Massage therapy can be both a personally and financially rewarding career. If you’re looking for a new line of work, there are many reasons to become a massage therapist. Learn a few of the reasons and consider whether massage therapy is the right choice for you.
A Field With Growing Opportunity
First, the field of massage therapy is rapidly growing. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the field to grow by 26 percent and add over 42,000 jobs between 2016 and 2026. That’s much faster than the average job field growth rate, and a high growth rate means the field has a lot of opportunity.
With so many new jobs in the field, you’ll likely have several opportunities to consider once you complete the necessary training.
Jobs With Good Wages
Second, you can earn a good salary once you’re trained as a massage therapist. The median salary for a massage therapist is over $40,000 annually, which is substantially more than the $34,840 median salary of other healthcare support positions.
Even if you don’t earn the median salary starting out, you’ll still likely earn a decent wage. The 25th percentile of earners still bring in $28,450 per year if they work full time. This isn’t an insignificant amount for an entry-level worker, and you probably won’t stay at this salary range if you work hard.
As you gain experience, there’s plenty of opportunity to make more than the 25th percentile salary or even the median salary. The 75th percentile of massage therapists earn $57,730 annually, and the top 10 percent make $78,280 or more each year.
If you’ve been earning minimum wage or close to it, even the initial salary you could earn after massage therapy school would be a lot more than you’re currently making. Over time, you could make close to or more than the median household income, which was $61,372 in 2017.
Reasonable Training Requirements
Third, you don’t need to invest too much time before you can begin working as a massage therapist. A four-year degree isn’t necessary, and even a two-year associate degree isn’t absolutely required. While some massage therapists may pursue an associate degree, you can get started as a massage therapist with an even shorter certificate program.
For example, the American Medical Massage Association, which certifies massage therapists, requires at least 600 hours of training. This includes both classroom and practicum work.
A 600-hour program can theoretically be fit into less than four months. If you were to study full time, you’d need only 15 40-hour weeks to reach the 600-hour mark. Of course, many people go part-time when in massage therapy school so graduation takes a little longer. Even if you study part-time, though, you can complete a certificate program in well under a year.
A certificate program that allows you to begin work after only a few months of training has a couple of advantages. First, you don’t have to pay tuition for long so your training costs are low. Second, you get to enter the workforce and earn an income soon after starting your studies.
Jobs Throughout the United States
Finally, massage therapists can find work throughout the United States. The field isn’t limited to one city, state, or region, as potential clients live all over the country.
With how frequently people move around today, working in a field that’s needed everywhere has major advantages. If you expect to live in different areas — and the average American moves 11.7 times during their lifetime — massage therapy is a vocation that you can apply anywhere you go.
To learn more about or enroll in a massage therapy training program, contact New Age Spa Institute to speak with a representative and learn about upcoming course offerings.