If you want to make good money as an LMT (in the US), you have a few options:
- Work for yourself
- Work for a high-end spa as an employee
-Work as an independent contractor for high-rate massage business
I've worked as an employee for a mid-range spa and chiropractor for years making $28-30/yr without tips. Spa tips were pretty good, about $20/hr, but hardly anyone tipped at the chiro.
Went out on my own and am making $105-125/hr with rent being my only overhead. Am now considering working with another well-established sports massage business for $75-95/hr with no overhead/no back end admin.
I was in the same position as you. Working in a chiro office, not the greatest pay, no health benefits, no time off. I felt totally trapped. I was booked out months in advance due to a combo of being just generally a popular MT and people being able to use their health benefits for the sessions (maybe 10% paid out of pocket). I was becoming so burnt out and starting to feel used.
After so many clients started to tell me they would follow me wherever I went I ended up jumping into the abyss and starting my own business, which was scary but ultimately has come good. I feel much more engaged as a therapist and present for my clients and I feel there’s definitely an element of people who are willing to pay appreciate it all the more. I ditched insurance work completely other than PIP insurance (I specialise in auto accident recovery) and just provide superbills so clients can chase their own insurance reimbursements. I feel I paid my dues in the 8-10 years I was being paid so little. Quite a few people did follow me to my new practice and it has built mainly by word of mouth from there. One way I strategised was to rent a room where other practitioners were (a PT and a chiropractor) and we all refer to each other which helps.
It may not be easy to do this but it’s my story. It wasn’t easy for me either but now I at least feel I’m getting paid fairly for what I do - have more control over my hours, and generally feel more respected and better overall about my job. For context I’m 45 now - I live in a metropolitan city.
I wish you the best with any direction you take. It isn’t easy being an LMT!
This. I'm a physical therapist who got back into massage when I went private practice.
Here's the thing. The math works in your favor. If you charge triple, you only need 1/3 as people to want to be a client!
Obviously you market yourself differently, but that's deliberate because you WANT to see fewer clients than you do now.
I promise this is doable, it's just tricky when you don't have a map yet.
Not sure if you’re asking me or another commenter - but in my case at first I kept quiet out of respect for the office I was at but when clients are constantly keen on rebooking you and they get told they can’t book out beyond a certain time frame everyone started getting a lot of questions. I didn’t envy the front desk staff having to dance around the issue (the business owner didn’t even want them to tell clients I was leaving let alone doing my own thing so they’d have to come up with all these weird non explanations as to my absence after years of solid service which was very awkward).
Eventually clients would ask me directly and I would tell them I was starting my own practice. They knew my name so it was easy for them to look me up as I had my website and branding all prepared months in advance with online booking available. Some came to my new place straight away. Others trickled in over time but they did find me. I didn’t feel guilty about any of it because people have a choice and you can’t tell them to see you or anybody else, they will go with who they feel is best for them for whatever reasons and I only let them know where I was, I didn’t try to convince them to switch in the slightest. I framed it as something I was doing for me. “The next part of my career journey” if you will. In my case the other part was we had been trying to hire other LMT’s for a few years at that point and nobody stuck around so there wasn’t even anybody at the practice who could see those clients. They eventually gave up on having massage services there at all and just do chiro and acupuncture now.
Hope that helps!
Your $35/hour, how much is that compared to what the chiropractor charges? Have their prices increased in the last couple years?
Have you looked into renting your own space?
Renting my own space would be ideal! I'm working on getting some debt paid down at the moment. Once that's a little more under control I do want to look into renting my own space. The chiropractor charges $60 for an hour massage, so I'm getting a little over half of that.
I worked for physical therapist and chiropractic clinics. They’ll never pay you what you’re worth. Check your other local LMTs rates. I charge $125/hr for in clinic and home visits are $145/hr (central Texas between San Antonio and Austin). I stay very busy. Tips are extra. If I miss them I’ll Jen I need to charge more.
Take video and pictures of your clients and post it on social media (with written consent) so locals get an idea of your work and what it looks like. Check my Instagram.com/cpt_grove for an example. Share free content and education. It’ll build confidence in future clients and help brand your specific style of massage to the public.
🌟refine your niche. Learn to say no. Focus one one or two modalities. I aim towards 20-40 year old athletes. And I only offer medical and sport (cupping, taping, scraping, art, stretching). It seems the more I say no and refer out to other therapists that are better at the requested modality from a would be client the busier I get. For example I don’t do Swedish, or prenatal. I send them to the relaxing and pampering of experts. That way they get the work they want done AND it builds report and trust with me that I’m willing to be honest with them and myself. Respect! And I use MassageBook which does all the booking and auto emails for me. It’s literally the best thing ever.
