possible income

[gottcha]

I am a new therapist and was trying to figure what most therapist make a year. The schooll told me that 'on average' I could make 50-60,000 a year. But they told me they had some making over $100, 000 and one making about $250,000. Is this possible?

 

[bubbleyumm]

possible income

I am a new therapist and was trying to figure what most therapist make a year. The schooll told me that 'on average' I could make 50-60,000 a year. But they told me they had some making over $100, 000 and one making about $250,000. Is this possible?

Sure, it is possible, anything is possible.

Let's do some math. If you make $50,000 a year, that works out to be nearly $1000 a week. Very possible if you have a full client load of about 20 clients and you work for yourself. Taking into account you still have to pay all your expences out of this amount. If you work for someone else, I doubt you will make $1000 a week, maybe half of that, maybe.

Keep in mind you probably arent going to be making this kind of money right after school.

I have seen numbers, and I believe the median income for MT's was in the 15,000 to 20,000 range.

This is from http://www.amtamassage.org/pdf/2005MTIndustryFactSheet.pdf

Working 15 hours a week at massage including tips, a MT can expect to make $29,250. I believe this was as a sole practitioner.

 

[Addman]

Quite frankly it's really going to depend on a lot of things.
Your area, how hard you are willing to work, the kind of support you have available to you, etc.
Quite frankly in my local area that kind of $100,000 - $250,000 income would not be likely. At least not as a single practitioner renting an office, perhaps if you owned a spa or clinic and employed several different therapists as well as selling retail. *shrug*
Also that kind of income is only likely to be acquired after several years in the business. It takes time to build a reliable client base, establish referral networks and produce results that get you known in an area for being the "go to" person for specific physical complaints or for a certain type of massage. (NMT, MFR, CST, etc)
The US Dept of Labor reported that the average annual income for massage therapists in 2003, was $29,250 (including tips). In reality, many MTs earn even less than that.
Of course the first few years will probably be the hardest as you establish your practice or find employment, etc.
Wishing you success in your endeavors!

 

[MissNewmarketSalsa]

I feel badly for all those students who are roped in by promises of a lot of money to be made. In my experience, and please note this is just my opinion, schools tell people that but it is not the case.

It took me a several years to build up enough private clients that began to pay the bills. If it were not for a partner who had a 9-5 job, I don't think I could have even devoted that much time to it, because I would have had to get another job.

Working at spas and such, to make that kind of cash you'd be quickly headed for burnout. Do I know some classmates who are making a killing? Yes. But only one in the $100k area, the rest just a modest living. The one raking it in owns two massage studios with people working under her. It took a lot of initial investment for advertising , etc.

As someone said, if you have the resources and support, and are a real go getter, it can be done.

 

[Morgaine]

This section of the boards will help you find a lot of answers and related thoughts that come with this question.

There are about 8 pages of threads with a host of topics to choose from if you search like this:

Search for Keywords: income
Forum: Business Issues & Marketing Discussion
Display results as: Topics

This thread may also be of help:
Sticky: [ Poll ] The practice-goals polls -- self-generated massage income

To answer your question: It is rarely possible in your first 5 years of business. You have to generate clients first. My opinion is if you have something/someone backing you, or if you happen to get in the right place --- along with a lot of very hard work, you may make it there sooner.

Hope that heps and WELCOME to the fourms.

 

[My Question]

Thank you for your replies. I have looked at the AMTA website and seen that info.

I am assuming that those on a forum like this are the more successful level of therapist. You are willing to support each other and give freely of your knowledge. Therefore, I thought if someone could make that kind of money, they would be here.

Pueppi (how do you pronounce that?) I did a search of 'income' and got pages and pages of info. Most just mentioned the word in one of the post. Thank you for showing me how to refine that. Hopefully, I will be like some of you "Pro's" here. I will continue to research and learn. I look forward to an open exchange with each of you.

 

[xenonoh2]

Escaper,

Keep in mind there is more to being a successful MT than just making a lot of money.

Money is great, but there is more to it.

If you had your choice, would you rather be unhappy working long hours but making $100,000, OR working a modest amount of hours, having time for family, and only making $20,000.

The more you make, the more you spend, but not necessarily on stuff you need.

 

[Danielle A]

Escaper,

Keep in mind there is more to being a successful MT than just making a lot of money.

Money is great, but there is more to it.

If you had your choice, would you rather be unhappy working long hours but making $100,000, OR working a modest amount of hours, having time for family, and only making $20,000.

The more you make, the more you spend, but not necessarily on stuff you need.

