’s needs, your job requires you to evaluate your patient. More precisely, you’ll be locating the source of any tension or pain and understanding your client’s body before proceeding with the therapy.
A massage therapist’s work is physically demanding because the bulk of the job involves manipulating the client’s muscles and other soft tissue. That’s done to treat the client’s pain and tension.
Depending on your client’s condition, your treatment may require sessions over weeks or even months. With treatments happening over extended periods, you’ll also keep records of the treatment you’ve done with your client and record their progress.
Of course, your interactions with them will also include providing advice on stretching and maintaining their wellbeing once they leave your office.
Read More: How to Become a Sex Therapist. Learn how to help people live their healthiest lives as a sex therapist.
What Does an Average Day for a Massage Therapist Look Like?
Before we jump into how to become a massage therapist, let’s take a look at what an average day in this career looks like.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 38% of massage therapists are self-employed, while the rest work for businesses like personal care service providers and others.
Whether you decide to become a self-employed massage therapist or one that works for an employer, here’s what an average day on the job will look like for you:
Preparing for the Day’s Appointments
Your day will begin with a review of your day’s appointments to see which clients are first-timers and which ones you’re already familiar with. In doing so, you’ll be able to review any records and plan the necessary massage treatments you’ll be giving that day.
Seeing as how you’ll likely go from one appointment to the other, it’s also essential to prepare your supplies and equipment ahead of time. That will include massage oils and lotions, any linens you’ll be using, as well as the room and massage table itself.
With everything prepared ahead of time, you won’t have to keep your next client waiting for long.
Evaluating Clients
When clients first arrive for their appointments, you’ll spend some time evaluating them. This task is crucial for first-time clients that you’ve never worked with before.
During this part of the session, you’ll gain an understanding of the client’s problem areas and any medical conditions that might be relevant to the therapy you’ll deliver.
The same is also true when you’re welcoming a returning client. Again, a quick catch-up is necessary to understand how they’ve felt since the previous session or how their recovery is progressing.
With a thorough evaluation, you’ll deliver the precise therapies your clients need to make the most of their session with you.
Providing Massage Therapies and Treatments
Naturally, the bulk of your day will be spent delivering the therapies and any accompanying treatments your clients require. During this time, you’ll manipulate the client’s muscles and soft tissue to release any tension and help them relax as much as possible.
At the same time, the therapy you provide will also maximize blood flow and speed up the recovery of any injuries.
The duration of each session depends on the client’s needs and wants. For instance, some sessions, like those focusing on sports recovery, might take anywhere from 10-30 minutes. However, relaxation massage therapy can last over an hour if that’s what the client prefers.
As you might imagine, this part of your day will be the most physically demanding as you’ll be using your hands, fingers, elbows, and sometimes even your feet to manipulate the client’s muscles as needed.
Read More: Read our related article, How to Become a Sports Therapist. You’ll discover everything you need to know to get started on this career path!
Marketing Activities
Many massage therapists are self-employed. That’s why, in this role, you’ll spend a part of your day on marketing activities. In other words, you’ll need to devote a part of your day to finding new clients and getting them to use your services.
A lot of your marketing will likely come through word-of-mouth from your existing clients. That’s why you must take excellent care of the clients you already have coming to you.
However, you can also put in the effort by listing your services in places such as:
- Local business directories
- Social media posts
- Advertisements or fliers
Administrative Tasks
Last but not least, a part of your average day as a massage therapist should be spent on administrative tasks like ordering supplies (e.g. massage oils and lotions, new linens, aroma oils, etc.) and paying bills.
Besides that, the cleanliness of your workspace must also be kept at the highest levels possible. Unless you have cleaners on staff, you’ll be vacuuming, mopping, and disinfecting all of the surfaces in your workspace.
Suppose you’re running your own massage therapy business or working independently. In that case, you’ll also need to pay for advertising or marketing fees and also pay any support staff you have on your payroll.
How to Become a Massage Therapist
Now that you know what a massage therapist is and what they do, let’s discuss how to become a massage therapist.
Your journey towards becoming a Massage Therapist will involve classroom learning, hands-on training, and the necessary licensing.
Here’s what your process will look like:
1. Pursue Massage Therapist Training and Education
The education requirements for massage therapists will be different depending on where you’re located. Still, a High School Diploma is enough for you to pursue massage therapy qualifications through higher education institutions.
Each course typically includes 500 – 1,000 or more hours of instruction for you to complete. Whether done part-time or full-time, those hours include classroom study for relevant subjects like:
- Human Anatomy
- Body Mechanics
- Business Management
- Ethics
Of course, the hours that you spend pursuing these qualifications will also include plenty of hands-on training to equip you with the skills you’ll need once you finish the course.
2. Study Specialized Forms of Massage Therapy (Optional)
Some massage therapy training courses will also introduce you to more specialized forms of therapy, such as Swedish Massage, Sports Therapy Massage, and various types of Traditional Asian Massage.
