What is the Salary of a Professional Massage Therapist?


by Roger Ricafort


Many people are now getting interested on becoming a professional massage therapist. Why? Because this particular job has so many good opportunities not only for patients who need help in treating their physical sufferings, but also to people who would like to pursue a different way of earning a living.

Massage therapy is a combination of science and art that aims to provide a calming experience through artistic hand strokes on a person's body. Over the years, this practice has been one of the principal methods of relieving pain and stress to various patients suffering from severe body pain, as well as other ailments and physical injuries. However, employing this kind of healing technique could not be done by any people. It is because the human body is one delicate and fragile unit that needs to be taken care of and handled with care.

In addition, massage is usually done through physical manipulative strategy in the spine, buttocks, arms, legs, head and face. Any mistake on employing this treatment can cause internal fracture and spinal injury. This is the reason why professional physical therapists have decided to make a special course about this career to help aspirants become proficient in this particular field. Training courses has a minimum standard of 500 hours of education, which can be completed for about six months if you go full time.

In case you decide to become a part-time student, you can finally get your massage therapist certification after a year of training. Once you get this official recognition, you can now begin in practice either as a self-employed therapist or a staff in a spa or health club. Meanwhile, the salary of a certified massage therapist may vary depending on your experience, location or business proprietorship. Nevertheless, the average hourly rate for a freelancer can go as much as $42, including tips, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For employed therapists either in a spa or health club, the average wage can go as little as $14 to as much as $21. But this is not yet inclusive of tips. According to the federal agency, average hourly tips range from $3 to $10. The average annual income, on the other hand, may reach up to $29,250 with tips, providing 15 hours of session per week. Indeed, pursuing this career has a lot of rewarding opportunities for both patients and service providers. Whichever you may choose, always remember to do it from the heart and never think about the dollar value.




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