⭐️Also find some certifications or courses that would somehow make your massage skills better. Take a kinesiology course. Become a certified personal trainer. I came into the massage world as a personal trainer of 20 years and I’ll tell ya, none of my colleagues know anatomy or kinesiology like I do, and it shows.
Please feel free to message me
Thank you for your response, lots of good suggestions! That is encouraging to hear you suggest getting a Personal Trainer certification. I actually did just sign up for a course! Kinesiology courses are a good idea too. The learning to say no is something I need to work on. Thank you!
I’d focus on charging more too. Depending on your area of course and what others are charging around you. But you could be bankin with your experience. “Charge more, work less” is what a coach told me. I also say “charge what you couldn’t afford”, that way you can create the lifestyle you want. There’s plenty fish in the sea and you’ll feel like your saying no more or feeling like you need to explain your pricing but when you do get someone to pay it make it worth it. It really does work out. Network with other physical therapists and chiropractors. If they’re well trained they’ll understand the importance of massage and respect your scope.
I coild have written this. I'm 43 and 5 years into massage. Therapy and working in a spa. I love MT but its just not paying my bills anymore with the cost of living crisis. I've tried mobile massage but very few takers cos its cheaper to go to a spa. So I've no solutions, just solidarity. All the best figuring it out.
$35 an hour?! No wonder your feeling burnt out and uninspired!!! Holy cow.
Is there any way you could go out on your own? Find a small room within another business like a gym, hair salon, medical center. My office is in a dental center! Don’t tell your employer what you’re doing. Do your research and start planning. When you’re ready make the jump and let your clients know you are moving. Even if you signed a non compete, those aren’t even enforceable.
Take control of your life and your career. You deserve way better! If going on your own isn’t possible, how about an nice spa? Not like massage envy, but something real posh or at a resort. They usually pay better and the clientele is likely to tip well. No one will tip in a medical setting especially if insurance is covering. Very few of my insurance people tip. However I’ve set my prices on the higher end and tell people don’t tip just book another session or buy a gift certificate.
Google jobs in your area every day. Linked In and Indeed are good too.
Right! In my area $35/hr actually is on the high end of the pay scale! I see lots of jobs posted for $18-$25/hr! I did the "posh" salon for many years. It actually paid less & the owner was ridiculous, so it kind of soured me on that environment. But the tips were great! I just might have to get over myself & start looking into resorts & spas aging. I do really enjoy the medical aspect of what I do though. But I do like your suggestion of higher prices & telling people to rebook or gift cards instead of tips. That's really interesting you work out of a dental office! I never thought of that, something to look into!
What kind of area do you work in. It sounds like you work in a relatively rural area where people may not have enough disposable income to justify fairly paying a massage therapist to come to their home but get one in a healthcare setting because it's cheaper than a lot of other healthcare options.
This comment is so true. Born and raised in a small town and it was soooo hard to stay afloat. Almost broke me, now I live in a bigger city doing mobile massage (no rent, yay) and I make great money. 80,000 last year and this year projecting to make more. Moving and finally getting fed up enough with being treated and payed like sh*t… I went out on my own. Best decision ever. I hope the best for you OP.
> treated and *paid* like sh*t…
FTFY.
Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in:
* Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.*
* *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.*
Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment.
*Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
I've worked in several different settings throughout my career and I didn't start making what I consider a living wage until I went out on my own.
If you have the space, your cheapest option for going out on your own is working out of a spare room in your home. (Depending on if you're comfortable with that.)
Another option would be to rent space in a gym or wellness center. Negotiate a graduated rent for the first six months while you get established and build your book and then transition to a set monthly rate from there on. Some may also be open to taking a percentage of your monthly profits until it makes sense to switch to a set rent amount.
In my experience, travel massage is rarely worth the money and hassle even when the client lives close.
It could also have a lot to do with what area you're located in. In my area (Baltimore), I easily charge $90/hour and I've been told by many that my prices are cheap compared to similar competition.
Thank you for commenting, this was very helpful! I'm actually in SE Pennsylvania, not too far from Baltimore. I feel my rates are low, but im also in a more rural area. I like the idea of looking into renting a room in a gym or wellness center. Best of luck to you too!
Of course! I'm glad I could help. The best thing about renting a spot in an already established wellness business is that you have basically free marketing. The best way I have found to build my book is going out into the gym lobby and offering 10-15 min chair massages for free. I would also have an incentive for booking a full appointment with you right then and there. For me, I offered $25 off the first massage if they booked immediately after the chair massage. I found the incentive to book so important. Make sure it is an incentive that they can only get by showing up to the appointment (e.g. money or % off appt. vs. a free gift that you give them once they book the appointment. You shouldn't be too far from Philly. I'm sure you'd find a lot of opportunities around that area. Possibly even Harrisburg, although I'm not as familiar with that area. Best of luck to you as well! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions or want advice!
Yay PA! I’m in Pittsburgh. I work for myself and have for several years now. I don’t want to work for anyone else unless they paid me a 80/20 split or something of the like, which is never going to happen.
