Physical Therapist vs. Massage Therapist Career

Physical Therapist vs. Massage Therapist

Thinking about pursuing a physical therapist career?

Massage therapy and physical therapy are related career paths in the healthcare sector and they can both contribute to the rehabilitation of clients after illness or injury.

Sometimes, healthcare facilities employ both massage therapists and physical therapists and they may share referrals. Even with these similarities, the two careers still differ quite a bit. For instance, you can finish Massage Therapy school and get to work quicker.

Read more about the differences below…

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Physical Therapist Career

Physical therapists are required to complete more schooling and possess certain prerequisites to be accepted into a Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

They often utilize techniques and procedures commonly used in the field of massage therapy as well as refer clients to massage therapists for further assistance.

• 3+ years of additional schooling

• Prerequisites including calculus, statistics, psychology, etc.

• Expensive tuition

• More obstacles to admission

Massage Therapist Career

Massage Therapists have post-secondary education but typically are not required to hold a degree. They are becoming increasingly replied upon within the healthcare community as important care providers.

massage therapy vs physical therapy

Affordable tuition
Finish in at little as 8 months
Start earning in your career far sooner
Employment of Massage Therapists is expected to grow 22% by 2024 (much faster than average)
Many job opportunities including starting your own business, spa, day spa, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, fitness centers, mobile massage, etc.

How to Become a Massage Therapist

Starting your journey toward a rewarding career in massage therapy can be easy! Visit our Steps to Enroll page to learn more. Find out more about our Nationally Accredited Massage Therapy Program here.

National Accreditation

Estelle Medical Academy’s Massage Therapy Program is accredited by Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Attending a nationally accredited school is important because accredited schools are held to a higher standard of learning and can offer Federal Financial Aid to those who qualify. Students attending non-accredited massage schools in Chicago will generally be required to pay out-of-pocket.

Only our massage therapy program is accredited by ABHES at this time.

Federal Financial Aid

We are a Title IV institution approved by the United States Department of Education which allows us to offer Federal Financial Aid to students (Pell Grants & Stafford Loans) and parents (Parent PLUS loans) who qualify. In addition to federal aid, we offer scholarships and no-interest in-house payment plan options.

Federal Financial Aid is offered (to those that qualify) for our massage therapy program only.

Above & Beyond

As one of the top massage schools in Illinois, Estelle Medical Academy offers an academically challenging and complete massage therapy program to ensure your success in this rewarding field!

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