Massage Therapy Is An Effective And Important Component Of Todays Health Care And Should Be Compensated Accordingly
So why, then, do so many massage therapists struggle to earn a living wage, much less massage wages that allows them to live a life that includes abundant security, relaxation, self-care, education, adventureor whatever else they may desire?
The answer seems to be moneymindset, the attitude toward the financial aspects of running a practice, such as fee-setting, marketing and sales.
Mix in the difficult emotions sometimes related to money, such as shame, guilt and fear, and then add the tendency to view oneself as a healer rather than as a businessperson, and we have a toxic brew of good intentions combined with poor business practicesand poor business practices result in poor massage therapists.
MASSAGE Magazine has convened business advisors and expert therapists to offer advice on what you need to understandand doto create a financially healthy massage practice
A Profession With Lots Of Opportunity To Create Your Own Path
In many ways, massage therapists enjoy a lot more freedom, especially compared to other healthcare professions, says Holst.
For example, self-employment is a viable and popular choice for many massage therapists, which makes it easier to shape your own schedule.
But thats really just the beginning.
If having your own massage practice isnt for you, thats not a problem. The opportunities in massage therapy are still vast, says Holst.
Massage is found in so many environments, Holst says. You can work at a spa or resort or health club. You can provide massage onsite to office workers. You can be employed by a hospital.
Holst explains there are also numerous other options to work at clinics or other types of practices like the following:
- Massage therapy group practices or franchises
- Chiropractic practices that also offer massage therapy
- Integrative clinics that provide massage therapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture
- Sports and rehabilitation clinics that include physical therapists, medical doctors, as well as massage therapists
Along with the variety of work environments, massage therapists can also specialize to work with specific kinds of patients or clients. Veterans, children, seniors, athletes, expectant mothers, cancer patients, hospice patients these are just some of the many possibilities.
Heres a graphic demonstrating the wide variety of career paths that massage therapists have.
Working For Yourself Vs Working For Someone Else
In addition to geographical location, a massage therapists salary depends largely on whether they work for a company or for themselves. For example, many licensed massage therapists start their own business and set their own prices. However, when a therapist goes on to work at a company or for someone else, then the service prices are typically set for them, with a portion of that money going to the company itself. Some things to take into account when deciding what kind of massage therapy career you wish to pursue are taxes, overhead, and flexibility.
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Salary Range For Massage Therapists
Salary can range quite significantly depending on where you live and how much experience you have. There is a significant range in average earnings across States from a low of $19,340 in Puerto Rico to a high of $84,150 in Alaska almost twice the national average.. Across the industry as a whole the bottom 10% earned as low as $18,860 and the top 10% earned $74,860 on average representing a massive range in earnings.
How To Make More Money As A Massage Therapist
An additional factor that could impact a massage therapists income is the possibility of gratuities. After all, most massage clients leave their therapist a tip. This kind of compensation is great because this money goes directly into your pocket, even if you work for someone else. The rule of thumb when tipping a massage therapist is typically to leave between 15% and 20% of the treatment price. However, in some establishments, 25%-30% is encouraged.
Of course, not everyone leaves the same amount of gratuity. It depends on the client, as well as the quality of the massage. Yet whatever the tip may be, they can quickly add up over time. If youre considering working in a higher-end spa and even some with an independent massage therapist, make sure you understand their tipping policies. In some cases these establishments set a flat price and dont allow tipping.
This is particularly important to consider when looking at the wage trend of licensed massage therapists over the last two years. Although average earnings experience ebbs and flows, the very slight upward trend of massage therapy salaries often puts an added emphasis on gratuity in the field.
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Attract The Clients You Deserve
Money. Often referred to with envy, sadness, guilt and fear more than appreciation, happiness or gratitude, money can be a touchy subject.
Why is that? Is it because you think givers and healers dont deserve to be rewarded for our hard work? Or that being paid well takes away from the integrity of what you do?
Perhaps you think that by charging too high a price, youre somehow selling out or becoming too commercialized. Or, do you believe there is a certain nobility in struggling?
If any of these negative ideas or others like them are the basis for your money mindset, its time to heal this area of your life. By doing so, youll actually be more effective with all your clients.
