What to Look For in a Massage Therapy School

Some people just need to knead. If you’re the designated shoulder squeezer or back massager in your group of family and friends, perhaps you have a higher calling. Maybe you are destined for a career as a massage therapist. So how do you become a massage therapist, anyway?

How to Be a Massage Therapist

It’s one thing to enjoy working out the crimps and kinks of others as a part-time hobby; it’s quite another to earn certification in pursuit of a professional career. To perform massage for money, you must first learn massage. You likely feel you already know how to alleviate pain and inspire healing with your magical hands, but you’ll be surprised at how much technique and knowledge you glean from massage therapy courses. At Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers, you’ll spend 600 hours learning everything from reflexology and hydrotherapy to stretching and seated massage.

When choosing a licensed massage therapy school, there are several factors to consider. You want to make sure the school you eventually attend is accredited, and it’s a good idea to attend an open house or take a campus tour before you officially enroll. Everything can look great on paper or on a website, but you’ll know whether you belong once you’ve strolled the halls and shaken the hands of a few professors.

While you’re at it, ask around about the student experience and job-placement efforts once you’ve graduated. Success rates of former students is a smart consideration. Is the school invested in you as more than just a warm body in the classroom and a short-term source of income? Do they care about your life after school and your career options? Will they provide the nurturing and mentorship you need to identify your true passions and career path? You’ll want to get a feel for how well the school supports career success.

Investing In Your Personal Development

Another important characteristic in a massage therapy school is the availability of financial aid for students in need. The Financial Aid Department at Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers is proud to provide assistance to any student who needs and qualifies for financial aid in order to pay tuition and related expenses. We have worked hard to establish procedures and policies that guarantee fair and consistent treatment of all applicants.

How Much Does Massage Therapy School Cost?

Our standard massage therapy course costs $10,655 when all charges and fees are accounted for. This covers tuition, registration fees, books, uniforms, kits, lab fees and licensure fees, which are paid directly to the applicable regulatory board. It’s an investment that pays dividends — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics finds that massage therapists who can work in spas, salons, resorts, doctor’s offices and personal training, among many others earned a median income of $42,620 in 2020 (or $20.97 per hour), with the job market growing much faster than others (21%) until 2029. The outlook is incredibly bright for aspiring massage therapists.

Beyond the financing elements of a licensed massage therapy school, you’ll want to know whether the curriculum fits your lifestyle: When do masseuse classes take place? Can you commit to daytime coursework, or do you prefer night classes so you can take care of other things? Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers offers both — and you can be certified in as little as five months!

What Massage Therapy School Teaches You

When you’re debating different possible massage therapy schools, dig into the curriculum if you can: What modalities are taught? What theory topics are covered? Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers offers a comprehensive program that will help you shape all aspects of being a professional massage therapist. Here are some courses you could take during your time at massage therapist school:

• History of Massage: Prehistoric Times to the Modern Era and Professional Societies, Organizations, and Associations

• Career Longevity: Self-Care, Burnout Prevention, and the Wellness Model

• Professional Standards: Scope of Practice, Assessment, Treatment Planning, Informed Consent, Documentation, and Networking with Health Care Providers

• Asian Bodywork Therapy: Shiatsu, Thai Massage, Ayurvedic Principles, and Chakras

• Skeletal System

• Massage Techniques, Joint Mobilizations, and Stretches

• Body Mechanics, Client Positioning, and Draping

• Business, Marketing, Accounting, and Finance

• Tools of the Trade: Massage Tables, Table Accessories, Linens, Lubricant, & the Treatment Room

• Kinesiology

• And much more!

Our coursework covers a variety of modalities and prepares you for the business side of the industry. Not only will you be prepared to perform bodywork on customers, but you’ll also gain a working knowledge of the backend business operations — handy if you want to own your own massage spa someday.

Still unsure whether you should enroll at Hollywood Institute of Beauty Careers with an emphasis in massage therapy? What other answers do you need? Reach out and contact us today so you can be on your way to an exciting new career as soon as possible!