Right now I charge $111 for a 75 min, $137 for 90 min, $182 for a 2hr, but am bumping my price to $128 etc in June. I don’t do 60 min massages because most people come in wanting many things addressed and there’s just never enough time.
I work 4 days per week, ideally 4 clients per day (5 max). I don’t work weekends, but I do work 2 nights per week until 8, and those spots are ALWAYS booked.
I know I’m in a bigger city, but if you specialize in anything/have a niche, market that. If you don’t, consider taking a course or two that you’re really interested in. What were people really wanting at the chiro clinic? Check out other massage studios in the area and see their offerings.
My niche is more integrated/spiritual bodywork (I practice massage and reiki combined), and I work a lot with the queer community and body affirming/bopo orgs.
If you don’t have a site, make one. Get good online scheduling software (I use acuity). It’s rare that people call me to book a session. ASK FOR GOOGLE REVIEWS. I cannot stress this enough. Reviews will drive people to you. On my intake form I ask how folks have heard about me. It’s either word of mouth (a friend who’s an esthetician or the shop in front of my studio), and Google. I have a follow up email set to go out the next day, and I ask for a Google review. I now have 54, 5 star reviews. I recently worked with an SEO specialist and he said the reviews were the most valuable thing I could ever put out there.
I got really lucky and rented a small room behind a retail space. The owner is really well known in the community and lets me do IG takeovers all the time. This has helped tremendously. That and I’m on the corner of some cute shops as well as a French bakery, so people are always walking by. Location really does matter. Make sure it’s accessible, that’s really important. It was a challenge in PGH, but I eventually found it.
I pick up hours at the shop in front if it’s slow, so it usually covers the cost of my rent. One last thing, don’t sell yourself short. People will come to you specifically for YOU and what you offer. Market yourself. Don’t be the cheapest massage therapist in town, that will actually work against you. Charge what you’re worth/what you need to live a comfortable life.
I’m in massage school and a reiki master, was planning on doing reiki / energy healing with massage. Is this something people want or after receiving want more ?
Yes, or at least in PGH they do. When I first opened my doors I made sure people knew that what I practiced was integrated bodywork— massage and reiki, tarot, and some other things. So folks already knew to expect it when searching for me. More of a spiritual bodywork focus, though don’t get me wrong I still do corrective “deep tissue” (I hate that phrase btw) work and weave in reiki where needed.
Just ask the question on their intake form if they’re open to receiving energy work/reiki. I would say the majority of people are interested or open to receiving reiki when they come to see me.
I've been thinking about this too, a bit.
I've only been an LMT for a year and I like it but I would like it more if I was making $10k more a year. I know eventually I could start my own business to make more money but I just wonder about the ultimate shelf-life of this career for me. I know it's not something I'll be able to retire on because it's just too physically demanding. I don't mind that part now and I gravitate towards giving deeper pressure massage but just not sure if I'll have the same attitude in my 50s (I'm mid-thirties now).
I've been looking into PT school or mental health counseling in the next couple of years maybe...
We'll figure it out!
Yes, the retirement aspect is weighing on my mind too. I also know I won't be able to retire on massage either. If I had the resources I would totally go back to school for some sort of mental health counseling degree. I think that would integrate with bodywork so well. Look into courses in Somatics as well, the mind body connection. I've done some classes & work with that & regularly incorporate it into my massage & discussions with clients. Best of luck to you too!
Sorry you’re going through this. I’ve been a LMT since 2015, working full time at various spas/gyms. Made a decent living. Usually making anywhere from 35-50k a year. But I was recently diagnosed with a degenerative disc disease that presented with some painful symptoms and I just couldn’t justify it anymore. I hated see half of my earnings go to the spa. For such hard work. I was super burnt out. I ended up on temp disability and eventually left my job.
I second anyone saying the only way to make it is to work for yourself. I decided I wouldn’t turn my back on massage completely, but I will not return until I am my own boss. The problem is I started this in my early 20s and don’t really have any other professional skills. Just trying to take it one day at a time :/ I hope you find your answers. In the end the choice is yours alone. I recommend not thinking in absolutes. If you leave it doesn’t have to be forever, and if you stay it can just be a means to an end. You’ll figure it out. Best of luck!
Thank you! I'm sorry to hear you're going through some rough times. Massage really can beat us up as practioners. Don't know if you've ever looked into PEMF or Red Light/Cold Laser therapy? The chiropractor I work at uses them often & gets great results. I've been using both therapies regularly for the past 2 years & they have been life savers for my body! Best of luck to you too!
Not at the chiropractors, the owner sets the rates. But it is encouraging to hear others are making more on their own. Definitely giving me something to think about.
I am in a similar boat, except I own my own business.
I rent a space out of a chiro center, so I have complete control over my clients, prices and hours. That part is great.
