How Much Does a Massage Therapist Make in Columbus, Georgia?

Requirements

• The Georgia Board of Massage Therapy awards licenses to massage therapists who have completed 500 hours of training from a board-approved school and who have passed an exam. The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards and The National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork provide exams that qualify.
  
  

Salary Range

• The median annual salary for massage therapists nationwide as of January 2011 was $42,847, according to Salary.com. A massage therapist in Columbus typically was making a bit less, at a median salary of $39,445 per year. The middle 50 percent of massage therapists on the earnings scale in Columbus were making $32,460 to 48,380 per year, and the top 10 percent more than 56,500.
  
  

Comparisons

• Massage therapists in other cities near Columbus had annual median salaries in a similar range. Those in Lagrange, for instance, were making about $38,000 per year, in Albany $38,885, in Macon $40,370 and in Atlanta $42,890.
  
  

Specifics

• The job search website Indeed.com does not list any available massage therapist positions in Columbus in January 2011, but the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics explains that a large percentage of massage therapists are self-employed. A prospective massage therapist with the proper qualifications may need to set up a private practice or provide services on contract to other businesses. Indeed.com shows about 20 jobs available for massage therapists in other Georgia cities within 100 miles of Columbus, including Atlanta, Austell, Decatur, Jonesboro and Stockbridge. Job listings generally do not post pay rates, but some employers provide benefits including incentive programs, health insurance, paid time off, tuition reimbursement for continuing education and employee discounts on services and products.