When you struggle to pay your bills, make a decent living or cover your basic needs, you drag that hole of scarcity into every session, sucking away your energy and attention from the person on your table.
Some clients will feel this and react accordingly. Some just wont come back. Others will try to fill the hole for you. Theyll tell yousometimes too oftenhow talented you are. Theyll bring you food or clothes or furniture, or tip you more than they should to make up for the fact that you dont charge enough.
Still other clients will have their own money issues triggered by your beliefs. Theyll complain about your prices and look for every discount and opportunity to pay less.
But theyll never pay more, and the cycle will continue.
What Are Top 5 Best Paying Related Massage Therapist Jobs In The Us
We found at least five jobs related to the Massage Therapist job category that pay more per year than a typical Massage Therapist salary. Top examples of these roles include: Mobile Massage Therapist, Chair Massage Therapist, and Corporate Chair Massage.
Importantly, all of these jobs are paid between $17,685 and $64,580 more than the average Massage Therapist salary of $60,533. If youre qualified, getting hired for one of these related Massage Therapist jobs may help you make more money than that of the average Massage Therapist position.
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How Much Do Massage Therapists Earn
As you may already know, massage therapy careers are currently in demand.
As such, One of the most common questions we get from prospective students goes something like this: After sacrificing 9-months in massage therapy school and paying more than $9,000 for tuition, can you guarantee me a job and how much will I earn?
Unfortunately, I can’t give you the straightforward answer you want.
No school can guarantee that you will be hired after graduation or that you will earn a specific amount. Massage School can train you for a massage therapy career, but cannot guarantee any form of employment.
Part of this is because specifics about employment and earnings are contingent upon many factors, including geography , the industry of employment , and/or whether you work full-time or part-time.
Additionally, theres a lot of subjective criteria, which is hard to measure, but can affect employment and earning potential, such as earning your state license , as well as the strength of your resume and networking skills.
As such, every prospective student is in a unique situation. This is true of every career field, not just massage therapy.
However, you can always evaluate the industry to see if the employment and earning potential odds, such as the job-demand and salary rates , are in your general favor.
Keep In Mind Taxable Income For Owners Vs Employees
Many massage therapists have their own solo practice. In these cases, massage therapists double as business owners. That means they have a host of overhead tax-deductible business expenses that can lower their reported taxable income.
To understand what a massage therapist truly earns, this is an important point. The reported income for these massage therapists may appear lower than what some would expect .
However, that incomethanks to legitimate tax deductionsmay not necessarily reflect the true financial rewards they enjoy.
In turn, the income of massage therapists as employees will not reflect the various kinds of deductions that private practice owner-operators have.
Note that more and more massage therapists are joining hospital and clinic staffs. In these cases, theyre also receiving employee benefits like health insurance coverage, retirement benefits, and paid time off.
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Average Salary Of A Massage Therapist
The national average salary for massage therapists is $41,420 per year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics . However, there are significant regional differences in massage therapist salaries. For example, massage therapists in the Northeast tend to earn more than those in the Midwest or South. The highest-paid massage therapists are located in California, where the average annual salary is $68,750.
How To Stand Out In The Competition
Experience will always play a factor in salary and career advancement. So make sure you stay curious and keep learning as your practice matures!
Some people choose to get a degree or specialize in a particular type of massage therapy practice. There is also an option to learn many medical-complementary massage techniques from recognized facilities. After all, were all trying to have the field of traditional western medicine take us more seriously.
While learning new trends and being skilled is essential dont forget to go back to the purpose of massage – to help and to heal.
If your heart and mind are in the right place, so will your purpose be, the money will come along.
To increase your probability of success and accelerate the smooth growth of your practice, dont forget to leverage the software tools MassageBooks practice management software and marketing automation solution provides for massage therapists. Visit us for more hard-to-find information.
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Balance Value With Reality
What is a useful attitude about payment for something of value? Money can be a measure of value, but value is subjective.
Fees set for massage therapy services can be whatever you want them to be, but if people cannot justify the value against the cost burden they will not spend their money on the service.
Many factors influence how much money someone is willing or able to pay for massage. Massage received frequently and regularly achieves ongoing benefit, and what a person will pay for a one-time experience is different from an ongoing expense.
