How much does a massage therapist or bodyworker make?

Being a massage therapist can be lucrative. A massage therapist salary varies upon the type of specialty they provide among other factors. It is all a matter of finding the right combination different factors which can determine a massage therapist's wages.

"Median hourly wages of massage therapists, including gratuities, were $16.78 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $11.36 and $25.14. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.01, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $33.47. Because many therapists work part time, yearly earnings can vary considerably, depending on the therapist’s schedule. Generally, massage therapists earn some portion of their income as gratuities. For those who work in a hospital or other clinical setting, however, tipping is not common.

As is typical for most workers who are self-employed and work part time, few benefits are provided."

United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (2012) 

Massage therapist have a lot of flexibility on the choices they make with their careers. This is why there can be such a variance in how much massage therapists make. You first need to determine if you are willing to work full-time or part-time. Then there is the decision if you are going to be an independent massage therapist or if you are going to work for an established business. Making plenty of money is very possible with both of these options. It is just a matter of knowing how to go about choosing the right work environment for you, and marketing your massage therapy practice well.

If you become an independent massage therapist then you find more money faster if you are willing to travel to different locations to do massages. This is because being in one location can require a couple of years of establishing a steady clientele to see significant profits. Massage therapists who travel can work a variety of events and parties where there is exposure to several people who can become regular clients later. These situations also offer the opportunity to make several tips at one time from those who get massages from you at these events. This can be a large supplemental income in addition to the standard fee you originally charged to do the event. Massage therapists who do these side commitments regularly can easily make it into the six figure income category.

Other massage therapy jobs that can make high six figure incomes annually might include being hired as a full-time massage therapist by a professional sports team. Massage therapists who specialize in sport medicine are always in high demand in this industry.

There are many massage therapy jobs which can be found at massage clinics and beauty and wellness spas. These jobs can pay hourly or salary in many cases on clinics and chiropractic office. There is also some potential for making additional tips in these locations. Although spas tend to pay a set rate per client, you do have the potential to make tips if you perform your job well and have satisfied returning customers.