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Fair Hourly Wage For Massage Therapist?
Hi all~
What is a fair hourly wage (+ tips) for a masseuse with over 10 years experience?
I am interviewing this coming week for a position and have no real idea....
$15/hr? If an average tip is around $10, I can't imagine working for less than $25/hr total...of course, I understand that there will be hours when I am being paid and have no client. I am unfamiliar with this kind of pay structure. I did know one therapist with a fair amount of experience who was being paid $8/hr at an independent establishment--not Massage Envy. I thought that was appalling!
Thanks!
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Vallo on
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I would not be able to pay a therapist working for me less than $10/hour seeing as it is the minimum wage in San Francisco. Many therapists I know both back on the East coast and here in SF work for about 1/3-1/2 of the treatment rate depending on the cost the treatment and expected tips.
In a spa setting you are expected to 'advise' the client about other services and products. In a smaller clinic setting, it more based on self motivation. Booking clients is as much your end of the bargain as it is for your employer.
Generally speaking, an average of $20-30/hour for a 30 hour scheduled work work isn't too far off for most non-private employers (spas, gyms, hotels, clinics, ect) but working hard on your off-hours will impact that quite a bit. Be alert for opportunities to tell people about your new location, services and your skill set and your bookings can increase.
Ask if you are an employee, subcontractor or self-employed - all that will impact your taxes and liability.
Best of luck in your hunt and go with your feelings about a location and employer!
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Batac on
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Fair? Well, that is dependent upon, like chris said, being an independent contractor, sub- contractor, employee, yadda, yadda. So, I am independent, work in chiropractic offices, and get $30 per hour worked, and at the other place $22 per hr worked. I do not get tips very often, but I really don't depend on tips, I think it self assuming, but It is another topic;)
The going rate where I'm at is between 18-25, so I consider it fair.
What is the title you will hold? Employee, contractor?
What are your expected hours?
What are you expected duties?
Do you do your own marketing? Do they provide basic nessesities?
Do they have a receptionist?
These and more questions all determine how they pay you as well.
Also, look up the going rate for that type of facility in the area, that could make it or break it too. As well as if they are ever willing to pay you more because you are good!
Hope that helps.
Oh, $8 an hr! Nastiness! That has to be the lowest I have ever heard!
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Permalink Reply by Laura Allen on
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It is appalling. The MTs in my clinic make a minimum of $30 per hour up to $45 an hour, plus gratuities. I am in a small town in NC. I believe in paying people what they are worth, I attract the best of the best to work here, and I hardly ever have any staff turnover because of it. They are ICs, they make their own schedules, and all that is expected of them is taking care of their clients and keeping their own space clean. The laundry and everything else is taken care of for them, and on the rare occasion when I have to ask one of them to cover the desk, they are paid for it. They are not expected to hang around if they don't have a client, they take time off for vacations whenever they choose, and for the past 7 years, that has worked out very well for me.
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Permalink Reply by Edi Snyder on
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You mention being paid when you have no clients. That would lead me to believe that you would be an employee, as opposed to an IC. I'm an IC. I do have a schedule, but am only expected to be there when booked. I make @ 35%, and average $15 tip/hr. The spa provides everything. A few of my co-workers are employees. They have required hrs and make $5/hr when not booked. Not sure I'd do that.
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Cohen on
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$5/hr as hourly wage would be illegal if the days hours average less than minimum wage. So if there were no massages performed it would average $5/hr in violation of minimum wage.
Edi Snyder said:You mention being paid when you have no clients. That would lead me to believe that you would be an employee, as opposed to an IC. I'm an IC. I do have a schedule, but am only expected to be there when booked. I make @ 35%, and average $15 tip/hr. The spa provides everything. A few of my co-workers are employees. They have required hrs and make $5/hr when not booked. Not sure I'd do that.
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There are dozens of exemptions to the federal minimum wage law. One of them is "tipped employees". The employer only has to make up the difference under certain circumstances.
Daniel Cohen said:
$5/hr as hourly wage would be illegal if the days hours average less than minimum wage. So if there were no massages performed it would average $5/hr in violation of minimum wage.
Edi Snyder said:You mention being paid when you have no clients. That would lead me to believe that you would be an employee, as opposed to an IC. I'm an IC. I do have a schedule, but am only expected to be there when booked. I make @ 35%, and average $15 tip/hr. The spa provides everything. A few of my co-workers are employees. They have required hrs and make $5/hr when not booked. Not sure I'd do that.
