Starting Salaries For Massage Therapy

Starting salaries for massage therapy all depend on the types of massage you perform and who you work for.

If you have just finished massage school, chances are you can give a basic relaxation massage. In Texas, that is all you can do once you finish the basic course. Some states teach a lot more than that. Once you have taken some continuing education courses and more advanced classes to gain additional skills, you can make a lot more money.

Working for a spa or in a chiropractor's office will not earn you much money. In San Antonio, you can earn anywhere from $8 to $25 an hour giving massages in a spa. The hours are usually long and on the weekends when you most want to be off of work with your family. This is not much money and definitely not an ideal schedule if you have a family.

Working for yourself can be great once you have a steady stream of clients. You can choose the amount of massages you want to give each day. You can choose what days off you want and you can choose what hours you will be available to work.

But, until your practice is built up, you must work whatever is available unless your significant other makes enough to pay the bills. Growing your practice to an acceptable level can take anywhere from six months to two years.

Starting salaries for massage therapy look great to a prospective student looking to make good moeny. You can get $60 to $100 an hour for table massage depending on where you are geographically located and on the type of massage you give.

A soon-to-be student hears this and thinks $60 an hour x 8 hours a day + $480 a day! $480 a day x 5 days a week = $2400 a week! $2400 a week x 50 weeks (with two weeks off for vacation) = $120,000 for the year! Excellent! Sign me up now! I'm gonna be rich my first year!

Now let's bring that student down to reality. First of all, it takes a long time to get a decent amount of clients. No beginning massage therapist straight of massage school is going to start with 40 new clients a week.

Second, no one can perform eight one hour long massages a day, at least not for long.

Talk about physical burnout--One day during my internship, I had to perform six one hour long massages in a row with no break in between except for changing the sheets and hand washing. I thought I would die.

My muscles and my feet were spent. I was exhausted, hungry, and thirsty but that was on the schedule for me and I gladly did them to finish up my 40 required massages. I still had to go back the next morning for two more to hit my 40 and I was so glad and relieved when I finished with the last free massage.

Realistically, four one hour long massages in one day is a good amount.

With chair massage, you can get $1 a minute for 15 to 20 minute sessions. You can earn $1.50 to $2 an hour in some parts of the country, depending on what the going rate is.

You can earn $80 to $120 an hour for hot stone massage.

Starting salaries for massage therapy for deep tissue and sports massage can command up to $150 an hour.

Now, don't forget that out of the money you earn, if you work for yourself, taxes must be paid, equipment must be bought, office rent and utilities must be paid. Continuing education, licensing fees, and insurance fees must all be paid as well.

Laundry must be done, linens must be washed. Records must be kept on each client with each visit. If you have an outcall practice, you will lose travel time and gas money, especially now with gas nearing $4 a gallon.

So starting salaries for massage therapy are not all clear profit. A good thing about being a massage therapist is that most clients give you tips. Some give good tips. Due to the tips which will vary from client to client, you may be able to schedule less massage sessions a week.

So give starting salaries for massage therapy a realistic look before you jump into massage school. Becoming a massage therapist is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a career change that may force you to keep your day job until your practice takes off. But, it is also very rewarding when you help clients by relieving their pain.

Grateful clients will make you feel satisfied and those who can afford it will reward you financially as well. If you take good care of your clients, they will take good care of you.