Massage Therapy Schools in Arizona
Choosing a massage therapy school in Arizona can lead to a lucrative and rewarding career as a massage therapist. Many schools offer rapid licensing programs and some offer evening and weekend courses for those who work during the day. Choosing specialty massage technique courses can help to increase the skills of a massage therapist student which will improve their chances of being successful in this career.
Find Massage Therapy Programs in Arizona
You must attend a school that is approved by your state to provide training in the discipline you want to practice. Check with the school and the state board to be sure that your program of study will prepare you for any applicable state licensure.
Arizona has many schools that offer programs for massage therapists. Some schools such as Asis offer training in a wide range of modalities such as Swedish, reflexology and sports massage technique to name a few. Other schools such as the Arizona School of Massage Therapy which offers the standard massage therapy program as well as a master program for a multidisciplinary approach. Each type of school can help students reach their goal of becoming licensed massage therapists.
Massage Therapy Licensing Requirements in Arizona
In order to become a state licensed massage therapist, a prospective professional will need to meet the requirements of the Arizona State Board of Massage Therapists. These requirements include completing and graduating from a board approved massage school with at lease 700 clock hours. There is a special exam that must be passed if the school that a student graduated from is not an approved Title IV school. Once these requirements have been met, a license can be obtained by completing an application. There are special circumstances that allow professionals who are licensed in other states the ability to obtain licensing in Arizona.
Job and Employment Outlook for Massage Therapists in Arizona
Massage therapy is a rewarding job that is expected to see future growth in employment according to the National Bureau of Labor and Statistics, BLS. The mean hourly wage is $19.40 per hour. This is far above the state’s minimum wage of $7.80 as of January 2013. Some therapists can make more than $70,000 annually. Arizona is one of the five states with the highest concentration of massage therapist jobs. Massage therapists can work in personal services, healthcare, physician’s offices, amusement or recreational facilities. The BLS reports the job growth outlook between 2010 and 2020 is 20%, which is considered to be a growth rate that is much faster than the average.