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Permalink Reply by Darcy Neibaur on
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When I first started in this business I worked for Mike Hinkle and he gave a 50/50 split on most sessions. That came out to $25 plus tips on hour sssions. He supplied everything. I worked Tues-Sat back then. April I will be with Massage Envy for 2 years. They do have a base pay that's equal for all just starting out with them. It does not matter how much experience a therapist has coming in with them. Yes, they do pay minimum wadge for sitting. Sitting does not happen very often. I am usually booked 75% or more on the days I work Tues-Fri. Hot Stone Sessions pay more. Massage Envy Supplies everything and all a therapist has to do is show up. They also reimburse for many CE's and have a full benefit package for therapists working 30 hours a week or more. Raises are given at 6 months and then yearly. Usually 10% or more is the average raise. Cash tips are paid daily.
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Hi Darcy,
The Massage Envy in my area pays under $10 per massage (+ tip), which averages out to maybe $15/ hour of massage service.That is appalling, in my opinion. Perhaps your location pays more per hour? I'd like to know if you would be willing to share that info.
Darcy Neibaur said:
When I first started in this business I worked for Mike Hinkle and he gave a 50/50 split on most sessions. That came out to $25 plus tips on hour sssions. He supplied everything. I worked Tues-Sat back then. April I will be with Massage Envy for 2 years. They do have a base pay that's equal for all just starting out with them. It does not matter how much experience a therapist has coming in with them. Yes, they do pay minimum wadge for sitting. Sitting does not happen very often. I am usually booked 75% or more on the days I work Tues-Fri. Hot Stone Sessions pay more. Massage Envy Supplies everything and all a therapist has to do is show up. They also reimburse for many CE's and have a full benefit package for therapists working 30 hours a week or more. Raises are given at 6 months and then yearly. Usually 10% or more is the average raise. Cash tips are paid daily.
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What about $10/hr sitting and then commission per hour of service plus gratuities? I would be a f/t employee with a set schedule requiring my presence on-site, they provide equipment, supplies, and do booking. I would be expected to participate in all salon duties when not booked--ie. front desk, laundry, merchandising, etc. Im in a city in the midwest, by the way. :)
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Hey,
You know sometimes we spend too much time figuring out expenses so just use simple math.
and charge $45.00 an hour. then no one can take your education and exploit it.
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Shannon, the Massage Envy I work at pays much more than $10 dollars an hour. Last night I did 3 massage and made total everything $98. Massage Envy is about the owners. The owners set the wages not Massage Envy. It is sad some owners do not care. We have a great owner. He is bringing in An Instructor here from Fort Walton Beach, FL mainly so all the therapists can get their Florida required CE's and Hands On completed and paying for all the therapists. He will then do a payroll deduction to pay himself back $10 a pay period. He really is good to us. We have the best of everything provided. All electric tables and Hot towel warmewrs in each room, etc, etc, etc, Raise after 6 months and then yearly after that. Many ways to earn bonuses etc. I work 19 hours a week and usually make in a months time $1400.00 total tips and everything.
shannon egan said:Hi Darcy,
The Massage Envy in my area pays under $10 per massage (+ tip), which averages out to maybe $15/ hour of massage service.That is appalling, in my opinion. Perhaps your location pays more per hour? I'd like to know if you would be willing to share that info.
Darcy Neibaur said:
When I first started in this business I worked for Mike Hinkle and he gave a 50/50 split on most sessions. That came out to $25 plus tips on hour sssions. He supplied everything. I worked Tues-Sat back then. April I will be with Massage Envy for 2 years. They do have a base pay that's equal for all just starting out with them. It does not matter how much experience a therapist has coming in with them. Yes, they do pay minimum wadge for sitting. Sitting does not happen very often. I am usually booked 75% or more on the days I work Tues-Fri. Hot Stone Sessions pay more. Massage Envy Supplies everything and all a therapist has to do is show up. They also reimburse for many CE's and have a full benefit package for therapists working 30 hours a week or more. Raises are given at 6 months and then yearly. Usually 10% or more is the average raise. Cash tips are paid daily.
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Permalink Reply by Rajam K Roose on
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As you can read from the replies thus far, the answer really depends on your location. In Tennessee and in Alabama the going rate for massage therapists (in my experience) is generally 60% to the therapist. That is coming from the experience of working as an independent contractor for a hair salon and wellness center and a job offer I had at a YMCA in Brentwood in Nashville.
However, here in San Diego CA, the going rate is anywhere from 20% - 45% to the therapist, the 45% is on the really high end. However, I did work one locale that offered 60% and that was extremely rare, the only reason she offered me that high was that she really wanted me there at her place in San Diego. It was really difficult moving from a place where the average was 60%-80% in the South-East to out here. But now I run my own practice.
If you want to know what's normal, call around the therapists in your area and ask what they are getting paid, or what their % is, surely some therapist will give you attitude about it, but keep calling around because some will be upfront about it.
Massage franchises and chiropractors are going to be on the lower end of the pay scale, unless the franchise is run by a really giving person.
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