Massage Therapy Careers
If you want to provide relaxation and healing to others, a massage therapy career may be for you. As a massage therapist, you spend your days providing mental, emotional, and physical relief to your clients with just the touch of your hands.
Read on to learn more about this in-demand career, including what the job involves, potential specialties, pay and growth expectations, and more.
What Massage Therapists Do
Massage therapists provide relaxation and pain relief by manipulating muscles and soft tissues, most often with their hands and arms. Some massage therapists may also offer related bodywork and wellness services like aromatherapy, acupuncture, and reflexology.
While many massage therapists provide generalized spa services, some choose to specialize. Here are a few in-demand massage therapy specializations:
Neuromuscular Massage
Neuromuscular massage therapists help lower people’s chronic muscle pain and stiffness, particularly when they’re symptoms of a disorder or illness. To provide this relief, neuromuscular massage therapists apply concentrated pressure on areas of muscle strain – often called trigger points.
To enter this career, you need a massage therapy license, and you should consider further training and certification to ensure your treatments can genuinely benefit your clients.
Prenatal Massage
Prenatal massage therapy helps pregnant clients with the physical and emotional challenges that often arise during those nine months. Those who specialize in this usually use Swedish massage techniques as a starting point, though they also focus on trigger points. While prenatal massage therapists frequently work in standard spas, they still have specialized training to keep their clients safe and happy.
Myofascial Release
Myofascial release therapy is an alternative therapy, meaning it may relieve pain caused by myofascial pain syndrome without – or in collaboration with – medical treatment or physical therapy. To help those with myofascial pain syndrome, these therapists look for stiff or tight myofascial tissue and loosen it using massage and stretching techniques.
Please note that specializations may require post-graduation education beyond that offered at Blue Cliff College.
Where Massage Therapists Work
Massage therapists often work in spas, but that’s not the only option. As a massage therapist, you might find yourself employed in:
- Medspas
- Doctor’s offices
- Hotels, resorts, or cruise ships
- Physical therapy or rehabilitation centers
- Traveling massage businesses
- Your own mobile massage business
- Your home
How Much Massage Therapists Earn
Massage therapy is a relatively high-paying career. As of 2023, the national median pay for massage therapists is $55,310, ranging from just over $32,000 to just under $96,000. In Mississippi, massage therapist pay range is just from under $25,000 to over $118,000, with a median of $39,980. Louisiana’s median massage therapy salary is almost $63,000, ranging from just over $26,000 to nearly $78,000 annually.
Pay can be affected by the exact location and level of experience.
Job Demand for Massage Therapy
Massage therapy jobs are on the rise. Nationally, the number of positions is expected to grow by 18% between 2023 and 2033. Mississippi’s expected growth for massage therapy jobs between 2020 and 2030 is 14%. Louisiana’s expected increase clocks in at an astonishing 23% for that same time.
What Are the Pros and Cons of Massage Therapy Careers?
Like all careers, massage therapy is the best option for some people but not for others.
Massage therapy may be for you if:
- You want to control your hours, as many can do so
- You’re comfortable with touching people over most of their bodies
- You want to spend your life helping people feel better
- You want to work in a relatively quiet environment
Massage therapy may not be right for you if:
- You’re concerned about damage to your hand muscles and joints
- You’re not comfortable touching unclothed bodies (Note: Working massage therapists may have some control over the amount of clothing clients must wear, and some specialties may not require undressing)
- You’re not comfortable discussing your client’s medical issues – even in spa settings, these are relevant
Career Development Services at Blue Cliff College
At Blue Cliff College, we are proud to offer various career development services in addition to the relevant skills taught in our massage therapy program. We offer assistance with resume writing and reviewing, marketing skills, interview strategies, and more.
Please note that our career services are to assist you in beginning your career but do not guarantee employment.
Starting Your Massage Therapy Career at Blue Cliff College
You can study massage therapy at several of Blue Cliff College’s campuses. Our programs teach all the skills needed to take state licensure exams and begin a career upon graduation. You can finish your education in only 9 to 15 months.
