Massage therapist job description
Where we source our data
Let’s get real. Job information online can often be overly optimistic — conveniently glossing over the raw bits. But when you’re making decisions about your future, you need all the facts.
That’s why we anonymously surveyed massage therapists about their job, with hopes of getting an honest insight into what it’s really like.
While we did our best to ensure respondents were Australians and verified their job titles with proof of employment, we can’t guarantee complete accuracy — or that your experiences in the field will reflect theirs. So, we suggest that you take these insights as a guide only and try to talk to people in the field before making an important decision.
Where we source our data
Let’s get real. Job information online can often be overly optimistic — conveniently glossing over the raw bits. But when you’re making decisions about your future, you need all the facts.
That’s why we anonymously surveyed massage therapists about their job, with hopes of getting an honest insight into what it’s really like.
While we did our best to ensure respondents were Australians and verified their job titles with proof of employment, we can’t guarantee complete accuracy — or that your experiences in the field will reflect theirs. So, we suggest that you take these insights as a guide only and try to talk to people in the field before making an important decision.
Physical
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.
Cooperative
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.
Social
Based on our career survey data, these are the words that workers would use to describe their jobs.
Tasks and responsibilities for a massage therapist
Working in settings like day spas, clinics, sports clubs or from home, massage therapists see a wide range of people in their day to provide massage therapy using many different techniques.
Because people see a massage therapist for various reasons, each day as a massage therapist can be different from the last.
Some tasks and responsibilities of a massage therapist:
- Greeting clients and assessing clients needs
- Treating clients with the appropriate types of health and relaxation massage
- Advising clients ways they can improve their muscle tension and aches and pains at home
- Ensuring work areas, massage tables, and equipment are hygienic and safe
- Keeping comprehensive client records
- Booking appointments and taking payments
- Ensuring products like massage oils are fully stocked
Reasons to choose this job
Based on our career survey data, these are the factors that workers said were most important to them when choosing this job.
Makes a difference
Massage can be essential for the health of some clients, but the opportunity to have a massage is also an absolute treat for others. Creating a nurturing environment, relaxing and improving the general wellbeing of your clients can make an enormous impact on their day.
Enjoyable
Usually based in a spa or health clinic setting, a job as a massage therapist can be greatly rewarding. You meet new people every day and actively help them with muscle aches and pains or improve relaxation and calm. Working in a luxury spa or wellness centre comes with added perks like ambient lighting, relaxing music, beautiful aromas and a calm atmosphere.
Flexible hours
Massage isn’t your average nine to five, which means you can often pick and choose your hours to suit your lifestyle. Sometimes you might start later in the day and work into the evenings, great if you’re not a morning person.
Job satisfaction
Overall job satisfaction
This overall score combines the critical factors in job satisfaction. It includes fulfilment, stress levels, and opportunities for advancement, based on our career survey data.
Stress level
How stressful workers feel their job is, based on our career survey data.
Fulfilment
How personally rewarding workers feel their job is, based on our career survey data.
Skill level
The skill level required to do this job is based on both our career survey data and official data from the Labour Market Information Portal.
Job market trends for a massage therapist
Alternative health therapies like massage therapy are becoming increasingly popular here in Australia. With the continuing rise in discretionary household incomes and reports predict industry growth over the next five years—job opportunities are aplenty.
The yearly salary expectations between a starting position in massage therapy and a senior role can be huge. With massage industry experience under your belt and the ability to specialise in certain areas, your earning potential in this role is high.
Median salary
Where this data comes from
Median salary
We use the median salary over the average because it’s more realistic — unusually high or low salaries don’t skew the median. It shows the true middle point, which is what your typical worker in this job earns.
This figure is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s the official median full-time adult salary for non-managers, before tax. (Includes salary sacrifice.)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), Customised Report
Projected job growth
Job growth projections, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These calculations were made before COVID-19 and may not accurately reflect the labour market. Use these numbers as a general guide only.
Where this data comes from
Median salary
We use the median salary over the average because it’s more realistic — unusually high or low salaries don’t skew the median. It shows the true middle point, which is what your typical worker in this job earns.
