hello- a few questions

[LegendZ]

Hello everyone I am new to the board and new to massage therapy. I am very interested in going to school for it and have a few questions if anyone could help me out . I live in the suburbs near Boston, MA. I am wondering what the hours of a therapist Really are and truly what kind of salaray i will be looking at. ( i relalize thats kinda personal and im not asking for exact numbers i just need a real number so i can see if its worth it to pay for school etc. I also was told that as a therapist people burn out within a 5 year period. is that true? answers to these questions and any other info you would think was helpful would be great!!! thankyou

 

[JeremyR]

hello- a few questions

I also was told that as a therapist people burn out within a 5 year period. is that true?

Hi...when I was in school (in 2000) the massage therapist burn-out and repetitive injury statistic was 3 years - meaning statistically massage therapists left the field after only 3 years. Now you're reporting stats of 5 years, and I am currently going into my 6th year...so I would say things are looking up in the longevity of massage professionals! And, there are many practitioners on this board who have been practicing for 10 or more. Number 1 priority for a massage therapist is their body mechanics while working, and their own continual self-care...apparently we are learning this concept very well.

Good luck with your decision! You're in the right place for picking brains!!

 

[Gabbie]

Welcome to the boards.

Working "full time" this is how things worked for me:

Employee at spa ($15 per hour flat rate + tips) worked 8 hours 5 days a week.

Independant contractor for Chiropractor (50% of $60 per hour charge - paid only for doing massage) worked 20-25 massages a week.

I work "part time" now for myself.
I have on average 10-15 hours massage per week, but take home 100%.
I spend other "work" hours on business related things.

I have been a massage therapist for 9 years. I had a hard time with my arms about 2.5 years in and have been taking much better care of myself since then. I rarely have work related pain now.

2 things that will help keep you going as an MT: good body mechanics and get regular work done on yourself!
Regular work for an MT is not only important because you need your muscles worked on, but it keeps you refreshed and reminds you why you are a MT. Sometimes it can be hard when you are in pain and all you are doing is making everyone else feel good - you can start to resent your clients. Getting regular massage yourself - helps you keep up.

 

[softballxlove3]

I would suggest researching with therapists in your area for what the average pay scale is. Keep in mind that it can vary widely, depending on where you work. Spas, chiropractors, fitness centers, a massage clinic, all can provide a different pay scale. It is probably hard to tell which one you will be drawn to once you are out of school. Some people are drawn to spa work, but the money may not support what you need. Those of us who are happiest with our profession, are being fulfilled in the area of work that interests us, not by the money. If you have to work in a particular environment because it provides the best income, you may not be as happy in the profession.

There are many reasons that people are not in the profession after a few years. True, that injury and burnout is a reason. However, I think a lot of people are just not realistic about the money they can make and the amount of time it takes to get established. You are wise to be looking at things before you begin school. I think the truth of the matter is that many people who go to school for massage never really work in the field, or they give up after a short time because they aren't making the money they thought they would. It is good if you have a second job or a nest egg to help support yourself in the beginning. I also think that a lot of people are not willing to actually work at things to make themselves successful. They graduate school, put out a couple of resumes and then sit and wait. They may get a job at a spa or a fitness center and then they just sit and wait for clients to come. It doesn't work that way. You need to be constantly marketing yourself and encouraging clients to rebook appointments.

There are a lot of successful therapists who have been in the business a long time. I am still fairly new at it. I have been a therapist for 4 years now. I feel like there is so much that lies ahead of me. I pay careful attention to body mechanics and get regular work done on myself, so physical injury has not been a problem for me. Business wise, I am so pumped and so excited to be in this field. After a couple of years of house calls and working for a few fitness centers, I decided to open my office. It is the best decision I ever made. Burn-out? Not even close for me!!!!

It seems like you are already on a good track of checking things out before you even start school. Get a good honest assessment of things in your area. Think about your own wants and needs. Make a realistic decision whether you are willing to work and possibly sacrifice for a little while to get where you want to be. If you decide to go for it, commit 1,000% and go full steam ahead and you will get where you need to go!

