Education · 1 of 4

The path

One of the fastest routes into a licensed health job. Under a year of school in most states.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Biology and anatomy if offered, plus health and physical education. A part time job dealing with the public is genuinely useful preparation.

2. 2

   Massage program

   6 to 12 months

   Commonly 500 to 750 hours covering anatomy, physiology, technique, ethics and supervised hands-on practice in a student clinic.

3. 3

   The licensing exam

   One appointment

   Most states use the MBLEx (Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination): 100 multiple choice questions in 110 minutes, reported as a pass or a fail.

4. 4

   State license and background check

   Weeks

   Apply to your state board with your transcript, your exam result and a criminal background check.

5. 5

   Build a book of regulars

   1 to 3 years

   Start employed so someone else finds the clients, then decide whether to go independent once people ask for you by name.