stmSearching for the best massage therapy schools in the United States? You’re at the right place. This article features all you need to know about massage therapy and the top schools that offer the best massage therapy courses in America.
Massage is simply the manipulation of soft body tissues to reduce body pain or stress. Massage is normally done with hands, fingers, elbows, knees, forearms, feet or a massage device. In European countries, a masseur (male) or a masseuse (female) is a professional trained to give a massage.
In the USA, a person has to be certified and licensed to be a professional massage therapist. A massage therapist is often self-employed or works for a hospital, health clinic, spas, nursing homes and fitness center.
A massage therapist has to be in good physical shape with strength and exhibit the skills of dexterity. A massage therapist also needs to have endurance, because the job requires a lot of strenuous activities on the hand, wrists and feet.
Also, they must be good listeners who carter for other people’s needs, there is an increasing demand for massage therapists due to the increasing number of spas and massage clinics. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicted the growth of massage therapist employment as 21% from 2018 to 2028.
Job Of A Massage Therapist
A good massage therapist is trained to increase the flow of blood circulation in the body and release the tightness of muscles to reduce stress by applying pressure with their fingers, hands, feet, etc.
The massage therapist often combines different techniques of massage including; reflexology and acupressure.
Reflexology: also riffing to as zone therapy, this technique involves applying pressure to specific points on the hands, ears and/or feet.
In simple terms; Reflexology is a gentle manipulation of certain areas of the foot, to produce effects elsewhere on the body.
This is carried out by the fingers, hands and thumbs without the use of massage oil or lotion, it is generally based on pseudoscientific systems of zone and reflex areas which reflex an image of the body on hands and feet.
This massage technique stimulates energy and increases the rate of blood flow (releases blockage) in specific areas of the body.
Acupressure: This massage technique is based on an ancient Chinese traditional medicine practice of acupuncture. Acupressure involves applying pressure on some specific area in the human body. The area pressure applied is known as acupoints.
Applying pressure to acupoints makes your body relax and enhances blood circulation. It can also help with many side effects of chemotherapy, such as headaches and body pain.
Massage Therapy As A Career
You need a certificate and license to become a professional massage therapist in the United States. To enrol for a massage therapy course, you’ll need to apply with your high school diploma or GED.
The massage therapy program covers the following topics; the basic principles of human anatomy, myology, pathophysiology, human relations, kinesiology, pathology, therapeutic massage and also the interaction of muscles and tendons.
Your certificate award could take a period of five months to two years to complete, depending on your program requirements, applicable state and institution. You can also gain a Bachelor’s degree in this field.
Massage therapists earn a reasonable amount of money, as of 2019, the average median salary for massage therapists was $43,320 yearly. That said, as most massage therapists are self-employed, your earning rate will depend on your schedule, client base and tips.
Top 10 Massage Therapy Schools In USA And Their Tuition
The following are some of the best Massage Therapy Schools in the USA and their tuition:
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Parker University School of Therapy
Location: Dallas, Texas.
Tuition: 13,560 per trimester
Financial Aid: Yes
Parker University offers a world-class massage therapy course, students can also graduate with an associate’s degree in applied science. Students are expected to undergo 600 hours of hands-on training to prepare them for the field after graduation.
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Dade College
Location: Miami, Florida.
Tuition: $2,277 per semester
Financial Aid: Yes
Dale Community college offers a sophisticated massage therapy program on its medical campus. Students can acquire a certificate in massage therapy while studying techniques like sports massage and deep tissue.
Dale College is very demanding which is why it is required for students to attend a full-time class to acquire the necessary knowledge they’ll be using tomorrow.
- National Holistic Institute
Location: Emeryville, California.
Tuition: $15,820 (core massage therapy), $8,194 (advanced neuromuscular therapy)
Financial Aid: Yes
National Holistic Institute is one of the biggest massage therapy colleges in the United States, they are devoted to training top-rated massage therapists.
They specialize in core massage therapy programs and advanced neuromuscular therapy, the core program takes 800 hours (8 months) of study to complete while the advanced program takes 400 hours (5.5 months).
- College of Health Professionals
Location: Muttontown, New York.
Tuition: $14,235 annually
Financial Aid: Yes
New York’s college of health professionals is a private, non-profit institution. They are dedicated to training community services. Additionally, students earn an associate’s degree in occupational studies that qualifies them to sit for the Massage board licensing exam in New York.
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Northwestern Health Science University
Location: Bloomington, Minnesota
Tuition: $12,000
Financial Aid: Yes
Northwestern Health Science University is a private university, their massage therapy programs include; chiropractic, traditional Chinese medicine, therapeutic massage, human biology, allied health professions and acupuncture.
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National University of Health Sciences
Location: Lombard, Illinois
Tuition: $7,191
Financial Aid: Yes
The National University of Health Sciences has been training students in integrating and natural medicine since 1906.
The institution offers a massage therapy program and an associate’s degree in applied science. Their program train students in Sports and Swedish massage as well as particular massage techniques like neuromuscular facilitation.
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Lincoln Technical Institute
Location: Somerville, Massachusetts
Tuition: $19,924
Financial Aid: Yes
Lincoln Tech is a subsidiary of Lincoln Schools, they’ve been training students in medical and technical fields for over 70 years. Their massage therapy courses covers; hands-on learning, instructors’ tech anatomy, kinesiology, physiology and deep tissue therapy.
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Myotherapy College
Location: Millcreek, Utah
Tuition: $14,400
Financial Aid: Yes
Myotherapy college has been training students in different areas of massage therapy since 1987, their courses include; the anatomy of the human body, and the connection of muscles to the muscular, nervous and skeletal systems. Most of their courses are prepared by real-life professionals.
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Southern California of Health Science
Location: Whitter, California
Tuition: $16,425
Financial Aid: Yes
Southern California of Health Science offers 7 month, 13-course program to earn a certificate in massage therapy. Their program is mixed with lecture courses and lab hours helping students gain first-hand experience with real-life professionals.
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Southwestern Institution of Healing Arts
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Tuition: $14,500
Financial Aid: Yes
Southern Institute of healing arts specializes in two areas of massage therapy: Therapeutic track and advanced polarity specialist. Additionally, students can also pursue an associate’s degree in occupational studies.
Final Words
Everyone needs a way to relax their muscles once in a while, due to stress from work or injury. Most people prefer going to a massage therapist rather than taking aspirin to relieve pain.
The institutions mentioned above offer sophisticated massage therapy programs, they are the top 10 schools when it comes to a massage therapy in the US. Enrol and get certified in no distance time.
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