Top 4 Reasons to Become a Massage Therapist

Becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist was the best decision I have ever made. I feel so blessed to have found this career path. I do not believe that your vocation is who you are, but I am so lucky to feel that I meant to be a massage therapist. 

I come from a very non-touchy feely family. I don’t think either of my parents ever received a professional massage, definitely not regularly. I was even discouraged from it when I first looked at schools and researching this career path. It took me two years to finally decide to go, without my family’s support. 

If you are thinking about making the leap into this healing career path, here are my top 4 reasons why you should!

💼 1. Flexible, In-Demand Career

Whether you want to work in a spa, clinic, wellness center, or for yourself, massage therapists are in high demand across the country. Create a schedule that fits your life, not the other way around.

At the time of writing this post, there’s close to 100 jobs posted on job recruiting websites in the Denver metro area. The pay for these jobs ranges from $30/hr to $60/hr. That is if you want to work for someone! Massage is in HIGH DEMAND!

The range of roles includes spas, wellness clinics, medical offices, mobile services, and resorts. There are unlimited possibilities if you want to start your own practice or studio. Almost 50% of LMT’s work for themselves. Many therapists choose part-time or flexible schedules to balance life and work.

I’ve met therapists that make over $100k a year working only 4 days a week. I’ve also met others that have full benefits at clocking in for 30 hours per week. I’ve met moms that only work while their little ones are in school and some that only work after 5pm. There’s so many ways your schedule can look as a massage therapist. If you can dream it, you’ll find or create a fit for you.

🌿 2. Holistic Education & Personal Growth

Massage school is more than career training—it’s a journey of self-awareness, body literacy, and wellness. As you learn anatomy, body mechanics, energy work, communication skills, and the art of therapeutic touch, you also embark on a path of deep healing and insight into your own body and mind.

One of my classmates during massage school had fibromyalgia. Her doctor told her she should receive a massage every day to help manage her symptoms. Her solution? She enrolled in massage school. Not only was it an economically wise decision, but it also empowered her to take control of her healing. She’s now thriving as a Licensed Massage Therapist at a high-end spa. She is still an LMT today working at a high end spa.

In hands-on classes, you'll receive bodywork almost every session. In my program, that meant getting 2–3 massages per week. Classes typically begin with a short lecture, followed by a live demonstration, and then students pair up to practice with each other. This means you’re not just learning technique, you’re also benefiting from regular, intentional touch, something most of us rarely experience in everyday life.

This consistent, nurturing touch often creates the space for stored emotions to surface and be released. Massage school sets the stage for deep healing. This is something explored beautifully in the book The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk. Massage school can help you unravel physical and emotional patterns you've carried for years.

You’ll also develop a deep sense of empathy and understanding for others. As you work closely with classmates, you'll hear stories of injuries, surgeries, and trauma. You'll work on a wide range of bodies; different shapes, sizes, conditions, and skin types. Before you graduate you will come to understand that everybody holds a story. This hands-on, heart-centered experience nurtures compassion, confidence, and presence—skills that extend far beyond the treatment room.

Massage school is where education meets healing, where technique meets intuition, and where students often discover a deeper calling—not just to help others, but to grow into their best selves.

💰 3. Affordable Investment, Quick Return

Unlike a 4-year degree, massage programs are shorter and more affordable, yet offer a lifelong, income generating skill. Many graduates are licensed and working in under a year. 

Most schools range from $6,500 to $10,000. Depending on your state you will be required to complete 500 to 1,000 hours of education. A typical bachelors degree can take over 7,000 hours to complete and cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Massage is a skill that you can take with you for life! You may decide to go full time right out of school, or maybe it is something to help you work part time while fulfilling another goal. Either way, it is a low investment with a huge return. 

Ask the schools you are interested in if they have a career counselor, career support center or does the school update their job boards. Find a massage school that is also invested in your success!

🌟4. Make a Meaningful Impact

Help people heal, relax, and reconnect with their bodies every day. Massage therapy is a career rooted in compassion and care—you get to make a difference with your hands and your heart. 

You’ll witness your clients transform. Even if it is just for one session you may see your client walk through the doors rushed, stressed, overwhelmed, in pain. After even an hour with you can see their whole body and mood shift for the better. I like to think of each client as my boss for the time they’ve booked with me. No client/boss ever leaves upset, or angry. All positive things.

I believe in the Butterfly Effect. A concept from chaos theory, suggests that small actions can have large, far-reaching consequences. For example the idea that the flap of a butterfly’s wings in Brazil might set off a tornado in Texas. Or in massage terms, you cause someone to feel better in their body, emotions, spirit and in turn they make those around them feel better. Imagine what this could do to the community you practice in and surrounding yourself!

Massage therapy is more than a job, it’s a calling, a craft, and a lifelong journey of learning and connection. Whether you're drawn to help others, looking for a flexible and fulfilling career, or simply craving a deeper understanding of the human body and spirit, massage school can be the start of something transformational. It certainly was for me. If you’re feeling the pull, trust it. The world needs more skilled, compassionate therapists and your hands and heart might be exactly what someone’s been waiting for.