Georgia requires that prospective massage therapists complete at least 500 hours of training at one of the approved massage therapy schools.
A massage therapy curriculum in the Massage Therapy Schools in Georgia usually includes an introductory course as well as hands-on classes that cover various massage techniques.
After successfully graduating from massage therapy school, prospective therapists must obtain a license before practicing.
Are There Massage Therapy Schools In Georgia?
There are 18 massage therapy schools in Georgia that are approved by state officials.
Programs include classroom and laboratory instruction as well as hands-on experience in student clinics or private institutions. Training programs vary in the types of massage techniques they teach.
Most schools offer certificates that usually take less than a year to complete. Others offer specialist degrees that require additional coursework. Both types of programs allow graduates to apply for licenses.
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How Much Do Massage Therapy Schools Cost In Georgia?
The time to complete this educational training ranges from 3.1 months to 6 months depending on the qualification, with an average completion time of 6 months. The cost of attending massage school in Georgia is $10,000.
As accredited institutions by the Accrediting Commission for Professional Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), these massage therapy schools in Georgia offer a full range of financial aid options and payment plans to help you cover your tuition. Our financial aid administrator is happy to help you with this.
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What Are The Requirements For Massage Therapy Schools In Georgia?
All massage therapy license applicants in Georgia must complete an approved massage therapy course or educational program with at least 500 hours of clinical massage therapy training.
A massage therapist license applicant must also complete and pass the MBLEx. Proof of Passage (original) must be sent directly to the Georgia State Board of Massage Therapy for processing with your state massage license application.
If you haven’t taken the MBLEx yet, you’ll find the massage practice exams we offer on our site very helpful.
You can access the massage exams online 24 hours a day and study our database of over 3500 massage questions. Get the knowledge and confidence you need to pass the MBLEx on your first try with our study materials.
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What Are The Best Massage Therapy Schools In Georgia?
1. Southern Regional Technical College
This community college serves a seven-county area in southwest Georgia. The Neuromuscular Massage Program is located in a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility on Veterans Parkway on the Moultrie campus.
Entering students must meet certain minimum ACT or SAT scores and pass tests in reading, English, writing, and arithmetic. The program provides a minimum of 59 semester hours over five semesters.
In addition to required coursework, there are classes on interpersonal relationships and professional development and student success. All graduates of the program have passed the licensing exam in recent years.
2. Wiregrass Georgia Technical College
This school has an 11-county service area in south-central Georgia. Its neuromuscular therapy program is located on the main campus in Valdosta.
Students study Swedish massage, identification of diseases and conditions, medical record keeping and customer service.
There is “specialized training” in nervous system pathology, postural analysis, muscle energy techniques, myofascial release, and clinical reasoning.
In addition to regular core courses, students must take English I, Fundamentals of Mathematics, Fundamentals of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Professional Leadership. The program includes two clinical experiences.
3. Coastal Pines Technical College
It is the largest school in the state’s public technical college system, serving students from 13 counties.
The facility is located in Waycross, but the neuromuscular massage therapy program is located at the Golden Isles campus in Brunswick.
The curriculum consists of 59 credit hours. Students must complete the following “basic skills” courses: English I, Foundations of Psychology or Interpersonal Relations, and Foundations of Mathematics or Business Mathematics.
In addition to regular core courses, students are required to complete neuroscience, adjunctive practices, licensure review, and professional leadership. The program also includes two clinical practices in massage therapy facilities.
4. Georgia Northwestern Technical College
This Rock Spring school has three programs, each with day and evening options. The massage therapy master’s program involves 11.5 months of study over three to five semesters.
Students can earn a certificate in massage therapy in three trimesters (11.5 months) during the day or in four trimesters (15.5 months) at night.
The Relaxation Massage Certificate program takes two trimesters (7.5 months) during the day or three trimesters (11.5 months) during the evening.
Along with the typical core courses, the curriculum includes a nutrition class and several business classes.
5. Gwinnett College-Lilburn
Formerly known as Rising Spirits, this school was originally called the New Life Institute School of Massage Excellence. It later became known as Rising Spirits.
The massage therapy program, available at Gwinnett’s Sandy Hills and Lilburn campuses, awards Associate of Applied Science degrees. Students study methods of Swedish, deep tissue, chair and sports massage.
Other courses cover neuromuscular therapy, reflexology and success techniques. The program includes work experience in on-campus clinics where students provide treatment and therapy to the general public.
6. Elaine Sterling Institute
The 640-hour certificate program at this Atlanta school allows students to earn their certificates in seven to nine months.
Among the many massage techniques taught in the courses are Swedish, therapeutic, deep tissue, trigger point, sports, Thai, chair, clinical, prenatal and other specialty massages, as well as alternative medicine.
The curriculum also covers aromatherapy, body treatments, hydrotherapy, reflexology, shiatsu and neuromuscular therapy.
The school offers graduate students an International Therapy Examination Council (ITEC) certification course in holistic massage and other advanced techniques.
7. Platt College-Miller-Motte Technical-Augusta
Most of the students here are from Augusta, Martinez, Grovetown and Evans. The 720-hour certification program takes only eight months.
Students study Swedish massage, therapeutic massage and treatment for special populations. Along with the typical courses are somatic psychology; and hydrotherapy and aromatherapy.
The program incorporates business concepts into many of its classes for those wishing to open their own massage therapy practice.
In the laboratories, students practice anatomy and organ systems on mannequins. They participate in three rotations at the school’s student clinic and complete 100 hours of practice.
8. Atlanta School of Massage
It is the oldest school of its kind in the state, having graduated more than 3,000 graduates since 1980.
The program “offers a full range of basic certificates.” Courses include Swedish and deep tissue massage, neuromuscular therapy, reflexology and seated massage.