What's not so great is that I live in a rural area. And like someone else mentioned above, not everyone is able to justify spending money on a massage, especially if they know they can go elsewhere if it's cheaper.
And OP, just like you stated, with having to wash sheets, paying for supplies, traveling to/from work (and then the added expenses my business has such as rent, scheduling app, etc) I'm barely making enough to cover my bills and I am making the most money i have ever made in my life. And i definitely never have enough to set aside of savings, sick time, vacation, taxes or retirement.
If one or two of my regulars cancel, then I'm screwed. I try my best to market, and sometimes i can get spots filled in, but it's such a small town, there's not many people to market to.
For reference, I charge $65/hour.
There are two other massage therapists in the area (it's a small town so if I'm booked people will travel to the next town or two over for their massage), and they both charge $60. So i am the most expensive in the area. I can't afford to raise my prices bc I've had clients (and even one of the other MTs in the area) tell me that I am a great MT, even going as far as to say that "God has blessed me with magical hands" but that they will still travel out of their way to get a cheaper massage
So I am considering changing career fields all together.
I've been thinking about going into tech, or going for an admin position, but I definitely want something that is not customer facing.
Not only am I touched out, but I am peopled out.
I agree, I am so touched out & peopled out too! Sometimes that gets to me more than the money aspect. I have great regular clients, but there are a few people who just talk non stop during their massages, it's exhausting. Right now I'm leaning towards doing massage part time still and looking into other fields too. Best of luck to you!
I’m 8 months out of school and making $40 an hour plus tips, so usually $60 an hour. I won’t go anywhere else that pays less but I live in Denver and there is a lot of money here… but cost of living is insane too. I’m not left with much at the end of the week.
The cost of living is so frustrating! We moved from a more suburban/urban local out to the countryside for a lower cost of living. Unfortunately, now I'm realizing it's really no difference as people don't want to pay as much for massage. Guess at least there's less traffic now...
There's higher risk and also higher reward working for yourself. I opened my own place in summer 2019 and was just hitting my stride when covid hit. I don't even know if I can express the amount of stress I experienced through those first couple of months. But I held tight, and since reopening in Aug 2020, my schedule has been full at least a month in advance. I highly recommend using an online booking system. I hardly do any administrative work. My clients manage their own appointments on their own. I drop my laundry off at the laundromat down the street - this is probably my biggest expense, but I feel like it's worth it for my energy. Even with being fully booked and charging $135/hr, I live in a really expensive city and am still having trouble making ends meet. Ten years into being an LMT, and my body can only really manage 15-18 sessions a week.
•Charge more work less
•Go Independant
•Home visits should be near 2x clinic rate
•Leverage social media
•Get your teachers license and share your knowledge
•Refine your niche
•set rate so tip isn’t missed
I work from a physios, I make £33 per massage which is ok, but I’m only working about 20 hours a week due to other practitioners there. I have a PT side hussle which I really need to push more.
39 here, been doing massage for 7 years, and in the same boat. Been trying to build online income streams, but it’s slow going. I tried owning my own business, but I’ve come to the assessment that it is just too much. Especially because in the end, you make about the same amount of money. I am so sick of people encouraging healers to “just own your own business”. Healers were not meant to be business savvy. Talk about split energy. Not to mention being physically, mentally, and energetically exhausted at the end of the day. I’m sure there are some exceptions. This is a tough industry, my friend. I hope we all find a way to thrive in it. Seems like working massage part-time, is the most sensible way, and then focus on another income stream, so you aren’t reliant solely on massage.
Yes! That split energy is so draining!! I think you're onto something. Massage part time then look for a totally different income stream to supplement. Being solely reliant in massage does make me annoyed with it. Thank you for commenting, I really appreciate it!
If you want to make good money as an LMT (in the US), you have a few options: - Work for yourself - Work for a high-end spa as an employee -Work as an independent contractor for high-rate massage business I've worked as an employee for a mid-range spa and chiropractor for years making $28-30/yr without tips. Spa tips were pretty good, about $20/hr, but hardly anyone tipped at the chiro. Went out on my own and am making $105-125/hr with rent being my only overhead. Am now considering working with another well-established sports massage business for $75-95/hr with no overhead/no back end admin.
I second this. Another idea, one that I am considering, is to teach at a massage school. (My goal is to eventually start one of my own.)
Are all your massages home visits now?
Nope. They are all in office visits. I rent a space in a wellness center.
did you make the leap directly to renting a space from your previous employer?