I wish you much good luck with your choices.

 

[Senthil k]

There are many reasons that people are not in the profession after a few years. True, that injury and burnout is a reason. However, I think a lot of people are just not realistic about the money they can make and the amount of time it takes to get established. You are wise to be looking at things before you begin school. I think the truth of the matter is that many people who go to school for massage never really work in the field, or they give up after a short time because they aren't making the money they thought they would. It is good if you have a second job or a nest egg to help support yourself in the beginning. I also think that a lot of people are not willing to actually work at things to make themselves successful. They graduate school, put out a couple of resumes and then sit and wait. They may get a job at a spa or a fitness center and then they just sit and wait for clients to come. It doesn't work that way. You need to be constantly marketing yourself and encouraging clients to rebook appointments.

Yes - I agree. Very well put KneadedMassage.

 

[khadijah]

Thankyou all soo much for you replies!!! i appriciate the help. when the other lady told me she had burnt out in 5 yrs and was physically hurting as well it scared me a lot. I realize it'll be hard work. and truly im would not be going into the field to make big money- hey if it happens great but-it just is a realization that i do need to support myself and my family- that i yet to have- it's just a lot of money -especially after ive gone to college and paid for that- and more time in school and the idea of coming out and not getting anywhere in life is terrifying and horrible. I am soo interested in doing this as a career- my idea is to own my own place with a few other MTs- who would work for me or rent space from me- i didn't know what would be worth it more. but honestly these are only ideas and i have no idea exactly what it takes to make them happen.
Anyways how would someone suggest i go about getting info about salaries/ etc from these places- do i simply call up and tell them im thinking about the career choie and i would love some information?? i was thinking that was rude. what do u guys think? also if i go to a massage clinic at the school i'd probably be going to- where the students do the massages while their teachers watch and talk to them- would you think i would get an accurate idea of what the school is REALLY like? or do you think they'd be realizing that people are watching and not act as they would normally- keep in mind that this clinic is open to the public and not just for perspective students. any info u can give me on anything you think is important is more than welcome. thankyou for all your support.
if anyone wants to email me instead my email is [email protected]

 

[RexRomanus]

Hi, Phoenix.
As a word of advice, you will get a LOT of spam by publicly posting your email addy. You might try something like phoenix 207849 at aol dot com

Now then. Several members of this board go or went to schools in the Boston area. What schools are you considering? Maybe some of us could offer you more specific opinions on the matter if you are thinking of specific places.

The going rate for a one hour session in the Boston area is between $70 and 85, I think. But as others have stated where you work can have a HUGE difference in what you make for the work.

Good for you for checking things out ahead of time.

 

[DarkLight]

I would say that your best bet for getting some feedback on salaries, etc. in your area is to talk directly with the MT's. The management of a particular spa or fitness center may share that with you, but you're more likely to get the information from a massage therapist. Just explain that you are thinking of going to school and that you want to be well informed before making the choice. Be sure to have questions for them other than salary. Ask which school the went to and why they liked it and why they disliked it. If you are speaking with someone who works in a spa, ask them if they have ever worked for a chiro or at a fitness center....they may be able to shed some light on some of the other salaries.

Book a massage at a few places and ask while you're on the table.

I'm not sure you'll get an honest answer from the people at the school if the instructor is right there watching. Do they watch for every single massage or only the ones for potential students?

It's a big decision. You can't be sure you're going to get 100% honesty from anyone, you have to go with your gut too. I think that if you're asking the right questions and you ask enough of them, you will certainly be able to get a very good sense of what you're getting into.

One of the biggest surprises for me when I got out of school was the wide range of pay out there. But, keep in mind that many times you can negotiate.

Some examples of pay around here:

*I know one MT who was hired at $36 per massage 8 years ago. The rate of the massage has gone up from $55 to $75 and her pay has stayed the same.

*The local Y charges $55 for a massage and pays the therapist $32

*A new local spa paid their MT's $25/hour whether they had clients or not. The idea was to maintain good therapists while the business built. They then went to a 30/70 split, with bonuses if they sold products and if they went over a certain average of clients for the month. I forget the number, but it was difficult to attain, even for the busiest therapist.