There is an on-site teaching clinic, and students do internships in government institutions. About 90 percent of graduates pass the MBLEx licensing test.
The ASM research team is collaborating with Emory University in a clinical trial to examine the biological benefits of massage in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder and how Swedish massage can alleviate fatigue in cancer patients.
9. International School of Skin Nailcare & Massage Therapy
This private institution in Atlanta has a history of more than 35 years. Graduates receive certificates after completing 675 hours of study and training. The program lasts 27 weeks, with day and evening classes available.
Courses include history of massage, cells and tissues, massage equipment and products, Swedish massage, athletic/sports massage, deep tissue massage, shiatsu, and reflexology.
Students get hands-on experience treating the population in a clinic on campus. The school has a 100 percent acceptance rate, with about 50 students in the program each year.
10. Georgia Career Institute
Located in Conyers, GCI began in 1975 as a cosmetology school called Artistic Beauty College. The institute offers a 750-hour massage therapy program that provides certificates.
Many of the 250 hours in excess of state requirements are devoted to teaching additional massage techniques.
Students study such Western techniques as Swedish, deep and medical massage; and oriental techniques such as Thai massage, reflexology and aromatherapy.
Other courses cover hydrotherapy, orthopedic assessment, massage for special populations, prenatal massage and traditional Chinese medicine.
How Much Do Massage Therapists In Georgia Earn?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of massage therapy will grow faster than other occupations across the country. Massage therapists in Georgia earn an average salary of $11.76 per hour or $24,460 per year.
Metropolis Atlanta, Sandy Springs and the Marietta area have the second highest employment of massage therapists in the nation.
Massage therapists treat people from all walks of life, including weekend or competitive athletes, home gardeners, stressed workers, and more. Seniors will also benefit from the increased flexibility and circulation that a skilled massage therapist can provide.
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How Do I Become A Massage Therapist In Georgia?
To become a massage therapist in Georgia, a student must complete a school program that involves 500 or more hours of coursework and study.
The State Board requires that the schools be recognized by the National Certification Board for Massage and Bodywork Therapy and the Commission on Non-Public Postsecondary Education.
Training programs must include at least 440 hours of instruction, plus 50-60 hours of supervised clinical experience.
The board provides 125 hours of courses in anatomy, physiology, and kinesiology; 200 hours of theory, technique and practice; 40 hours of pathology; 10 hours of ethics and business management; and six hours of ethics.
The remaining 125 or more hours are related to other subjects. Students should learn squeezing or gliding, tapping or percussion, petrissage or kneading, stretching, superficial warming, contraindications, modesty and draping, client data collection, and the therapeutic relationship.
After graduation, the next step is to register online with the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork to take the Massage and Bodywork Licensing (MBL) exam.
Once approved, the candidate contacts Pearson VUE to schedule an exam at a testing center in Atlanta, Albany, Augusta, Dunwoody, Griffin, Macon, Marietta, Savannah, or Stockbridge.
The board reviews license applicants’ MBLEx scores to determine if they are qualified to practice in the state. Massage therapists must renew their licenses every two years, which involves obtaining 24 credits of continuing education from board-approved providers.
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Best Paying Massage Therapy Jobs In Georgia
Massage therapists in Georgia have a wide variety of options, especially regarding the settings in which they can work. Sandy Springs and Marietta GA are filled with spas, hotels and fitness centers that hire massage therapists.
The state of Georgia also offers many other jobs for a qualified massage therapist, including acupuncture offices, athletic training centers, college athletic centers, medical facilities, chiropractic offices, a physical therapist’s office, or even in your own home.
Salaries for massage therapists vary across the state. So to make it easier to find the average annual salary in your area (or nearby areas), we’ve added a salary guide by GA city.
These Georgia cities listed below are listed from highest paying to lowest average annual incomes in some of Georgia’s largest cities. The following information is based on salary information from Indeed.com.
- Atlanta $60,000
- Duluth $60,000
- Marietta $60,000
- Alpharetta $60,000
- Sandy Springs $59,000
- Augusta $58,000
- Columbus $55,000
- Hinesville $55,000
- Athens $53,000
- Savannah $52,000
- Macon $47,000
Massage Therapy Schools In Georgia FAQs
As one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, massage therapists will be in high demand over the next decade. To meet the growing demand, there are many massage schools in Georgia that train people just like you every day. If you are looking for a career that helps people achieve health and wellness, massage therapy may be a great fit for you.
500 hours of clinical massage training is required to obtain a massage therapist license in Georgia. To become licensed, students must pass the NCETMB/NCETM or MBLEx National Certification Examination in Massage Therapy and Bodywork.
The state of Georgia requires all massage therapists to complete a 500-hour training program as part of qualifying for licensure. Once licensed, you will need to stay on top of the renewal process to continue operating legally.
You will renew your massage therapist license every two years by October 31st, in even numbered years. The cost is $75 and is submitted with your application to the Georgia Board of Massage Therapy. Georgia also requires 24 hours of refresher courses between each renewal period.
Massage therapists work with chiropractors, medical professionals, on cruise ships, resorts and spas, and on sports fields. Many have their own business and independently provide massage services. Consider these massage therapy schools in Georgia for the opportunity to enjoy a challenging and rewarding career helping others.
Conclusion
As one of the fastest growing professions in the United States, massage therapists will be in high demand over the next decade. To meet the growing demand, there are many massage schools in Georgia that train people just like you every day. If you are looking for a career that helps people achieve health and wellness, massage therapy may be a great fit for you.
At massage schools in Georgia, you can learn to relieve pain and help relax many people. As the Empire State of the South, Georgia is a southern hotspot centered on the culture and diversity of Atlanta.
- beautyschoolsdirectory.com – Massage Schools in Georgia
- careerswiki.com – Massage Therapy Schools in Georgia
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