What job can practically guarantee you a 100-percent satisfied customer? A massage therapist! But before you work the knots out for someone else, you have to attend massage therapy school.
Most massage therapy schoolsrequire a high school diploma for admittance to a program. However, depending on where you plan to find work, you may find it beneficial to obtain an associate or bachelor's degree as a registered nurse. To obtain work in a hospital for instance, may require you to earn the letters 'RN' behind your name.
What is most important however, is attending an accredited massage therapy school. This is important not just in terms of recognition, but also for financial aid, because federal loans and grants are only given to students attending federally accredited schools. Agencies such as the Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation (COMTA), Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCST), Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET), Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), and the National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (NACCAS), are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as specialized accrediting agency for bodywork programs.
Speaking of financial aid, most massage schools credit hours are significantly more cost-effective than a traditional brick-and-mortar institution. The average tuition for massage school is $9-$10 per credit hour. If you are in an unlicensed state, you may be able to complete a short program that will get you 100 hours of training for under $1,000. States that require licensing however, typically require 500 hours of training, with tuition ranging anywhere from $5,000-$9,000. If the school you plan to attend does not supply you with a massage table, plan on spending an additional $500.