How much money can I realistically make as a massage therapist? That is always a big question I get from new therapists.
I was recently speaking to a group massage school students who will be graduating in a couple of weeks and that was the topic that drew the most discussion. It didn’t surprise me, as it is always one of the more critical topics of any therapist, not just new ones.
Of course, there is no simple, straight answer. The real answer is, it depends. Not a very satisfactory answer, but the truth. Are you working for yourself or someone else? Do you work at a spa, for a chiropractor or at a massage clinic? If a massage clinic, do you work at a therapy center, or are you at one of the newer discount franchises?
The bottom line is you can make as much as you want, but you must be willing to work for it. By this I don’t mean perform more massage, but work to set up a business or program that will maximize your skills and abilities and make more money per massage.
Most people that enter massage school have an unrealistic expectation that they are going to make $60-$80 per hour upon graduation. Well, that isn’t likely to happen. It isn’t impossible, but it takes time. However, the market is ever changing and the new discount franchises are paying their therapists much less than average, and it is also making some independent therapists feel the need to charge less to compete. I think both are bad ideas.
Several therapist I know went to work for a franchise and started out making $15 per hour. Bonuses were available but they were forced to perform so many massages to reach them that they hit burnout very quickly. Now, $15 per hour might be good pay for some, but it is a little low in my mind for a qualified and skilled therapist. However, I do see a place for the discount clinics. It isn’t a bad place for new therapists to hone their skills. The key is for those therapists to take care of themselves and not burnout too fast.
As for the rest of us, independents, spas and other clinics, the goal is to create a unique experience to compete with and overcome these discount prices. I believe you should charge what you feel you are worth, in relation to the market (which obviously varies by location). Charge more per massage, perform less massages a week, and build a business one client at a time, relying on good marketing and great referrals.
But how does one do this? Well, there are many ways, and frankly, I don’t have all of the answers. I know ways that have worked for me, but that doesn’t mean it will translate into success for you. How best for a therapist to figure out the best options for growing a successful practice? I believe a MasterMind group would be a great place.
Soon I will be opening up MassageMasterMind.com, a subscription site that will bring professional, smart, driven massage therapists together to share their successes and failures, to teach and to learn from each other. I have received the best advice and help from other successful therapists, and I feel that you have your best chance of success working with other like-minded individuals to give advice, aide, support and encouragement.
My goal is that MassageMasterMind.com will be the ultimate resource, a one-stop site, for massage therapists. But the most important aspect will be it’s members, sharing their vast knowledge and experience, while learning and prospering through the help of others. We all have our strengths and we can all teach others as well as learn from others.
Stay tuned for further announcements about MassageMasterMind.com. It will be opening in a couple of months, and I hope you will check it out and consider being a part of a community of therapists with the same goals in mind – creating prosperous practices while helping to heal the world through massage.
The bottom line is we can all make a great living while doing something we love. I don’t have a job anymore, I have a career. I love to go to the clinic everyday. I look forward to massage and love what I am doing. I don’t know that I would feel the same while making $15 per hour, but I don’t need to be making $80 per hour either. It is realistic to make a better than average income while doing something you enjoy. Be a part of the Massage MasterMind community and start realizing your dreams and goals.
Oh, and tell your friends about this blog and the upcoming site so we can build a large enough community to be able to provide all the resources and help we all need.
Until then, happy palpating!
4 comments
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June 15, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Mind Body Shop
long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty as therapist to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble.
June 24, 2008 at 7:19 am
Sean Slovik
I might think $15 an hour to be OK if you got paid the actual $15 per hour for each hour you were at work in an 8 hour day whether your hands were moving or not. That’s $30,000 per year which won’t get you you rich for sure, but considering the lower educational investment of a massage therapist, it still isn’t bad esp. if just starting out. I might think $20 per hour ($40,000 per year might be a little more in line with economic worth) esp if the therapist has a little academic education to boot (i.e. for note writing, marketing etc).
Problem is, it’s rare to find an employer that will pay you an hour wage for 8 hours a day-hands moving or not.
I did an analysis somewhat relating to this which might shed some light:
http://www.male-massage-therapist.com/massage-therapy-school-costs.html
June 24, 2008 at 10:15 pm
massagemastermind
Interesting analysis Sean. I agree with a lot of what you said in your analysis, but I think you are a little general on your cost of $10K for schooling. The problem is that some states require more hours to be licensed. The states that require more will mean more schooling, which will obviously cost more. Most schools in Oregon (where I am licensed) have curriculums that exceed the hours required in Oregon (500 hours) and thus cost more than $10K. So in Oregon you can’t even get your education for less. In states that have no requirements, or less hours it is certainly possible.
Thanks for the comment!
Gary
November 24, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Julie
Yes $15 an hour is really low pay considering that most people can’t physically work more than 25 hours and that when you don’t have a client you actually get paid even less -like minimum wage.
The problem is that many massage therapists keep taking those jobs so we are basically teaching massage employers how to treat us so they will continue to take advantage of massage therapists until MT can find out for themselves that they are worth more than that and that they deserve to make $50,000 and yes even $100,000 a year and they can do that with only working 25 hours a week!
Julie
http://www.massage-career-guides.com