Massage Therapy Associate Degree Online
Deciding which associate degree to get can sometimes be challenging. Finding the balance between a degree that will enable you to do what you love while still making a great living can be tricky. If you're interested in working in a relaxing field that really helps people, then you might want to think about getting your massage therapy associate degree.
Why Get A Massage Therapy Degree?
Massage therapy has the potential to dramatically increase health and reduce stress in a person's life.
Believe it or not, but there are over 80 different types of massage, called "modalities", and once you enroll in a massage therapy degree program you'll get to learn about many of them.
The reason why massage therapy is such an attractive career choice for many people is because it's a bit out of the box. You're not stuck in a cubicle the entire day; you're on your feet, working directly with people and helping them feel better. It's a very relaxing, rewarding career choice that can enable you to work almost anywhere in the world.
What You'll Learn With A Massage Therapy Associate Degree
As you can probably guess, enrolling in a massage therapy associate degree program means you're going to be spending a fair amount of time learning about the human body.
Some of the classes you might expect to see in this program include:
- Deep Tissue Massage
- Sports Massage
- Anatomy and Physiology
- CPR/First Aid
- Kinesiology
- Business Massage
- Health Care Law and Ethics
- Swedish Massage
- Pregnancy/Special Massage
- Pathology for Massage Therapists
Because so many states regulate massage therapy, chances are pretty high that you'll have to get licensed or certified before you begin practicing. Most therapists take the National Certification Examination for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (NCBTMB), which is the exam that most states require.
Your school will most likely help prepare you for the exam. Make sure when you're doing research that you find out if certification prep is part of the program or not, and whether your state requires licensure or not.
Careers With An Associate Degree In Massage Therapy
Getting your massage therapy associate degree doesn't mean you're only qualified to be a massage therapist. Many schools structure their programs so you're qualified to work in a wider role, such as a spa manager, spa director, or entrepreneur.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were 118,000 massage therapists employed in 2006, and a whopping 64% of them were self-employed. This field is also expected to grow by 20% through 2016, which is faster than the national average.
Although you can work anywhere with an associate degree in massage therapy, your best prospects are going to be in urban areas or resort locales. Many massage therapists work for spas, hotels, resorts, cruise lines, and fitness centers, all which are usually located in bigger cities.
Massage therapists also work in places like chiropractors, corporations, hospitals, nursing homes, and sports centers.
When it comes to how much you can earn with a massage therapy associate degree, the range is pretty wide, depending on where you work. The BLS reports an hourly wage of $10.98 to $33.83 on up.
It's important to point out here that most massage therapists earn around 20% of their income through gratuities, so you'll earn slightly more than those wages listed. If you can build a loyal client base, which is crucial in this field, you'll make more per hour than most therapists.
