would you say massage therapy is a good field to get into?

[spanky]

I like the flexibility of it, and feel Id have more control over things. Please let me know the pros and cons of this being a career and the burn out rate etc. I hear the pay can be either really good or really bad. Im thinking down the line Id start a school where Im from cuz there are only a couple and they arent very good. Please only answer if you know a massage therapist or are one, I dont need any "happy endings" crap. Thanks

 

[Another Massage Therapist]

Massage therapy is a great field! I have been in for 3 years, and having strong expectations about what I want from my career has really helped me. First off, I would recommend taking more schooling than your state requires, taking more classes, CE classes, or getting a college degree with medical influence will help you stand out from other therapists in the area. It also shows that you are wiling to learn and that you have a passion for this career choice.
You should also decide where you want to work, how much will you charge, will you rent, or be commission or hourly? Every spa and salon is different, some will pay you hourly plus commission for services you give. Some will only pay you hourly OR commission, not both. Some places will hire you as an employee, others as an independent contractor.
You will need to decide how many massages you need to perform weekly to pay your bills, but not harm your body. For example, I consider 15-25 massages a week to be full time for me, this includes spa services (mud wraps, scrubs, etc) and facials. I get paid hourly plus commission plus tip. I usually schedule my appts 30-60 min apart to allow my body to relax, I try not to work hour on the hour (repetitive stress movements wear down the body!)
For another example, some massage franchises will ask you to perform 25-35 massages a week at an hourly plus tip rate, (generally $12-$17 hourly) Your appts will usually be hour on the hour, or 15 min apart.
There is a lot to consider with massage, so I hope this helps a little bit! You can research this more at www.abmp.com or www.ncbtmb.com Good luck and please feel free to send me a message with any other questions!

 

[american8mare]

Unfortunately this is a very overcrowded field to go into, mainly b/c of welfare laws requiring recipients who are not seeking gain-full employment to be enrolled in college now. So lots of "diploma mill" colleges such as daymar group etc. have popped up and are offering easy degree programs such as massage therapy, medical assistant, paralegal etc.

 

[Mother Amethyst]

If you can work in an urban area or a resort area, the pay can be very good. If you live in a rural, conservative area, it can be hard to make a living.

Couple of things to remember:

Massage therapy and marketing a business are two separate skills. Sometimes the therapists that are the best at marketing themselves are not the best at doing massage. Decide ahead of time what you really want out of massage and plan accordingly. If you just want to do massage, think about joining a practice where someone else is in charge of the business details. If you like the marketing aspect of it, maybe you can run the business and rent space to other therapists.

Massage therapy is a field that's changing fast, and there are a lot of massage therapists out there. Check into market saturation and read the publications of the two main massage organizations about coming changes in legislation and certification requirements, before you open a school.

Also, massage therapy can be hard on your body. Many people can't continue as therapists much past 5 years because of arthritis and other health problems.

 

[Busters Mom]

Mother Amethyst's response was excellent. I must step in and mention that William T gave some wrong information in his answer!! It is quite amazing that he does not think that massage releases toxins! He clearly has no training in this field. And perhaps has never even received a professional massage himself?

In terms of earning a living, it is now extremely difficult to do so. There truly is a saturation. And although you could probably find work at a Massage Envy, they do not pay well, and you would quickly reach burnout. The average pay for Massage Therapists has steadily been decreasing over the last decade. The average professional career is 5-7 years due to burnout, injury, or just giving up on making it work economically.

That said, if you love it, and feel drawn to doing it, and can get the required education (the required curriculum hours differ according to the state you live in) for a reasonable amount of investment, you could at least do this as a second job. It is very rewarding to bring the improvements into the client's life that your hands can achieve. If your state/county allows it, you could set up a space at home (so there is no overhead) and thereby receive the full amount of the fee rather than 40-50% which is the typical split at a spa or chiropractor's office.

 

[William T]

People are always going to be stressed and looking to relax, so you probably will have plenty of customers. On the other hand for most people it's a luxury so if the economy goes down your business will too, most likely. Just don't become one of those sleazy massage therapists that makes all sorts of unscientific claims about "releasing toxins" and the like. People who do that really should be arrested for fraud.