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Massage Therapist

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What Do Massage Therapist Do?

Massage Therapist Definition 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.

What Do Massage Therapists Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Assess clients' soft tissue condition, joint quality and function, muscle strength, and range of motion.
  • Provide clients with guidance and information about techniques for postural improvement and stretching, strengthening, relaxation, and rehabilitative exercises.
  • Massage and knead muscles and soft tissues of the body to provide treatment for medical conditions, injuries, or wellness maintenance.
  • Perform other adjunctive therapies or treatment techniques in addition to massage.
  • Treat clients in professional settings or travel to clients' offices and homes.
  • Maintain treatment records.

Things a Massage Therapist Should Know How to Do

When polled, Massage Therapists say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Types of Massage Therapist

  • Deep Tissue Massage Therapist
  • Swedish Masseuse
  • Integrated Deep Tissue Massage Therapist
  • Registered Massage Therapist
  • Licensed Massage Practitioner (LMP)

Are There Job Opportunities for Massage Therapists?

In the United States, there were 160,300 jobs for Massage Therapist in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 26.3% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 42,100 new jobs for Massage Therapist by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 22,600 job openings in this field each year.

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The states with the most job growth for Massage Therapist are Washington, Utah, and Tennessee. Watch out if you plan on working in Maryland, Vermont, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

What is the Average Salary of a Massage Therapist

Massage Therapists make between $21,340 and $78,280 a year.

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Massage Therapists who work in Alaska, Washington, or Oregon, make the highest salaries.

How much do Massage Therapists make in each U.S. state?

State Annual Mean Salary
Alabama $34,890
Alaska $82,280
Arizona $42,340
Arkansas $41,890
California $41,460
Colorado $46,190
Connecticut $43,170
District of Columbia $40,890
Florida $46,240
Georgia $37,210
Hawaii $61,750
Idaho $50,560
Illinois $46,340
Indiana $48,650
Iowa $40,030
Kansas $29,370
Kentucky $52,960
Louisiana $30,060
Maine $43,450
Maryland $42,430
Massachusetts $53,750
Michigan $42,710
Minnesota $52,910
Mississippi $29,080
Missouri $37,100
Montana $46,500
Nebraska $45,340
Nevada $29,620
New Hampshire $47,360
New Jersey $44,610
New Mexico $42,260
New York $52,830
North Carolina $41,560
North Dakota $39,640
Ohio $39,370
Oklahoma $41,770
Oregon $64,360
Pennsylvania $42,730
Rhode Island $40,970
South Carolina $41,440
South Dakota $34,350
Tennessee $44,190
Texas $49,100
Utah $40,880
Vermont $44,580
Virginia $38,990
Washington $62,520
West Virginia $34,750
Wisconsin $42,440
Wyoming $43,060

What Tools & Technology do Massage Therapists Use?

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Massage Therapists may use on a daily basis:

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Word
  • Word processing software
  • Spreadsheet software
  • Scheduling software

Becoming a Massage Therapist

What education or degrees do I need to become a Massage Therapist?

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How many years of work experience do I need?

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Where Massage Therapists Work

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Massage Therapists work in the following industries:

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Those interested in being a Massage Therapist may also be interested in:

References:

Image Credit: Senior Airman Melanie Bulow-Kelly via Public domain

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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