How Much Do Massage Therapists Make a Year?
Massage therapy is an ancient art that has been practiced by many millions of human beings over many millenia. There are literally scores of different massage techniques (modalities) and dozens of schools and traditions associated with these techniques--Swedish massage, Reiki, Shiatsu, deep-tissue massage, reflexology, acupressure, hot stone massage, sports massage and therapeutic massage, to name just a few.
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Training for Massage Therapists
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Training for massage therapists is available at private massage therapy schools and some local community colleges and universities. Massage therapy programs can require up to 500 hours of study and hands-on practice. A high school diploma is generally needed to be admitted. These programs require the study of subjects such as anatomy and physiology, kinesiology, business management, ethics, and of course the actual massage techniques. Most massage schools will teach the basics of several massage modalities. Note that most states require you be licensed to practice as a massage therapist.
Median Pay for Massage Therapists
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual median pay for massage therapists in the the United States in 2009 was $16.78 an hour, which works out to $34,902 annually for full-time employment.
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Annual Average Salary Range for Massage Therapists by State
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Pay Scale lists the 2010 annual average salary range of a massage therapist in California as $24,000 to $53,242, in Florida as $26,027 to $40,695, in Illinois as $18,867 to $41,116, and in Texas as $23,400 to $38,010.
Employment Prospects
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The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that massage therapist positions will increase by up to 19 percent between 2008 and 2018. This rapid growth is due to the increasing acceptance and popularity of massage both as therapy and relaxation, and the fact that massage therapists are now regularly found in nursing homes, hospitals and even at larger corporations.
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