Massage therapists have great earning opportunities. However, your salary will vary depending on where you work, the opportunities you get and how well you exploit them. According to the 2016-2017 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the median salary stands at $37,180 per year.

The report points out that his will vary depending on your field of specialization, location, years of experience and most importantly where you work.

Duties of a Massage Therapist

To understand what kind of institution will hire a massage therapist, you must first understand the typical duties of the masseur. The overall job description entails using touch to treat injury, fatigue or to boost client’s overall wellness. You will have to

• Talk to the client to find out the symptoms and learn his or her medical history
• Do a physical examination to identify the painful or tense areas
• Manipulate muscles and soft tissue to mitigate the pain and tension
• Give the client guidance on stretching, overall relaxation, posture improvement and body strength to avoid a repeat of the condition
• Do a complete documentation of the condition and recovery process

This broad job description means that the massage therapist can work on a wide range of institutions. You will be welcome at any institution that needs close attention and response to physical injury, overall wellness and stress management.

Top Institutions That Will Hire Massage Therapists

The holy grail of massage therapy is running your own business. This is especially lucrative if you specialized on a specific kind of massage therapy. However, since you will need a lot of experience before striking out on your own, working under someone is inevitable. Some of the most common places to begin are:

• At a health center or with a private doctor to supplement other medical procedures with specific massage that alleviates pain, helps heal injury, relieve stress or improve blood circulation
• At schools to serve as the first line of defense in case of injury and to help maintain overall staff and student wellness
• In any physical activity team, a football team or an athletics team to keep the athletes on their best footing
• In spas that incorporate the massage therapist stage to help the client feel relaxed and rejuvenated after the entire spa experience
• At rehab clinics that help people recover from different kinds of injury
• Cruise ships, hotels and resorts that offer complete spa experience or a partial massage therapy to help relax their customers

Massage therapists are like fitness instructors. The demand for their services can be found in the most unexpected of places. All you need is the right certification, experience and an open mind to explore the untapped potential.

Networking is Important

As a massage therapist, you have the opportunity to make more per year by extending your roots and working on side jobs. First, you will need to perfect the skill and earn a reputation. You can then embark on a networking and self-marketing campaign to gather a following from individuals who could be interested on soothing massage sessions.

Working on your own massage parlor or on direct clients is the ultimate goal. You will need a specialization to do this. Choose a specific massage therapy purpose long before you get your massage therapy and focus your efforts to establishing yourself as an authority in that specific type of massage. Specialization opens up more lucrative opportunities as opposed to being a regular masseuse who does general massage therapy.