A Career in Massage
Massage therapy is an excellent career for active, caring people. It offers the same satisfaction as other healthcare professions, but more flexible and sustainable!
The expert hands-on work RMTs do helps relieve pain; aids rehabilitation; relieves stress, anxiety, and depression; and helps athletes perform at their best.
Is a career in massage therapy right for you?
Satisfying Work With Tangible Rewards
Fully qualified therapists are in great demand in both cities and rural areas. Many Vicars School graduates book clients weeks in advance, and many are so busy that they aren’t accepting new clients at all.
As massage is becoming more mainstream, career opportunities and compensation for RMTs have grown steadily. Competition for grads from reputable schools can be fierce. Vicars students are often recruited from our student clinics months before graduation!
Where Can I Find Work?
The short answer is that you can find work almost anywhere you want to live!
A few examples of where an RMT can work:
- A dedicated massage clinic, either alone or shared with other therapists
- A clinic or health centre shared with other health professionals
- Spas, gyms, or sports venues
- Dedicated home-based space
Most of our graduates are entrepreneurs. They may choose to open their own clinic, work out of their home, or rent a room in a larger clinic environment.
To help our students prepare, we cover business topics in the program, including having each student create a complete business plan. Our instructors all have extensive business experience: several own clinics; and all are entrepreneurs and share their experiences with the students throughout the course.
Can I Make A Good Living?
Massage therapy is a growing profession and well-trained therapists will always be in demand. The income possibilities for massage therapists vary, with fees ranging from $90 to more than $120 for a 60-minute massage. A sustainable practice will be limited to 4-6 massages per day.
- A self-employed RMT will have a range of expenses, including the cost of shared space, linens, supplies, booking software, and marketing as needed.
- Therapists employed by others save on some of these expenses and responsibilities and receive a percentage of the fees their clients are charged or are paid a salary or wage.
Will I be Ready To Work Anywhere In Canada With A Vicars Diploma?
Yes! The first step after you graduate with your Vicars School of Massage Therapy diploma is to take the board exams in one of the regulated provinces (BC, ON, NB, PEI, and NL).
Massage therapy graduates from other schools in Alberta are generally not welcome to challenge the BC entrance exam, because of the variation in quality among the programs here. Each applicant has to prove their qualification through an expensive and lengthy process.
But CMTCA accreditation means gives Vicars grads an advantage. Because the Vicars program has the same accreditation as the best of the BC programs have, our graduates can now apply directly to write the registration exams in BC. This is an important acknowledgement of the quality of our curriculum and the way it is delivered.
Once registered in one regulated province, you can practice in any of them. This career mobility is the main reason Vicars School has always supported regulation of the massage industry in Alberta.
Should I Become An RMT?
It can be deeply satisfying work; you will be a much-appreciated part of the health care team, but as an independent professional. You won’t do shift work and you can choose the work schedule that suits your life.
Massage therapy might be perfect for you if you are
- friendly
- outgoing
- energetic
- and you want to balance your work and home life
If that sounds like you, speak to an admissions advisor today or download our FREE career guide to learn more.
Vicars Graduates Are In Demand
Whether they’re running their own clinic or working for someone else in a clinic, wellness centre, gym, or beyond—Vicars RMTs are in demand from clients and employers. Check out some of the most recent job postings we’ve been sent.
Grad Success Stories
HEAR IT FROM OUR GRADS
You’ll find Vicars graduates working happily across Canada. In big cities and in small towns, our therapists have found success in many clinical environments. To help you imagine your new life as a massage therapist, we’ve collected a few of their stories here.
Nicole Ouellette & Darby Maglione
Massage therapy can be an incredible career. Registered massage therapists enjoy flexible hours and financial independence and have the satisfaction of knowing that they’re making a difference…
Karen Goforth
Karen Goforth wanted to become a massage therapist for the same reason that so many Vicars graduates are drawn to the profession: she loved getting massages and she was impressed by how massage had helped her recover from the injuries she developed from her active lifestyle. She was also keen for a career that allowed her to work for herself and set her own hours.
Joanne Robertson
“I graduated in June 2013 and by the end of 2014 I had to stop taking new clients because I was just full.” Joanne Robertson’s story sounds almost too good to be true: she left a high-pressure…. management job to become… clinic in her home. She performs 20 massages per week and has complete control over her work environment, hours, and client list.
Job Opportunities
Looking for a job as an rmt?
The following massage jobs and volunteer opportunities have been provided to us by employers. Listings are posted as-is, and Vicars School does not endorse any particular employer or opportunity. We encourage students to do their own research before applying for any job. Click on the listing for a link to the poster’s website if available.
How to Post a Job on the Vicars Website
If you would like to share a job opportunity with our students & alumni on our site, please fill out the form below. We are happy to post an external link directly to your website to view the job opportunity or you are welcome to upload a PDF or Word document of your listing. Listings are posted as-is and Vicars School does not endorse any particular employer or job opportunity.
If no date is provided, the job posting will be deleted after 1 month. Let us know how you wish to share the details of your job opportunity with our students & alumni.