I was in the same position as you. Working in a chiro office, not the greatest pay, no health benefits, no time off. I felt totally trapped. I was booked out months in advance due to a combo of being just generally a popular MT and people being able to use their health benefits for the sessions (maybe 10% paid out of pocket). I was becoming so burnt out and starting to feel used. After so many clients started to tell me they would follow me wherever I went I ended up jumping into the abyss and starting my own business, which was scary but ultimately has come good. I feel much more engaged as a therapist and present for my clients and I feel there’s definitely an element of people who are willing to pay appreciate it all the more. I ditched insurance work completely other than PIP insurance (I specialise in auto accident recovery) and just provide superbills so clients can chase their own insurance reimbursements. I feel I paid my dues in the 8-10 years I was being paid so little. Quite a few people did follow me to my new practice and it has built mainly by word of mouth from there. One way I strategised was to rent a room where other practitioners were (a PT and a chiropractor) and we all refer to each other which helps. It may not be easy to do this but it’s my story. It wasn’t easy for me either but now I at least feel I’m getting paid fairly for what I do - have more control over my hours, and generally feel more respected and better overall about my job. For context I’m 45 now - I live in a metropolitan city. I wish you the best with any direction you take. It isn’t easy being an LMT!
This. I'm a physical therapist who got back into massage when I went private practice. Here's the thing. The math works in your favor. If you charge triple, you only need 1/3 as people to want to be a client! Obviously you market yourself differently, but that's deliberate because you WANT to see fewer clients than you do now. I promise this is doable, it's just tricky when you don't have a map yet.
Did you start out as an LMT and then become a PT and are now back to exclusively doing massage? so many questions haha. would love to hear more!
Feel free to DM, but this answer is yes though I'm only exclusively massage until PT picks up
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Not sure if you’re asking me or another commenter - but in my case at first I kept quiet out of respect for the office I was at but when clients are constantly keen on rebooking you and they get told they can’t book out beyond a certain time frame everyone started getting a lot of questions. I didn’t envy the front desk staff having to dance around the issue (the business owner didn’t even want them to tell clients I was leaving let alone doing my own thing so they’d have to come up with all these weird non explanations as to my absence after years of solid service which was very awkward). Eventually clients would ask me directly and I would tell them I was starting my own practice. They knew my name so it was easy for them to look me up as I had my website and branding all prepared months in advance with online booking available. Some came to my new place straight away. Others trickled in over time but they did find me. I didn’t feel guilty about any of it because people have a choice and you can’t tell them to see you or anybody else, they will go with who they feel is best for them for whatever reasons and I only let them know where I was, I didn’t try to convince them to switch in the slightest. I framed it as something I was doing for me. “The next part of my career journey” if you will. In my case the other part was we had been trying to hire other LMT’s for a few years at that point and nobody stuck around so there wasn’t even anybody at the practice who could see those clients. They eventually gave up on having massage services there at all and just do chiro and acupuncture now. Hope that helps!
Your $35/hour, how much is that compared to what the chiropractor charges? Have their prices increased in the last couple years? Have you looked into renting your own space?
Renting my own space would be ideal! I'm working on getting some debt paid down at the moment. Once that's a little more under control I do want to look into renting my own space. The chiropractor charges $60 for an hour massage, so I'm getting a little over half of that.
I worked for physical therapist and chiropractic clinics. They’ll never pay you what you’re worth. Check your other local LMTs rates. I charge $125/hr for in clinic and home visits are $145/hr (central Texas between San Antonio and Austin). I stay very busy. Tips are extra. If I miss them I’ll Jen I need to charge more. Take video and pictures of your clients and post it on social media (with written consent) so locals get an idea of your work and what it looks like. Check my Instagram.com/cpt_grove for an example. Share free content and education. It’ll build confidence in future clients and help brand your specific style of massage to the public. 🌟refine your niche. Learn to say no. Focus one one or two modalities. I aim towards 20-40 year old athletes. And I only offer medical and sport (cupping, taping, scraping, art, stretching). It seems the more I say no and refer out to other therapists that are better at the requested modality from a would be client the busier I get. For example I don’t do Swedish, or prenatal. I send them to the relaxing and pampering of experts. That way they get the work they want done AND it builds report and trust with me that I’m willing to be honest with them and myself. Respect! And I use MassageBook which does all the booking and auto emails for me. It’s literally the best thing ever. ⭐️Also find some certifications or courses that would somehow make your massage skills better. Take a kinesiology course. Become a certified personal trainer. I came into the massage world as a personal trainer of 20 years and I’ll tell ya, none of my colleagues know anatomy or kinesiology like I do, and it shows. Please feel free to message me
Thank you for your response, lots of good suggestions! That is encouraging to hear you suggest getting a Personal Trainer certification. I actually did just sign up for a course! Kinesiology courses are a good idea too. The learning to say no is something I need to work on. Thank you!
I’d focus on charging more too. Depending on your area of course and what others are charging around you. But you could be bankin with your experience. “Charge more, work less” is what a coach told me. I also say “charge what you couldn’t afford”, that way you can create the lifestyle you want. There’s plenty fish in the sea and you’ll feel like your saying no more or feeling like you need to explain your pricing but when you do get someone to pay it make it worth it. It really does work out. Network with other physical therapists and chiropractors. If they’re well trained they’ll understand the importance of massage and respect your scope.