This figure is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s the official median full-time adult salary for non-managers, before tax. (Includes salary sacrifice.)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), Customised Report
Projected job growth
Job growth projections, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These calculations were made before COVID-19 and may not accurately reflect the labour market. Use these numbers as a general guide only.
Projected job growth
Where this data comes from
Median salary
We use the median salary over the average because it’s more realistic — unusually high or low salaries don’t skew the median. It shows the true middle point, which is what your typical worker in this job earns.
This figure is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s the official median full-time adult salary for non-managers, before tax. (Includes salary sacrifice.)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), Customised Report
Projected job growth
Job growth projections, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These calculations were made before COVID-19 and may not accurately reflect the labour market. Use these numbers as a general guide only.
Where this data comes from
Median salary
We use the median salary over the average because it’s more realistic — unusually high or low salaries don’t skew the median. It shows the true middle point, which is what your typical worker in this job earns.
This figure is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. It’s the official median full-time adult salary for non-managers, before tax. (Includes salary sacrifice.)
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, ABS Survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (cat. no. 6306.0), Customised Report
Projected job growth
Job growth projections, using data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. These calculations were made before COVID-19 and may not accurately reflect the labour market. Use these numbers as a general guide only.
Pathway options
Job pathways are drawn from the Australian Apprenticeships Pathways site.
A massage therapy career could be perfect for you and become a life-long job. It can also be a great starting point for more advanced roles in massage or provide pathways to related careers.
Some potential pathways options are:
Mid
-
TCM remedial massage practitioner
Most common qualification: Diploma of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Remedial Massage (HLT52115)
-
Remedial massage therapist
Most common qualification: Diploma of Remedial Massage (HLT52015)
Senior
-
Spa or salon manager
Most common qualification: Diploma of Salon Management (SHB50216)
Skills you might already have
Based on our career survey data, the soft skills that workers said were most needed to do their job well.
Technical massage skills and competency is needed to be a fantastic massage therapist. However, personal skills are just as crucial to ensuring your clients feel at ease and safe in your care. Often these natural skills are part of our personality or have been developed in other human-centric jobs.
Some critical soft skills for a career in massage therapy are:
Empathy
Compassion and an awareness of how others feel are essential as a role in massage therapy. Making a client feel at ease with you allows them to relax their muscles and let you be in control of their treatment.
Communication
Good communication is vital to establish the wants and needs of your clients, especially new ones. Sometimes this may mean asking the right questions and reading between the lines.
Time management
Massage clinics and spas run using booking systems, and appointments need to run to schedule during busy times. Keeping track of the time with each client during clinic hours ensures your next appointment is on time and the rest of the day runs smoothly.
Hard skills
The job-specific skills that workers said were most important, supplemented with data from JobOutlook and online job advertisements.
Massage therapy training provides you with the critical technical skills to provide safe and quality services to your clients.
Some technical skills required for massage therapy are:
Healthcare knowledge
Management of client relationships
Client massage assessments
Occupational health and safety
First aid and emergency procedures
Anatomy and physiology
Massage techniques and treatments
Prevention and control of infection
How to become a massage therapist
-
Study
To become a qualified massage therapist, complete a Certificate IV in Massage Therapy (HLT42015). This qualification provides the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to gain an entry-level role.
-
Join a professional massage association
Once you have your qualification, you can join a professional association like the Association of Massage Therapists. Memberships give you access to professional development, relevant industry information, career support and connection to a network of other massage therapists.
Explore related qualifications
Diploma of Remedial Massage
The Diploma of Remedial Massage (HLT52015) provides the qualification necessary for remedial massage therapists to work with clients who have soft tissue dysfunction, musculoskeletal imbalance or restrictions in range of motion.
To achieve this qualification, students must complete 200 hours of work experience in a clinic setting.
The average duration for this course is one year and can be achieved full-time or part-time. Flexible learning, online study options and different delivery formats depend on the course provider.
3 providers offer this course
Certificate IV in Massage Therapy
The Cert IV in Massage Therapy (HLT42015) is the entry-level qualification for massage therapists who provide general health maintenance treatments.
This course teaches anatomy and physiology, first aid, clinic management skills, and basic skills in different types of massage.