For example, a fee of $75 per session, paid weekly, comes to almost $4,000 a year and so is a cost burden for most clients. This cost can be prohibitive for many people, regardless of value.
For others, this fee is an equal exchange for the value of massage. Answering the question, How much money am I able to justify in my budget for massage? can clarify cost burden versus value.
From the massage therapists perspective, how fees are set or what a fair wage is as an employee also has many variables.
Do you have family to support or do you support only yourself?
Do you want to work full time or part time?
You can be either an employee or self-employed and end up with similar personal income subject to income tax.
The fee charged for massage therapy and personal sense of worth and self-esteem should not be connected.
Family of Brands
Entry Level Massage Therapists
Massage therapy school teaches you how to give massage safely as an entry level massage therapist. A good school will use the Entry Level Analysis Project as their main source for creating a course curriculum. You will be able to get a job in massage therapy or start your own business if you are an entrepreneur. Entry Level Jobs are usually at franchises/spas where you will have to give many massages which will get you the experience you need to grow as a skilled therapist. You may be able to stay at these places and make more money because the demand for massage therapists is so high right now. It is also good for a part time job to supplement your family income. In small towns where the cost of living is low, you should be able to do well in an entry level massage job.
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Employment Outlook For Massage Therapists
There are currently approximately 91,457 persons employed as Massage Therapists in the USA according to Bureau for Labour Studies data. This represents a massive 270% increase in employment since 2000. It is projected that a further 15,000 positions will be created in the sector by 2024.
In conclusions, the data suggests that a career as a Massage Therapist offers great opportunity both in terms of employment growth and salary. It also offers great scope in terms of place of employment and opportunity for self employment. If you are interested in finding out more about becoming a Massage Therapist then visit our guide How to become a Massage Therapist. Or you can click the button below to find a Massage Therapy School near you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do massage therapists make in tips?
How much you earn in tips will depend on a number of factors: your enthusiasm for the role, your client facing skills, and where you work.
If you love what you do it will show and clients will appreciate you.
Some work settings in which massage therapists work are more conducive to larger tips than others. In high end hotels and spas tips can make up 70% of a therapist’s income. On the otherhand if you work in a rehab setting, for example, you are likely to earn less in tips but probably have a higher base salary.
How much can massage therapists make working on cruise ships?
How much can I earn as a self employed massage therapist?
Put Yourself Out There
Of course you must be good at what you do, and capable of delivering a client-focused massage with the excellent technical and soft skills necessary to build repeat clientele.
As important as all that is, success really boils down to one simple directive: Continually invest in yourself and show up with a smile and a good attitude.
Investing in yourself by showing up can look like myriad things. It may mean signing up for a continuing education workshop, arriving at work early to ensure you are prepared, or demonstrating truly being present for each and every client you work with.
It could also mean setting aside 10 percent of your massage wages in a savings or retirement account.
There are many mornings where it is difficult to get out of bed. Its easier to just sleep in, skip that phone call or networking opportunity, or not spend the time and money taking a workshop.
Overcoming this resistance can prove to be difficult but will immediately begin reaping rewards.
Continually showing up with a good attitude attracts people to you. Those people will have the knowledge, information and connections you will need to further your career.
Many times, you might feel like you cant afford the investment. There will be 100 reasons to not put yourself out therebut in my opinion, out there is where the true magic happens.
Eric Stephenson, L.M.T., is director of massage education for educational company imassage.
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See Massage Therapists Salaries In Other Areas
How Much Do Massage Therapists Make An Hour
f we break that down, thats an average hourly wage of $20 or $3,635 a month, which is well above the national average.
The organization also predicts tremendous growth for the industry, with 23,000 new jobs added to the market each year over the next decade. If demand really does skyrocket, then those just breaking into the field will enjoy increased job prospects at higher rates.
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Other Barriers To Massage As A Second Job
Massage therapy is a rewarding second career. If you are seriously considering taking on a second job, I encourage you to learn more about this profession by talking to your massage therapist and by interviewing the admissions counselor at a local massage school. Finally, take a hard look at your income needs and current work schedule. Massage is a great second career, and even though it is still work, you can do it! Its work worth doing.
Start your new career as a massage therapist enroll in one of our upcoming classes today! to apply today!