Guide to Massage Therapy Jobs

If you are thinking about becoming a massage therapist, you should know about the kind of work available.  As a licensed massage therapist, you have a myriad of options depending on what’s available and what would work in your location. 

The work environment most budding massage therapists have in their minds is probably the private practice.  This is where you set up a clinic, usually by renting a space and offering your massage services from that location.  Having your own private practice probably takes the most work, but also tends to be the most lucrative depending on how well you build your business.  And then there’s the benefit of being your own boss- you can ideally set your own hours and decide how much you want to work. 

The other way to be self-employed is to do massage in clients’ homes.  There is definitely a market for this as many people are either unable to leave their home (as in the case of some handicapped and/or elderly), or just prefer the comfort of home for a massage treatment.  Usually you can charge more for such a service as you must factor in transportation and maintenance costs.  Keep in mind that you will probably have to bring (lug) your massage table to and from each client’s house, and that even portable massage tables tend to be on the heavy side.  The benefits of not having to rent a clinic/office may outweigh the negatives, though. 

Working for someone else also offsets this cost, though pay can vary considerably and will usually be lower.  Lower pay may be offset by not having to worry about keeping up a steady flow of clients, though usually you will still be paid based on the number of massages you give.  If you work for someone else, there are again abundant options. 

Recent years have seen the emergence of massage “chains” such as Massage Envy which have many locations throughout the U.S.  These jobs tend to start out with relatively low pay (approx. $15 US).  This type of massage therapy job would be good if you are not ready to launch your own practice, as you can start working and making income without expending the considerable resources that starting a business entails.

If you live in an area with a lot of tourism, you may be able to find work in a hotel/resort.  In a place like Hawaii, resorts employ a great number of massage therapists.  These jobs will often involve spa treatments such as hot stone therapy, aroma therapy, and the like.  You may find yourself doing treatments that are geared more towards relaxation than “therapy”, per se.  This is a good option if you feel you don’t have the stamina to crank out one deep, heavy-pressure massage after another, as it will not be expected of you as much.  At the same time, you can still do work that is beneficial for clients. 

For those who like travel, you may be able to find work on a cruise ship.  While this may sound like a lot of fun, you should first find out what life on the high seas will be like.  Cruise ships can be rather insulated environments and you may be spending most of your time below-deck, depending on your work schedule.  Accommodations may be cramped and noisy.  Also, crews have a reputation for liking to drink, so this might be an environment where someone who likes to party would do well.  Keep in mind that these are only possibilities and are intended to serve as an urge to take caution before you commit to working on a cruise ship.

Of course, there’s also hospital work.  As far as jobs in massage therapy go, working in a hospital tends to be pretty desirable.  You have a steady paycheck, do not need to market yourself in order to get clients, and you know that the people you are working on probably could benefit greatly from massage treatments.  You would most likely have a fixed schedule and will be expected to give many massages, so this would be a job for those who have the stamina for doing sustained work.  These jobs tend to be more difficult to get as they are in demand and there are usually not many positions available.  You may also need specific training in medical massage to qualify.

If you have a lot of training and experience and are a gifted teacher, you may be qualified for massage therapy instructor jobs.  This would obviously be further down the road in a massage career, but it can be very rewarding to pass on your knowledge and skill to budding massage therapists.  With massage becoming more widespread and popular, there is a good chance of finding a teaching position in many massage schools around the country. 

These are but a few of the possibilities when it comes to massage therapy job opportunities.  There are many different venues for massage, such as going to offices to do lunch time massages for workers, doing quick massages in shopping malls, or doing massage in a beauty salon.  The only real limits are creativity and imagination- with enough of these, you should be able to create your own niche, perhaps one that on one has thought of yet.