How Much Money Can I Make As A Massage Therapist?

Is becoming a Massage Therapist the right fit for you?

If you’ve been considering becoming a Massage Therapist, we’ve got good news for you.

Qualified Massage Therapists are in high demand and will always be. So much so that the industry expects a 15.6% job growth over the next five years.

That’s because they offer much more than simple massage treatments. Their skills promote wellbeing and span from helping improve blood circulation, and relaxing muscles, to increasing sports performance and reducing stress and anxiety.

To help you decide whether massage therapy is the right field for you, we’ve listed below some of the main responsibilities of Massage Therapists, along with expected earnings.

What Do Massage Therapists Do?

Massage Therapists help their clients relieve stress, anxiety, and tension, improve blood circulation and boost sports performance by manipulating muscles and soft tissue.

Some of their day-to-day responsibilities include:

Using massage techniques to treat various issues, including chronic pain, stress injuries, and headaches.
Providing massage therapy to help rehabilitate, and improve body function and general wellbeing
Discussing clients' needs and drafting a treatment plan accordingly
Conferring with other health professionals when necessary
Providing advice on stretching and relaxing techniques and how to improve posture and soft tissue conditions.

If you run your own massage therapy business, you’ll also have to run the management and admin aspects, including:

Bookkeeping
Marketing and advertising
Customer service
Admin
Recruitment and staff management

How Much Money Do Massage Therapists Earn In Australia?

Salaries vary depending on your specialisation and the city where you operate, but as a general rule of thumb, a remedial massage therapist earns on average $82,875. The most experienced ones can earn up to $102,570.

Here’s a breakdown of the hourly rate for Massage Therapists by location:

Sydney: $64.35
Byron Bay: $68.45
Wollongong: $62.28
Newcastle: $61.42
Melbourne: $59.22
Adelaide: $30.09
Perth: $53.15
Darwin: $43.65

Naturally, if you’re self-employed and run an at-home massage therapist business or operate a spa, you could be earning a lot more.

Here’s a rundown of average massage prices based on location to help you understand how much you could earn as a massage therapy business owner:

ACT: $120
NSW: between $70 and $300 depending on the type of massage
QLD: between $40 and $100
South Australia: $85
Victoria: between $40 and $300
Western Australia: between $65 and $95

Looking To Run Your Own Massage Therapy Business?

Running your own business will allow you to be flexible, earn more money, and choose the type of massages you want to provide.

Yet, it comes with extra responsibilities such as buying business insurance. Professional indemnity cover and public and product liability insurance are a no-brainer as they will protect you and your business against third-party claims.

For instance, let’s imagine that you provided a massage to a client and inadvertently manipulated the wrong muscle, hurting them in the process. You could be held liable and have to pay high compensation costs. That’s unless you have comprehensive business insurance.

To find the right insurance policy for your business needs, check out our instant quote generator, where you can get an estimate on market-leading insurance in seconds! Simply enter your occupation and expected revenue to get started.