To gain these massage qualifications, the candidate must complete at least 80 hours of work experience in a massage clinic as per the unit requirements to achieve this qualification.
The average duration for this training program is six months, can be achieved full-time or part-time and is available through online and blended learning formats.
3 providers offer this course
Related subjects
Alternative and complementary therapy careers are not limited to massage therapy. If you are still on the hunt for an inspiring career choice that can utilise your skills in helping others, there is no shortage of exciting and fulfilling roles.
Discover more career options here:
Reviews
How we collect reviews
Reviews are from Australian workers with this job title or a very closely related one.
Is this your job title?
Share your thoughts and help people decide if this job is right for them.
How we collect reviews
Reviews are from Australian workers with this job title or a very closely related one.
Is this your job title?
Share your thoughts and help people decide if this job is right for them.
- All
- Positive
- Negative
Kathryn
Nov 08 2021It's all about balance.
What are the best parts of the job?
Dealing with clients on a day to day basis, helping them with their issues and knowing that they're leaving me better than when they came in. Being able to relieve their physical tension as well as their mental load feels really fulfilling.
What's the most challenging part?
Being self employed is difficult because you have to be able to manage all different areas of your business, such as admin, marketing, finances, etc. And contracting out to other clinics means that you don't get complete creative control over how you operate, what hours you work, what kind of treatments you want to offer. It's all a balancing act.
Isla
Nov 03 2021Working in a healthy environment.
What are the best parts of the job?
I find there are plenty of opportunities for personal development, working in a place that encourages and supports wellness.
What's the most challenging part?
Sometimes you have to make difficult choices knowing that if you get it wrong, you can cause problems for your client.
Sara
Nov 08 2021Fun, social job.
What are the best parts of the job?
Love being able to work as a team.
What's the most challenging part?
Nothing is that challenging.
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Job cluster: The Carer
What are job clusters?
The seven job clusters are sets of closely related jobs that share skills, making it easy to apply skills learned in one career to another.
The idea of the seven job clusters first appeared in a 2016 research report by the Foundation for Young Australians, titled “The New Work Mindset”. Researchers analysed thousands of online job advertisements and found that jobs are more similar than commonly thought — and the skills you gain in one position are easy to bring to another. In fact, they can help you get 13 other closely related jobs.
This model is a great way to think about 21st-century careers, where the average person changes career five times. We’ve used this framework (along with the much-loved Holland Codes model) to build a career quiz.
Why not take it and find out which job cluster feels like home?
What are job clusters?
The seven job clusters are sets of closely related jobs that share skills, making it easy to apply skills learned in one career to another.
The idea of the seven job clusters first appeared in a 2016 research report by the Foundation for Young Australians, titled “The New Work Mindset”. Researchers analysed thousands of online job advertisements and found that jobs are more similar than commonly thought — and the skills you gain in one position are easy to bring to another. In fact, they can help you get 13 other closely related jobs.
This model is a great way to think about 21st-century careers, where the average person changes career five times. We’ve used this framework (along with the much-loved Holland Codes model) to build a career quiz.
Why not take it and find out which job cluster feels like home?
Being a massage therapist involves strong interpersonal skills and is best suited to the career personality of The Carer.
The Carer is approachable and makes people around them feel at ease and comfortable. They thrive in environments where they can help others feel good and achieve goals and genuinely care about the wellbeing of those around them.
Take the Career Quiz to discover what jobs are a great fit for you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a massage therapist earn?
In Australia, the average salary for massage therapists is $53,976.00. Experienced and self-employed therapists that own a massage business have a much higher earning potential.
What makes a good massage therapist?
A good massage therapist has finely tuned massage skills and loves to care for and nurture others. They are great communicators and love active jobs that have them meeting new people regularly.
What is the difference between a massage therapist and a remedial massage therapist?
Massage therapists use their skills to release muscle tension and enhance recovery from physical exercise. Remedial massage therapists use expert massage techniques to treat specific issues in the body.
What is the difference between a massage therapist and a masseuse?
The term ‘masseuse’ is a gender-specific French word and refers to women who massage. ‘Massage therapist’ is a broad term for all genders in the role and is much more modern.