Most people find that working as a massage therapist is very rewarding. They get to work with a variety of different people every single day, and the work that the massage therapist does improve the quality of the patient’s life. Most massage therapist can’t imagine doing anything else with their lives. The fact that you can reasonably expect to make more than $39,000 annually helps sweeten the pot.

If you’re the type of person who doesn’t like furthering your education, a career in massage therapy isn’t going to be for you. While the exact requirements vary from state to state, when it comes to massage therapy, all fifty states require that you continue your education. If you don’t continue to further you massage therapy education with additional classes, you will lose your certification, and without your massage therapy certification you will find yourself unemployable.

The good news is that continuing your massage therapy education really isn’t going to be as difficult at you initially think. You really aren’t required to complete that many hours of additional course work. Most states only require that you take 6-12  hours work of the continuing education classes over a 2 year period. That gives you plenty of time to get the classes out of the way, especially if you get an early start on furthering your education instead of putting it off until the last second.

As a massage therapist, you will find that the massage therapy education classes you take to continue your education will be fascinating. You can even tailor the classes you take so that they apply directly to the type of patients you frequently deal with. Taking just the right class might be just the thing you need to help you score a promotion or a raise that has been eluding you.

Don’t assume that getting your continuing education requirements out of the way is going to cramp your style. If you chose to go away to take the classes, that is fine, but more and more people find they prefer taking the classes online. The advantages of taking the classes in a class room setting include:

• The ability to get immediate answers to your questions
• Dialogue between the massage therapist taking the course
• Making connections
• A lack of distractions
• There isn’t any need for you to use your self-discipline

The advantage of taking the continuing massage therapy education classes  online include

• no commuting costs
• you don’t have to worry about leaving your kids home alone
• the classes tend to be a bit more affordable than classes held in a brick and mortar facility
• you can get the classwork done when the timing is convenient for you

Whether you decide to take your classes in a brick and mortar classroom, or you prefer to study online, you need to make sure that the organization teaching the course is approved in your state.