A massage therapist who is certified, licensed and registered is a fairly new addition to health care professionals. Americans spend about 6 billion dollars annually on massage therapy. At the same time another statistic, that over half of trained massage therapists have quit their jobs within a year, reveals that they have entered the profession without doing their homework. Many people do not realize that there is mental work involved in massage therapy, besides the physical labor. A prospective massage therapist needs to do good research about the job and the type of massage that he should train in.

Massage therapy is basically manipulating the soft tissues of the body to obtain therapeutic effects. Stress reduction and easing of tension in the muscles and joints is the primary objective of massage. It also increases circulation, stimulates the lymphatic system and calms the nerves.

A person has to pass the board certification examination, get a license from the state, county or the city, as the case may be, and register with a professional association before he can get a job as a massage therapist.

Job opportunities are very good. Apart from the obvious massage clinics there are many other openings for a qualified therapist. These include working with sports teams, health or fitness clubs, spas, chiropractors offices and nursing homes. Cruise ships carry massage therapists onboard. With some investment and confidence the therapist can start his own private practice. With some good business and entrepreneurial instincts, a good practice can be built within about a year.

The earnings of a massage therapist are fair. It is from 30 to 60 dollars an hour, depending on the location and city, but it is very difficult to work for long hours. Another problem that discourages the therapist is the lack of a career ladder. The only improvement that he can expect is by learning advanced techniques and correspondingly increasing his fees.

For people who have to start earning late in life without a higher skill, becoming a massage therapist is a good vocational skill with a decent income.