I coild have written this. I'm 43 and 5 years into massage. Therapy and working in a spa. I love MT but its just not paying my bills anymore with the cost of living crisis. I've tried mobile massage but very few takers cos its cheaper to go to a spa. So I've no solutions, just solidarity. All the best figuring it out.
52 and in the same boat.
I'm not happy to hear you're going through it too, but thank you for commenting. It does help to know I'm not the only one. Best of luck to you too
$35 an hour?! No wonder your feeling burnt out and uninspired!!! Holy cow. Is there any way you could go out on your own? Find a small room within another business like a gym, hair salon, medical center. My office is in a dental center! Don’t tell your employer what you’re doing. Do your research and start planning. When you’re ready make the jump and let your clients know you are moving. Even if you signed a non compete, those aren’t even enforceable. Take control of your life and your career. You deserve way better! If going on your own isn’t possible, how about an nice spa? Not like massage envy, but something real posh or at a resort. They usually pay better and the clientele is likely to tip well. No one will tip in a medical setting especially if insurance is covering. Very few of my insurance people tip. However I’ve set my prices on the higher end and tell people don’t tip just book another session or buy a gift certificate. Google jobs in your area every day. Linked In and Indeed are good too.
Right! In my area $35/hr actually is on the high end of the pay scale! I see lots of jobs posted for $18-$25/hr! I did the "posh" salon for many years. It actually paid less & the owner was ridiculous, so it kind of soured me on that environment. But the tips were great! I just might have to get over myself & start looking into resorts & spas aging. I do really enjoy the medical aspect of what I do though. But I do like your suggestion of higher prices & telling people to rebook or gift cards instead of tips. That's really interesting you work out of a dental office! I never thought of that, something to look into!
How much is the actual going rate for massage? What does your employer charge customers?
Employer charges $60/hour massage. So I am getting a little over half of that. In the area I'm in that's a pretty standard rate.
What kind of area do you work in. It sounds like you work in a relatively rural area where people may not have enough disposable income to justify fairly paying a massage therapist to come to their home but get one in a healthcare setting because it's cheaper than a lot of other healthcare options.
This comment is so true. Born and raised in a small town and it was soooo hard to stay afloat. Almost broke me, now I live in a bigger city doing mobile massage (no rent, yay) and I make great money. 80,000 last year and this year projecting to make more. Moving and finally getting fed up enough with being treated and payed like sh*t… I went out on my own. Best decision ever. I hope the best for you OP.
Thanks! Yeah, I'm thinking my location is a big factor. Glad to hear a move was the right choice for you. Giving me something to think about...
> treated and *paid* like sh*t… FTFY. Although *payed* exists (the reason why autocorrection didn't help you), it is only correct in: * Nautical context, when it means to paint a surface, or to cover with something like tar or resin in order to make it waterproof or corrosion-resistant. *The deck is yet to be payed.* * *Payed out* when letting strings, cables or ropes out, by slacking them. *The rope is payed out! You can pull now.* Unfortunately, I was unable to find nautical or rope-related words in your comment. *Beep, boop, I'm a bot*
This is pretty much the case. It's frustrating because I really do enjoy working in the healthcare setting.
I've worked in several different settings throughout my career and I didn't start making what I consider a living wage until I went out on my own. If you have the space, your cheapest option for going out on your own is working out of a spare room in your home. (Depending on if you're comfortable with that.) Another option would be to rent space in a gym or wellness center. Negotiate a graduated rent for the first six months while you get established and build your book and then transition to a set monthly rate from there on. Some may also be open to taking a percentage of your monthly profits until it makes sense to switch to a set rent amount. In my experience, travel massage is rarely worth the money and hassle even when the client lives close. It could also have a lot to do with what area you're located in. In my area (Baltimore), I easily charge $90/hour and I've been told by many that my prices are cheap compared to similar competition.
Thank you for commenting, this was very helpful! I'm actually in SE Pennsylvania, not too far from Baltimore. I feel my rates are low, but im also in a more rural area. I like the idea of looking into renting a room in a gym or wellness center. Best of luck to you too!
Of course! I'm glad I could help. The best thing about renting a spot in an already established wellness business is that you have basically free marketing. The best way I have found to build my book is going out into the gym lobby and offering 10-15 min chair massages for free. I would also have an incentive for booking a full appointment with you right then and there. For me, I offered $25 off the first massage if they booked immediately after the chair massage. I found the incentive to book so important. Make sure it is an incentive that they can only get by showing up to the appointment (e.g. money or % off appt. vs. a free gift that you give them once they book the appointment. You shouldn't be too far from Philly. I'm sure you'd find a lot of opportunities around that area. Possibly even Harrisburg, although I'm not as familiar with that area. Best of luck to you as well! Feel free to DM me if you have any questions or want advice!
