503.233.6500   Call Today to speak with an Admissions Rep!

Is a Career in Massage Therapy Right for You?

Take the Free Quiz

Click Here to Speak with an Admissions Representative

Careers in Massage: Skyrocketing Projected Job Outlook for Medical Massage Therapists

2025-10-07T11:57:39-07:00October 7th, 2025|

As we discussed in a previous post, job outlook predictions are extremely rosy for massage therapists. What’s driving such strong numbers for employment growth in massage therapy? Today we’re unpacking the numbers by examining one subset of massage therapy: medical massage. 

What is Medical Massage?

Medical massage is massage therapy targeting health issues diagnosed by a doctor. (Mayo Clinic, n.d.). A medical LMT is a certified massage therapist who works closely with doctors and nurses to provide treatment for those affected by illness, injury, stress, and/or pain. Oftentimes, medical massage therapists work in hospital […]

Demand for Massage Therapists Projected to Boom in the Next Decade

2025-09-10T10:14:50-07:00September 10th, 2025|

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates that the demand for massage therapists will increase by 18% in the next decade. That rate is considered “much higher than the average” job growth for all careers (2025, Job Outlook). According to the bureau’s statistics, roughly 22,800 new positions for massage therapists will be created every year in the decade between 2023 and 2033.

To put those numbers in context, all other healthcare support jobs are projected to have a 12% growth in employment for the coming decade. The average for all occupations across the board is projected at […]

The Great Resignation is Driving People to Launch Massage Therapy Careers

2022-02-25T10:13:31-08:00February 25th, 2022|

Certain portals in history change how we think, live, and act. A world war, for instance, changes everyone who lived through it. COVID may be our era’s catalytic event. Looking back over the last two years, it is clear that many of us will never be the same. The pandemic has altered nearly every aspect of life, and the workforce is no exception. Let’s examine how the Great Resignation of 2021 has pushed many people to leave their positions, and why massage careers are attracting many to shift gears. 

What is the Great Resignation?
In 2021, millions of people […]

Effective Massage Client Communication During Covid-19

2020-10-06T11:33:30-07:00October 6th, 2020|

The Coronavirus pandemic has redefined many aspects of massage therapy, including client communication. Excellent communication is not only a good idea for your massage business—it’s now a requirement for all massage therapist clinics under COVID-19 restrictions. As we explained in last month’s post, “How to Safely Practice Massage Therapy in Coronavirus Times,” the state of Oregon requires clinics to ask screener questions before massage therapy appointments.

At our student clinic of massage, Portland clients receive and reply to these screener questions via email. For optimized safety, we have eliminated all paper forms. Post-massage, clients provide feedback via email as well. Developing […]

Massage Therapy for Attention Deficit Disorder: Research Review

2015-07-30T20:41:55-07:00July 30th, 2015|

A literature review of complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments for children found that ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) is one of the most commonly studied conditions, and that massage is one of the most commonly used CAM modalities (Snyder & Brown, 2012). According to the Mayo Clinic, ADHD “includes a combination of problems, such as difficulty sustaining attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behavior.” The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has reported that there are 4.9 million children with ADHD in American schools. According to Dr. V.A. Harpin’s review of ADHD impacts over the […]

Oregon Legislative Update: Senate Bill 298 Signed into Law, Increasing Instruction Hours for Oregon LMT Licensure

2015-07-16T20:40:43-07:00July 16th, 2015|

In June 2015, the Oregon legislature passed Senate Bill 298, a new law related to massage therapy. The primary purpose of the bill was to increase the number of certified class hours required for Oregon licensure from 500 to 625.

The legislature passed this requirement to increase “portability and reciprocity” of Oregon massage therapy licenses. Prior to bill 298, Oregon required relatively few educational hours for massage licensing. Some states required the same number of hours. For example, every massage school in Michigan must deliver 500 hours of instruction, as the state license requires this minimum. Likewise with many other states’ massage […]

Massage in Grade Schools: Could it Help Fight Bullying?

2015-07-09T20:40:04-07:00July 9th, 2015|

In our massage training school, we teach adults how to treat and heal patients of all ages. Like students in all west coast massage schools, East West College students typically begin their massage training after high school. However, the success of in-school programs across the globe suggests that primary students can enjoy many benefits from learning about and practicing massage. Schools around the world are using student-to-student massage programs to reduce bullying, improve peer relationships, and increase focus. Read on to learn how international organizations are bringing massage to schools.

Primary Massage Training: School Programs from Around the World

Massage in Schools

The Massage […]

Massage Therapy: Flexible work in High Demand

2015-06-18T19:48:32-07:00June 18th, 2015|

Wondering if you should become a massage therapist? If the answer is yes, now is a great time to make your move. The industry is growing quickly, proving careers in massage therapy to be quite valuable. Beyond the strong work outlook, therapists enjoy flexible work hours in a variety of settings—all while doing a job that really makes a difference by helping people feel good.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, massage therapy work is projected to grow 23% 2012-2015, a rate that is light years ahead of the average occupation. East West College of the […]

The Benefits of Volunteering Your Massage Therapy Services

2015-06-04T20:25:37-07:00June 4th, 2015|

Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we do, but we make a life by what we give.” LMTs have many opportunities to volunteer, from providing hospice massage to providing massage therapy for homeless youths. But why would you want to practice your craft for free, when you can get paid for it? Well, that’s a totally legitimate question. Read on to discover some of the many benefits massage therapists can enjoy from volunteer work.

Portland Massage Therapy School’s Top Benefits of Volunteering:

Volunteering Zaps Stagnation.

Every profession includes boredom from […]

Why and How to Create a Massage Client Referral Program

2015-05-21T20:22:04-07:00May 21st, 2015|

Do you feel like your massage therapy career has plateaued? Are you looking for new clients to bring fresh life to your practice? Consider establishing a client referral program. Referral programs allow benefits for both the client and the massage therapist. For the therapist, it is an opportunity to enhance one’s income while growing a client base. Referral programs can bring the massage therapist thousands of dollars in new business. For the client, it is an opportunity to receive discounted or free massages through referrals, and to accumulate more massages at a discounted rate.

Client […]

Go to Top