You can also sign up for additional training courses if you want to specialize in any massage therapy modalities.
Doing so will not only make you more competitive in the marketplace, but they’ll also increase your earning potential later on.
3. Obtain a License to Work as a Massage Therapist
According to the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), a majority of the states in the U.S. require massage therapists to be licensed. Each state will have its own rules and regulations that you must follow to pursue licensure.
Some of the more common rules you’ll find regard the minimum number of hours spent learning at an approved massage therapy school, the need to pass a background check, and other requirements set by the state.
In many cases, you’ll have to sit for a state-specific exam (e.g. Texas’ Massage Therapist Jurisprudence Exam).
Besides that, you must also pass the national Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx), which is administered by the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards.
4. Pursue Continuing Education Credits and Renew Licensing
Once you’ve obtained your license and started working as a massage therapist, you’ll also need to satisfy the state’s continuing education requirements. For example, the state of Montana requires you to complete 12 hours of continuing education every 2 years.
Are You Suited For a Massage Therapist Career?
You know how to become a massage therapist, but is it the right career path for you?
Here are some personality traits, skills, and proficiencies required for this line of work.
Personality and Skills
As a massage therapist, you’ll be working one-on-one with your clients to reduce their pain and tension. Because of that, you must have excellent communication skills to build rapport and trust with your clients as you work with them.
Besides that, the work of a massage therapist is physically demanding. While giving each client your best work, you must have plenty of physical strength, dexterity, and stamina to last through the day.
Lastly, time management skills are also crucial to ensure that you have enough time to give each client your full attention while also ensuring time for breaks between sessions.
Credentials and Proficiencies
In this role, you must have a strong proficiency in human anatomy so you can deliver the best therapy possible for your clients.
That knowledge goes hand-in-hand with a deep understanding of body mechanics, since your work focuses on manipulating muscles and soft tissue while working around various joints on your client’s body.
Just like in any other line of work, you’ll also stand out from your peers with specialized knowledge.
That can include things like sports knowledge if you specialize in Sports Massage Therapy. Besides that, knowledge in Asian forms of massage therapies will also take you a long way in your career.
How to Become a Massage Therapist and Find Work
Knowing how to become a massage therapist is half the battle. The other half is finding work.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the most significant portion of massage therapists in the country seek employment by working for themselves.
Choosing this option will give you the most freedom over your schedule, though you’ll have to build your own clientele and manage the business independently.
The BLS also shows that the second-largest employers of massage therapists are personal care services, followed by health practitioner offices.
One benefit from working for an employer is that you won’t have to worry about finding clients and can instead focus your attention on delivering the best massage therapy possible.
Other employers listed by the BLS where you can work as a massage therapist include chiropractic offices and accommodation providers like hotels. Many hotels provide spa services that also include massages, where your skills will be needed.
Massage Therapist Salaries
If you’re wondering how to become a massage therapist, you’re probably also concerned with how much they make.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), massage therapists earn an average of $47,350 per year. The top 90th percentile earns an average of $79,150, while the lowest 10th percentile earns $22,580 per year.
According to the same statistics, the top 5 states where massage therapists earn the most are:
- Alaska ($78,790 a year)
- Massachusetts ($69,790 a year)
- Washington ($64,950 a year)
- Oregon ($61,820 a year)
- Hawaii ($56,940 a year)
In this role, you can increase your earning potential by pursuing training in specialized forms of massage therapy.
These include:
- Traditional Asian Massage (e.g. Shiatsu and Thai).
- Sports Massage
- Prenatal Massage
Massage Therapist Job Growth
If you’re searching for how to become a massage therapist, you’ll be encourage to know that the outlook for this career is excellent!
The opportunities for massage therapists are growing at an incredibly fast rate. The BLS estimates that the industry will grow by 32% between 2020 and 2030, which they categorize as “much faster than average”.
Top 5 Most Popular Types of Massage Therapies in 2021
According to AP News, here are some of the most popular types of massage therapies in 2021:
- Swedish Massage – Using low or medium pressure to relieve back pain, stress, and injuries.
- Reflexology – Massage focused on the hands and feet to benefit other parts of the body.
- Hot Stone Massage – Massage with hot stones placed on the back and shoulders to increase blood flow and speed up recovery.
- Deep Tissue Massage – Targets the deep connective tissues in the body that’s favored by sports professionals.
- Shiatsu Massage – A traditional Japanese form of massage.
Professional Associations
American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA)
Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP)
Massage Therapy Foundation (MTF)
American Medical Massage Association (AMMA)
American Organization for Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA®)
Top Colleges and Universities
Parker University School of Massage Therapy
National Holistic Institute Emeryville Massage School
New York College of Health Professions
Northwestern Health Sciences University
Conclusion
Hopefully, this career guide has helped you understand how to become a massage therapist. This career path can be rewarding if you’re interested in the human body and are looking for a line of work with the sole purpose of helping people!
Now that you know how to become a massage therapist, you can decide if this career is right for you.
