Table of Contents
Job description
Massage Therapists perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.
- Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
- Confer with clients about their medical histories and problems with stress or pain to determine how massage will be most helpful.
- Apply finger and hand pressure to specific points of the body.
- Maintain treatment records.
Become
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Massage Therapists with little to no experience tend to make between $21340 and $28450 while the more experienced ones can earn over $57730 per year.
| Top 5 paying states | Hourly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| AK | $40 | $82,280 |
| OR | $31 | $64,360 |
| WA | $30 | $62,520 |
| HI | $30 | $61,750 |
| MA | $26 | $53,750 |
One of the easiest ways to increase your salary as a Massage Therapist is to move to a higher paying state like AK. Right now, the highest paying states for Massage Therapists are AK, OR, WA, HI and MA.
However, a higher pay at AK doesn’t guarantee that you will make more because the living expenses at AK might be twice as high than where you are currently at now.
Three other factors that can increase your salary as a Massage Therapist is the degree you hold, the industry you work in, and lastly the company you work for.
Requirements
We asked other Massage Therapists what degree they had when they got the job and most of them said they had a Post-Secondary Certificate followed by a High School Diploma.
Other than that, we also asked them what did they major in and here are the most popular majors that came up.
| Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage |
| Asian Bodywork Therapy |
| Somatic Bodywork |
Pros and Cons
Here are some of the pros and cons of being a Massage Therapist.
| PROS |
|---|
| Suitable for people who likes to help and teach others |
| Suitable for people who values relationships between co-workers and customers and wants to work in a friendly non-competitive environment |
| This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors. |
| It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career. |
| Short working hours (Less than 40 hours per week) |
| CONS |
|---|
| Not suitable for people who likes to work with designs |
| Salary is below average |
What is the job like
70% of Massage Therapists said they were satisfied with their job and 83% said they feel like their job is making other people’s lives better.
Is this right for me
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tends to like working with, communicating with, and teaching people. They like helping or providing service to others..
They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
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Learn more about Massage Therapists
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Related career information
Massage Therapists job description, Massage Therapists salary, Massage Therapists information, what is the job of a Massage Therapist like, pros and cons about Massage Therapists, colleges and universities for Massage Therapists, is Massage Therapists the right career for me, careers in Healthcare and Medical
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Bodywork Therapist, Certified Massage Therapist (CMT), Clinical Massage Therapist, Deep Tissue Massage Therapist, Integrated Deep Tissue Massage Therapist, Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP), Licensed Massage Therapist, Massage Operator, Massage Therapist, Masseur
Additional resources
Last updated: April 28, 2020
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Massage Therapists
perform therapeutic massages of soft tissues and joints. May assist in the assessment of range of motion and muscle strength, or propose client therapy plans.