*Another local spa pays 40% to the therapist. That could be 40% of a $75 massage or a $120 body treatment. The spa pays 40% of whatever they have been paid, so if the client has a discount referral coupon or there is a special of some sort (not at all regulated by the MT's) then their pay fluctuates.

*Another fitness center pays $32.50 per hour for sessions. It doesn't matter if you are doing a Swedish Massage or a more expensive hot stone massage. They charge the client more, but don't pay the therapist more. When they raised the rate of the massage from $65 to $80, they didn't pay any more to the therapist.

These are just a few examples that I know of from around here. As you can see, they vary a lot. I'm sure there are a lot more ways that people slice the pie. When you're just coming out of school, you don't have any experience or specialties to bargain with, so sometimes you might just have to settle for what they are offering. I would encourage trying to negotiate anyway. Maybe it could be about the schedule or looking at more money in 3 months. Of course, in that 3 months you will have to be a stellar MT and get lots of rebookings, etc. to prove that you are worth more $$$.

I'm not looking at your original posting, so not sure if there's a clue whether you are a male or female. But, in case you are a male, they have a much more difficult time in this business. I believe it's unfair, but unfortunately, it is what it is.

 

[SJC]

Hi thankyou for your replies. Thanx for the tip about the email Palpable. I am looking into Career Education Institute and Spa Tech- I am leaning more towards Spa Tech though because when I went into C.E.I. the lady was nice but treated me as a business transaction and didnt really give me the information i needed because i wasnt going to sign up for like a year. Spa Tech seemed very well put together and thorough- although they had a "all white" uniform you had to wear which i wasnt thrilled about- lol not that it's a big deal. is a uniform like this for students common??

KneadedMassage thanks for your reply as well, that is the type of information i am looking for. to answer your question- from what i was told/ lead to believe at the massage clinic there are teachers around all the time to supervise the students doing the massages. i dont think they would know i was a prospective student. maybe just another person going in for a cheaper massage that is done by a student.
A question for you, if you dont mind of course, where do you live ( like in what area) and how long have you been a MT?
I am more than greatful for all the information everyone has shared but for my convidence it would be great if someone who has been doing this between 15-30 years and can make a living at itwould let me know. i may not ever get a reply like that, but im just putting it out there .
who knows where your life will lead you but i want to know i can have a career if i want it if im going to spend the time and effort. Oh by the way I am female. That sux that it's harder for men. is it because more clients feel comfortable with women?? thats what i would assume.

If i were to go into a spa or a place that does only massage do you think that if i said i was doing research and would like to speak to a therapist that it would go over well?? I am planning on getting a massage soon anyways and I will defanitly ask them what they think but money wise to go into a few places just to ask questions thats money i dont have. but at the same time you have to do what you have to do huh? just a thought what do you guys think??
Also is there any particular way I can find people on the forum from my area? dont get me wrong i love all the advice and info from everyone i was just curious.
Thankyou for your time. I hope everyone has a great holiday season!

 

[Kent]

I think you can give it a try and call around and ask if someone will speak to you. You may find some therapist who remembers when they were in your shoes and would be happy to speak with you. You might find others who are skeptical and a bit protective of the information. Just keep looking. I think there are plenty who will share with you.

I'm in NJ and I've been a therapist for 4 years. There are a lot of people still in the business after about 15 years or so. You will find a wide range of directions people have branched into. Some own a clinic or manage a spa. Some teach in addition to doing massage. Others may have branched out into additional areas of holistic medicine. This certainly doesn't mean that they have somehow failed with massage or become disappointed with it or unable to make a living at it. I think you will find with almost any career that people will follow different paths and are rarely doing the exact same thing 15 years into the career (at least I would hope they aren't doing the exact same thing). As with other careers, there are many who have moved on for any number of reasons as well.

One thing that I don't know if you've thought about is medical coverage. If you need to be covered with insurance, this may limit your choices of places to work and may force you to take a job that might not offer the best split. However, the benefits may be worth it. It would be my opinion that most places do not offer health benefits.