Money isn't just great, it's annoyingly KEY to staying in the business! I'm so lucky I'm receiving financial support from family and investments while I'm building up my practice. I remain optimistic that I will become self-sufficient, but it's so SCARY, isn't it? Someone asked me once if I do massage for the money. Well...no...but...yes! I have this habit of eating and using electricity and driving and wearing clothes...and I'd like to get to a place I can do all those things while doing massage therapy!

What's difficult about being spoiled by growing up in an upper-middle-class family is the thought that doing something I love and keeps me sane may very well mean my lifestyle has to be more meager than I consider normal. (Except for my organic food. Not giving that up.)
So this is growing up... (sigh) t012

 

[kysteves]

possible income

But they told me they had some making over $100, 000 and one making about $250,000. Is this possible?

well, i have 2 words for that question.

hell no. whoever told you that should be smacked across the head!

possible to make $250,000 income as an mt? as a business owner (spa/salon/clinic) sure but not at an MT.

 

[Bobby Digital]

I know that money does not equate to happiness. But, if we are not in business to make money, then why would we be in business at all? I would like to make a comfortable living and not have to worry about paying my bills. I would like to have a savings account that could cover emergencies such as car problems, health issues, family issues.

My last job was a 40+ hour a week job and I made good money. I have a comfortable living now and would like to continue with my standard of living that I have been accustom to. If I could make $30-35,000 a year and make that continually, I would be in great shape. I currently have savings that could cover any expenses for quite some time, especially if I can start to supplement that with income within a year.

I have talked to some Spa's and Clinic's in my area. Most of the Spa's tell me that I could make $40,000 a year working approx 26 hours a week of 'hands on' time. The Clinic's all tell me I will make between $25,000 and $45,000 a year depending on the hours I work. (most of them require at least 15 hours a week). Does this sound resonable? I would like to work less hours and make a desent living. I don't need to make a ton on money, I just don't want to worry about paying the rent at the end of the month.

 

[kAt Go RaWr!!!]

26 hours/week of hands-on time is a lot. Although there are therapists who do that #, many massage therapists find their bodies can't handle it. Especially if the appointments are scheduled back-to-back. I recommend starting part-time and building up to more hours as your body adjusts to the work. You'll learn what your limits are, once you begin working. Everyone's different. Maybe you'll be one of the few for whom 26 hours of hands-on time is fine.

 

[Soprano Girl]

Again, do your math.

$40k per year doing 26 hour of massage per week.

That averages 5 a day, but averages are decieving. What probably looks like is T=3, W = 3, TH = 5, F = 7, Sa = 7

Can you handle that?

Plus, you have to de-average the average since Jan and Feb and mid summer are slower than the rest of the year.

26 per week * 50 weeks = 1300 massages a year. That works out to about $30 per, including tips.

 

[McLovin]

The other thing to mention is the hours of work that are necessary outside of the actual hands-on time. There's time spent talking with clients, assessing their needs, scheduling appointments, filling out treatment notes, bookkeeping, marketing, etc. If you work for yourself, you have to make time for all of that. If you work for someone else, much of that isn't your responsibility, but you still have some work responsibilities outside of sessions. If your goal is to work less hours and match your current salary, that might be hard to achieve. Never mind the fact that massage therapy is hard work! It feels very different than the same amount of time doing a different kind of work.

 

[cupcake41]

The people I know making really good money are really landlords and have many hands working for them. Most MTs make far, far less than that.

Keep in mind when you look at averages incomes that "average" doesn't necessarily translate to "what most people earn." A few incomes will be freakishly stratospheric and bring the average up, while at the other extreme there must be some therapists whose clientele is restricted to their parents and the family pet.

I remember well being asked when I was starting out, "So what's your real job?"

Related and just as annoying, "Is it free?"

Answer: "For you I'd have to charge much much more."

 

[Pompal 09.]

I always say that Massage therapy is the toughest job you'll ever love. That being said generally I would say if you make an income in the mid to high twenties your doing pretty good.

I always go with that fifteen clients a week is a lot! Average three a day monday through friday should keep your busy. My advice dont quit your day job while your building up your clientel.

Jason

 

[Madeline]

The people I know making really good money are really landlords and have many hands working for them. Most MTs make far, far less than that.

Very true!

To make a decent living, and by decent I don't mean any where near wealthy, it takes a good private client's, IMHO, and it takes time to build that.

Out of my entire class, only three of us are still working in massage. Most of them got into it because they were told they could make a lot of money. After they spent all the time and money on the schooling, and found out differently, they went on to other things.

