how much can a massage therapist working in a hospital or chiropractic setting make?
Posted in Chiropractic on 04/23/2010 05:25 pm by HolisticLivingI got accepted into a massage therapy program and i’m really excited about it. although, it looks like male massage therapists in spa settings don’t do as well as females. so it looks like my best bet is to get into a hospital setting or chiropractic office. what is the job like in these environments? what are the hours usually? how much can I expect to make straight out of school? will a medical setting even hire me straight out of school?
thanks.
04/23/2010 at 6:20 pm
Earnings vary, depending on the area of the country, type of practice, skills, experience, and number of clients. Sometimes it can take a long time to establish a regular clientele, so many therapists have another part-time job while building up their business.
Self-employed therapists with their own facilities usually earn the most, but they also have the most responsibility, including building and maintaining a large roster of regular clients. Those who work for an hourly wage generally earn the least, but unlike self-employed therapists, they don’t have to pay rent for a facility or the salaries of employees.
Some therapists work with a group of other professionals in a private clinic and split their fee on a percentage basis with the clinic’s owners. Usually the percentage split is based on the amount of working space, supplies, equipment, and clients provided by the owners.
Location also influences income. For example, a self-employed massage therapist in a major metropolitan area may charge $60 to $100 an hour. Those in other areas are more likely to charge in the $50 to $75 an hour range. The amount they earn in a year depends on the number of hours they work and the fees they charge.
In general, most massage therapists earn somewhere between $16,000 and $70,000 a year. The national median income for people in this career is about $35,000 a year.
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Sample Career Path
LEVEL 1 Entry-Level Therapist
EARNINGS $16,000 to $30,000 a year
REQUIREMENTS • Completion of massage therapy school
RESPONSIBILITIES Treating patients with a wide variety of health problems; keeping up-to-date on new techniques; marketing to increase clientele.
LEVEL 2 Experienced Massage Therapist
EARNINGS $25,000 to $50,000 a year
REQUIREMENTS • Some business education
• Additional training in massage or other healing techniques
RESPONSIBILITIES Managing and increasing clientele; advertising business and creating a network of referrals with other health care professionals; treating patients; taking additional classes.
LEVEL 3 Self-Employed Therapist
EARNINGS $25,000 to $70,000 a year
REQUIREMENTS • Several years of experience as a massage therapist
• Established clientele
• Completion of additional courses to develop and improve your technique
• Completion of business courses
RESPONSIBILITIES Increasing client base; running a successful business; treating patients with a wide variety of health concerns; taking additional training.
04/23/2010 at 7:08 pm
Perhaps this would have been a good question BEFORE choosing massage school.
If you live in the US, there are very few hospital positions. Hospitals want professionals trained in traditional medical programs like nurses or PTAs to perform massage. Chiropractors are notorious for paying very little, overloading their massage practitioners, and using them for cash cows. The average chiropractor in my area pays $12 an hour.
Don’t expect to be hired by anyone right out of school when the market is glutted with practitioners who have years of experience. Your best bet is to get your own clients as an independent contractor.
If you live in Canada, it’s better than this. I’m not familiar with their system.
04/23/2010 at 8:02 pm
It can be just about anything you want it to be. There is something called the hospital based network that teaches you how to set up your own business in a hospital. To work for a chiropractor you will need to know injury massage and will probably have to study extensively after massage school to learn how to do that.
Entry level jobs are $12 an hour and you only make that when you have a client. You also can really only work about 25 hours a week max because of the physical demands of the job.
What job you get will depend on your job interview skills and how well you can promote yourself and negotiate contracts with potential employers.
04/23/2010 at 8:23 pm
Chiro office, 7.50-8.00 per unit, ie per 15 minutes of work.