How many hours do massage therapists usually work per week?

A massage therapist work schedule is determined by several different factors. One of the luxuries of massage therapy jobs is that you have the ability to design a career where you the work the amount you want. There are massage therapy positions available to suit almost any lifestyle and desire for part- or full-time work. The amount of hours worked per week for massage therapists all depends on the individual career choices made by each therapist.

Part-time massage therapists who work an average of 20 hours per week can easily make $20,000 a year to much more. Factors that can determine how much can be made by a part-time massage therapist are determined by whether or not they work in an established spa, traveling time to appointments and pricing in their area, not to mention their marketing and customer loyalty. Therapists who work for themselves get to keep more of the money they make, since a portion does not go to a business and their independent practices often have lower overhead. Those who work part-time and are willing to travel to massages can increase part-time earning potential. This is because people are willing to pay more per hour for the services of a massage therapist willing to come to their location. Additionally, when massage therapists travel there is the potential for booking parties and events which have several clients getting massages at one time which can translate into more money made per hour.

Because of the physically demanding nature of a massage therapy career, massage therapists may be considered full-time at less than 40-hour work weeks. Full-time massage therapists who work approximately 32 hours per week can make anywhere from $35,000 year to well into the six figures. Massage therapy positions which typically require 40 hours per week include working a clinic, spa, and chiropractic clinics. There are also full-time massage therapy positions at businesses that hire therapists to tend to their employees as part of health and wellness programs. Full-time massage therapy jobs that pay in the six figures include jobs in the sports and entertainment industries. The hours for these jobs can vary greatly. Hours required for these positions depend on the specific situation. Some of these jobs require a therapist to be on-call and work odd hours. Others may also require traveling with a team or entertainer whole they are on the road.

People who go into business for themselves as massage therapists can work how much or how little they choose. Most people who create a successful independent massage therapy businesses have reported working 60 to 80 hours per week in the first year or two of having their business. These hours tend to level off as a steady clientele is established.