The three of us still in it LOVED the work, before, during and after. i think that is a huge difference. Most likely you won't be affluent doing this work, so you really have to love it.



p.s. Like the other poster said, I also want to ping the head of the people who tell prospective students that.

 

[sndMan79]

Leener,

How long ago did you go to school? How many people in your class?

 

[Huckleberry Sin]

My advice dont quit your day job while your building up your clientel. Jason

see now my advice would be to quit your day job to begin building your clientel. especially if you have some money saved up. remember, lots of other things will determine how much money you make. how much are you charging an hour? how much are your expenses? are you giving discounts? etc...

a really great promotion i heard being used is that if a client sends in a referral, they get to add their name into a raffle. every month you have a prize (a fantastic one!) and those who gave referrals have a chance to win. a couple things need to happen to make that successful. 1. you need to let people know about it. 2. you need to ask them to give you referrals. 3. you need to display this "prize" in a prominant area so as to intrigue your clients to get involved. 4. your clients referrals actually need to come in. some of the monthly giveaways were a night's stay at a fun hotel (water slides etc...). gas card worth $100 or more. huge basket filled with goodies. so what you'll end up doing is spending a larger amount on a "prize" but you'll be saving $ in discounts to clients. i really like the idea.

anway, yes you can make money as an mt but you've got to be good, you've got to have people skills, you've got to be willing to work hard to build the clientele and you need not be afraid to spend some money to make it. (ie. really make your space a special retreat for clients. spend a little extra making your table & your space unique. clients appreciate that and it will bring them back!)

 

[Colin]

My advice dont quit your day job while your building up your clientel. Jason

see now my advice would be to quit your day job to begin building your clientel. especially if you have some money saved up. remember, lots of other things will determine how much money you make. how much are you charging an hour? how much are your expenses? are you giving discounts? etc...

a really great promotion i heard being used is that if a client sends in a referral, they get to add their name into a raffle. every month you have a prize (a fantastic one!) and those who gave referrals have a chance to win. a couple things need to happen to make that successful. 1. you need to let people know about it. 2. you need to ask them to give you referrals. 3. you need to display this "prize" in a prominant area so as to intrigue your clients to get involved. 4. your clients referrals actually need to come in. some of the monthly giveaways were a night's stay at a fun hotel (water slides etc...). gas card worth $100 or more. huge basket filled with goodies. so what you'll end up doing is spending a larger amount on a "prize" but you'll be saving $ in discounts to clients. i really like the idea.

anway, yes you can make money as an mt but you've got to be good, you've got to have people skills, you've got to be willing to work hard to build the clientele and you need not be afraid to spend some money to make it. (ie. really make your space a special retreat for clients. spend a little extra making your table & your space unique. clients appreciate that and it will bring them back!)

I agree doing something for clients who give referals is important, in the begining!

I go about it a different way. I give $10 credit for each referal. These credits are generally mailed and have an expiration date of about 8 weeks. This way, clients are rewarded, but they need to come in to get a massage to get their credit. They dont have to wait for 3 to 5 referals to come in get a free massage (like some MT's do), and the extra mailing gets their attention. Sure, I am giving away $10 for each referal, but only if they come in and use it. Everyone gets to participate and reap the rewards, not just one person who's name was drawn.

I feel a big drawing has its place and I will probably have one within a few months of moving my office as a promotional type thing. Heck, even people who arent clients yet can enter. I would probably have them enter online tho.

 

[Tomz]

Well, I don't have a day job, so there is nothing to quit. I left my former employer and received a severence package. My schooling has already been paid for so I don't have any student loans.

I also have some successful business people who are mentoring me in my business ideas. I don't feel like I am ready to own my own place, yet. I would rather get my style developed before that. But how would a clinic/spa owner feel if I start there and get a core group of customers, and then move out on my own. I know most will require a non-compete clause (but those are not legal in my location). But I would not want to leave with any burnt bridges.

When talking to one of the more successful MT's in my area, and we ended up talking for hours. He told me that my best bet would be to go to work for a therapist that was thinking about retirement, and help build that pratice up with the intent of assuming the responsibilities of running it. We would both benefit from it. Them with continued income after retirement and me with a secure place to build a practice and the possibility of ownership without burnt bridges. He even said he would help us in the process (he had someone in mind, who wanted him to take over their practice) I think this is the best situation I could put myself in to start. I would not have to spend my nest egg to start and I could help a therapist that is looking to take it easier. She would like to phase out within a year and a half.

We are working on the details now, to make sure this is good for both of us. I will keep everyone posted as to what our decision works out to be.

Power to you.