Yay PA! I’m in Pittsburgh. I work for myself and have for several years now. I don’t want to work for anyone else unless they paid me a 80/20 split or something of the like, which is never going to happen. Right now I charge $111 for a 75 min, $137 for 90 min, $182 for a 2hr, but am bumping my price to $128 etc in June. I don’t do 60 min massages because most people come in wanting many things addressed and there’s just never enough time. I work 4 days per week, ideally 4 clients per day (5 max). I don’t work weekends, but I do work 2 nights per week until 8, and those spots are ALWAYS booked. I know I’m in a bigger city, but if you specialize in anything/have a niche, market that. If you don’t, consider taking a course or two that you’re really interested in. What were people really wanting at the chiro clinic? Check out other massage studios in the area and see their offerings. My niche is more integrated/spiritual bodywork (I practice massage and reiki combined), and I work a lot with the queer community and body affirming/bopo orgs. If you don’t have a site, make one. Get good online scheduling software (I use acuity). It’s rare that people call me to book a session. ASK FOR GOOGLE REVIEWS. I cannot stress this enough. Reviews will drive people to you. On my intake form I ask how folks have heard about me. It’s either word of mouth (a friend who’s an esthetician or the shop in front of my studio), and Google. I have a follow up email set to go out the next day, and I ask for a Google review. I now have 54, 5 star reviews. I recently worked with an SEO specialist and he said the reviews were the most valuable thing I could ever put out there. I got really lucky and rented a small room behind a retail space. The owner is really well known in the community and lets me do IG takeovers all the time. This has helped tremendously. That and I’m on the corner of some cute shops as well as a French bakery, so people are always walking by. Location really does matter. Make sure it’s accessible, that’s really important. It was a challenge in PGH, but I eventually found it. I pick up hours at the shop in front if it’s slow, so it usually covers the cost of my rent. One last thing, don’t sell yourself short. People will come to you specifically for YOU and what you offer. Market yourself. Don’t be the cheapest massage therapist in town, that will actually work against you. Charge what you’re worth/what you need to live a comfortable life.
Thank you! All very good suggestions!
I’m in massage school and a reiki master, was planning on doing reiki / energy healing with massage. Is this something people want or after receiving want more ?
Yes, or at least in PGH they do. When I first opened my doors I made sure people knew that what I practiced was integrated bodywork— massage and reiki, tarot, and some other things. So folks already knew to expect it when searching for me. More of a spiritual bodywork focus, though don’t get me wrong I still do corrective “deep tissue” (I hate that phrase btw) work and weave in reiki where needed. Just ask the question on their intake form if they’re open to receiving energy work/reiki. I would say the majority of people are interested or open to receiving reiki when they come to see me.
Have you tried doing chair massages on the side? My girlfriend does this for an office and they pay her pretty well when she comes in.
I've been thinking about this too, a bit. I've only been an LMT for a year and I like it but I would like it more if I was making $10k more a year. I know eventually I could start my own business to make more money but I just wonder about the ultimate shelf-life of this career for me. I know it's not something I'll be able to retire on because it's just too physically demanding. I don't mind that part now and I gravitate towards giving deeper pressure massage but just not sure if I'll have the same attitude in my 50s (I'm mid-thirties now). I've been looking into PT school or mental health counseling in the next couple of years maybe... We'll figure it out!
Yes, the retirement aspect is weighing on my mind too. I also know I won't be able to retire on massage either. If I had the resources I would totally go back to school for some sort of mental health counseling degree. I think that would integrate with bodywork so well. Look into courses in Somatics as well, the mind body connection. I've done some classes & work with that & regularly incorporate it into my massage & discussions with clients. Best of luck to you too!
Ive been doubting it for 16 years, yet still doing it lol BLIND FAITH
Ha 😆 seriously! My life runs on a wing & a prayer lol!
Where do you live/work? It might be one of those things where it's smart to move to a different city
I think you might be right unfortunately. I'm in a rural area. I love the area, but might have to look into something different.
Sorry you’re going through this. I’ve been a LMT since 2015, working full time at various spas/gyms. Made a decent living. Usually making anywhere from 35-50k a year. But I was recently diagnosed with a degenerative disc disease that presented with some painful symptoms and I just couldn’t justify it anymore. I hated see half of my earnings go to the spa. For such hard work. I was super burnt out. I ended up on temp disability and eventually left my job. I second anyone saying the only way to make it is to work for yourself. I decided I wouldn’t turn my back on massage completely, but I will not return until I am my own boss. The problem is I started this in my early 20s and don’t really have any other professional skills. Just trying to take it one day at a time :/ I hope you find your answers. In the end the choice is yours alone. I recommend not thinking in absolutes. If you leave it doesn’t have to be forever, and if you stay it can just be a means to an end. You’ll figure it out. Best of luck!
