Massage Therapy Schools in Port St. Lucie/ Treasure Coast
Sunshine and beautiful coastlines aren’t limited to the Miami area. Nor is the eclectic mixture of people enjoying them – or their fondness for incorporating massage into their health and wellness regimes.
There are many possible practice areas along the Florida coast, including orthopedic and sports massage, elder services, and spa massage. There’s a population base to support various niche areas of practice.
While it can get overshadowed by its neighbors to the south, Port St. Lucie is the largest city in the Treasure Coast area. It’s known for its Botanical Gardens and, more generally, for its diverse and attractive plant and animal populations. People tend to agree that it’s also a good place to retire: Niche has it at #21 in the country while US News places it at #5.
Massage Therapy Schools in Port St. Lucie / Treasure Coast
Port St. Lucie Beauty Academy offers a 750-hour massage therapy program. The parent organization, Academies of Cosmetology, also operates a campus in Vero Beach.
To the north, one finds the Space Coast Education Center in West Melbourne, with three massage and hydrotherapy programs: a basic (or 500-hour) option, a 600-hour option, and an 800-hour option. The program emphasizes neuromuscular and sports massage modalities as well as hydrotherapy. Space Coast Education Center also has a sports internship program.
There are also many opportunities for advanced training in this area. A massage therapist may want to take the occasional trip to the Miami or Orlando areas.
Learn about more opportunities in Florida: Massage Therapy Schools in Florida
Massage Therapy in Healthcare
One will find plenty of healthcare offices in the area with at least one massage therapist onsite. The following are among them:
- Premier Wellness Centers and Oasis Chiropractic and Wellness in Port St. Lucie
- Indian River Chiropractic, Sunshine Physical Therapy Clinic, and Florida Spine Chiropractic & Physical Therapy in Vero Beach
- Fort Pierce Chiropractic in Fort Pierce
Advance Motion Therapeutic is a notable practice. There are multiple LMTs on the team. The owner is both an occupational therapist and an LMT; one physical therapy assistant is also credentialed as an LMT.
Healthcare offices not uncommonly use their websites to inform potential clients about the value of massage. Massage services in chiropractic offices can take multiple forms. The chiropractor may work with the massage therapist to incorporate massage into patient treatment plans. LMTs in these settings may also provide general services to people who are not in treatment.
One trend that can be seen in many parts of the nation is in evidence here: healthcare systems investing in wellness by creating their own fitness and wellness centers. Cleveland Clinic offers massage therapy in the Treasure Coast area through the Martin Health & Fitness Center; there are locations in South Stuart, Hobe Sound, and Palm City (https://www.martinhealth.org/mhs-health-and-fitness-serenity-massage).
Top Massage Therapy Practices in Port St. Lucie
There are a number of franchises in the area. Elements in Stuart is a notable one, boasting a 4.7 business rating on Google.
There are also many smaller massage studios and spas. The following are among the popular massage studios and spas in Port St. Lucie: Southern Salt Therapies, Natural Spa & Massage, and Ah… Massage and Skincare. One will find unique practice dotting the smaller cities and towns in the Treasure Coast area. The Pink Cottage of Jensen is one that has a particularly unique look. Healthy Body Massage is a popular Vero Beach practice.
Some LMTs provide mobile massage. Soothe has advertised in the Port St. Lucie area. Mobile service is available through small local practices like Hands of Synergy.
Self-Employment Opportunity
There are lots of small businesses in the area, some of which reflect the unique visions of the practitioners. Some bring in wellness traditions other than massage. The following are among the noteworthy studios that list a sole practitioner: Ohana Tree Massage and Yoga in Jensen Beach and Tao Chi Massage & Skincare in Stuart. Tao Chi Massage has offerings like Music Vibrational Therapy.
Port St. Lucie Massage Therapist Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Port St. Lucie ranked as the sixth highest paying metropolitan area in the nation for massage therapists in 2018, with a mean hourly wage of $34.23. The median was a significantly lower $23.23. While the majority weren’t making hourly wages in the 30s, a substantial percentage were making far more. What one could find in this small metropolis was an unusual proportion of high wage massage therapy jobs, with a 75th percentile wage of $55.60 and a 90th percentile wage of $64.60. The 10th percentile wage was $10.82.
Moving North into the Sebastian-Vero Beach area, the 2018 mean was $20.30, with a 10th percentile wage of $15.69 and a 90th percentile wage of $25.25.
Port St. Lucie massage therapist job concentration/ location quotient data was not available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2018. The reported location quotient was higher than the national norm in all surrounding areas, though. It was 1.49 in the Sebastian/ Vero Beach area, 1.68 in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach area, and 1.24 in the South Florida nonmetropolitan area. A little to the north, it was higher yet. A location quotient of 2.77 in the Palm Bay-Melbourne area placed this small metropolitan area #9 out of all metropolitan areas in the nation. Any way you look, there appear to be jobs!