The State of Missouri Massage Therapist Requirements
Throughout the 69,704 square miles of the Show-Me State, approximately 4,451 massage therapists work to help the more than 6 million people in their state find relief from pain, rehabilitation from injuries, and comfort in the midst of stress and anxiety.
With 486,404 people in Kansas City, 308,174 people in St. Louis, and 167,051 people in Springfield, massage therapists who work in Missouri can find an engaged environment to open, continue, or join a massage therapy business.
How Do I Become A Massage Therapist in Missouri?
If you’re ready to move into your career as a massage therapist in Missouri, you must register with the Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage. The application fee is $125. Once you are registered, you must receive licensure by the Board. If you do not register, you will be working illegally and can receive a fine.
In order to receive this license, you must complete a minimum of 500 hours from an approved massage therapy program and have passed a national massage licensing examination.
You can find application request forms on their website.
Where Can I Study?
The Missouri Board of Therapeutic Massage approves schools with the following curriculum: 300 hours of massage theory and practice techniques, 100 hours of anatomy and physiology, 50 hours of business practices and ethics, 50 hours of ancillary therapies (CPR and first aid).
Below are two approved schools in Missouri to help you get started on what you may be looking for in a massage therapy education.
- Healing Arts Center: HAC boasts to have educated more successful licensed massage therapists than other schools, expanding its programs and offering a series of advanced massage therapy techniques. One of the oldest and largest massage therapy programs in the region, students will understand how to “take anxiety and pain out of the human experience while creating joy and wellness”
- Elements of Wellness: Offering education, nurturing and support for students’ careers in the healing arts, this school has small class sizes, individualized attention, and career counseling. Creating a “community of healers,” students often feel part of a healthy community, receiving a clear understanding of safe, healthy, and ethical practices in the healing arts.
Other education options include A Gathering Place Massage Therapy School and Clinic and WellSpring School of Allied Health.
How Much Will I Earn?
The average annual wage of a massage therapist in Missouri was $50,721 in 2021. This is on the lower side of state earnings, with the average national salary at $53,222. However, massage therapists who work in Kansas City have the opportunity to earn a higher salary, with the average for this city at $52,195 annually.