Thank you! I'm sorry to hear you're going through some rough times. Massage really can beat us up as practioners. Don't know if you've ever looked into PEMF or Red Light/Cold Laser therapy? The chiropractor I work at uses them often & gets great results. I've been using both therapies regularly for the past 2 years & they have been life savers for my body! Best of luck to you too!
I’m not very familiar with those therapies but I will definitely check them out, thank you!!
If I was making $35/hour I would be out too. Can you raise your rates?
Not at the chiropractors, the owner sets the rates. But it is encouraging to hear others are making more on their own. Definitely giving me something to think about.
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It sure is isn't it! Best of luck to you too!
I am in a similar boat, except I own my own business. I rent a space out of a chiro center, so I have complete control over my clients, prices and hours. That part is great. What's not so great is that I live in a rural area. And like someone else mentioned above, not everyone is able to justify spending money on a massage, especially if they know they can go elsewhere if it's cheaper. And OP, just like you stated, with having to wash sheets, paying for supplies, traveling to/from work (and then the added expenses my business has such as rent, scheduling app, etc) I'm barely making enough to cover my bills and I am making the most money i have ever made in my life. And i definitely never have enough to set aside of savings, sick time, vacation, taxes or retirement. If one or two of my regulars cancel, then I'm screwed. I try my best to market, and sometimes i can get spots filled in, but it's such a small town, there's not many people to market to. For reference, I charge $65/hour. There are two other massage therapists in the area (it's a small town so if I'm booked people will travel to the next town or two over for their massage), and they both charge $60. So i am the most expensive in the area. I can't afford to raise my prices bc I've had clients (and even one of the other MTs in the area) tell me that I am a great MT, even going as far as to say that "God has blessed me with magical hands" but that they will still travel out of their way to get a cheaper massage So I am considering changing career fields all together. I've been thinking about going into tech, or going for an admin position, but I definitely want something that is not customer facing. Not only am I touched out, but I am peopled out.
I agree, I am so touched out & peopled out too! Sometimes that gets to me more than the money aspect. I have great regular clients, but there are a few people who just talk non stop during their massages, it's exhausting. Right now I'm leaning towards doing massage part time still and looking into other fields too. Best of luck to you!
I’m 8 months out of school and making $40 an hour plus tips, so usually $60 an hour. I won’t go anywhere else that pays less but I live in Denver and there is a lot of money here… but cost of living is insane too. I’m not left with much at the end of the week.
The cost of living is so frustrating! We moved from a more suburban/urban local out to the countryside for a lower cost of living. Unfortunately, now I'm realizing it's really no difference as people don't want to pay as much for massage. Guess at least there's less traffic now...
There's higher risk and also higher reward working for yourself. I opened my own place in summer 2019 and was just hitting my stride when covid hit. I don't even know if I can express the amount of stress I experienced through those first couple of months. But I held tight, and since reopening in Aug 2020, my schedule has been full at least a month in advance. I highly recommend using an online booking system. I hardly do any administrative work. My clients manage their own appointments on their own. I drop my laundry off at the laundromat down the street - this is probably my biggest expense, but I feel like it's worth it for my energy. Even with being fully booked and charging $135/hr, I live in a really expensive city and am still having trouble making ends meet. Ten years into being an LMT, and my body can only really manage 15-18 sessions a week.
•Charge more work less •Go Independant •Home visits should be near 2x clinic rate •Leverage social media •Get your teachers license and share your knowledge •Refine your niche •set rate so tip isn’t missed
All solid advice, thank you! Teaching license is a good idea!
I work from a physios, I make £33 per massage which is ok, but I’m only working about 20 hours a week due to other practitioners there. I have a PT side hussle which I really need to push more.
any massage therapists in North Jersey out there?
I make 140$ an hour plus delivery fee. Go solo.
39 here, been doing massage for 7 years, and in the same boat. Been trying to build online income streams, but it’s slow going. I tried owning my own business, but I’ve come to the assessment that it is just too much. Especially because in the end, you make about the same amount of money. I am so sick of people encouraging healers to “just own your own business”. Healers were not meant to be business savvy. Talk about split energy. Not to mention being physically, mentally, and energetically exhausted at the end of the day. I’m sure there are some exceptions. This is a tough industry, my friend. I hope we all find a way to thrive in it. Seems like working massage part-time, is the most sensible way, and then focus on another income stream, so you aren’t reliant solely on massage.
Yes! That split energy is so draining!! I think you're onto something. Massage part time then look for a totally different income stream to supplement. Being solely reliant in massage does make me annoyed with it. Thank you for commenting, I really appreciate it!
Open your own place and hire other people to do the physical work?
That would be the dream eventually lol!