To work as a massage therapist, you typically need to:

• have a high school diploma or equivalent; and
• complete a massage therapy training program.

Education after high school

Massage therapists must have a degree in massage therapy. Professional-technical schools offer these programs. Massage programs take about one year to complete and grant a certificate in massage therapy. In a massage program you learn anatomy and physiology, massage theory, and technique.

On-the-job training

While completing a training program, you begin to do massages under the supervision of a fully-trained massage therapist.

Once on the job, little additional training is required beyond new employee orientation.