As a clinical massage therapist who mostly does therapeutic work for clients I will tell you that most people are inaccurate in believing the therapist makes a high wage. At places like massage envy, the massage therapist makes $15/hr to start. Even at a clinic, massage therapists pay top dollar for space rental, (for example half of their take home). On top of that, business owners still have many expenses people do not ordinarily take into consideration. (Cost of washing sheets, soaps, lotion and oils of a good quality are not cheap. Not to mention the physicality of the work can be extensive and even emotionally taxing for the therapist) It is not necessary to tip your therapist, or even your waitress, but please understand that you are paying for a service of health, and appreciating your therapist by throwing them a tip makes them feel like you were happy with their work.

POST SCRIPT TO THE ABOVE COMMENTS:

MANY MASSAGE THERAPISTS ON THIS FORUM HAVE COMPLAINED THAT THE DIFFERENT BUSINESS'S THEY WORK FOR TAKE THE MAJORITY OF THE CUSTOMERS PAYMENT FOR THE SESSION. THE IMPRESSIONS I GET FROM THESE COMMENTS IS THE FOLLOWING:

- WITH THE BUSINESS TAKING THE MAJORITY OF THE CUSTOMERS PAYMENT, IT DOES NOT LEAVE ENOUGH FOR THERAPIST
- THIS AMOUNT IS NOT ENOUGH FOR A THERAPIST TO LIVE ON
- BECAUSE OF THIS, THE CUSTOMER 'SHOULD' TIP (AND IN SOME CASES QUIT A BIT - UP TO 30%)
- SEEMS MANY THERAPIST THINK IT'S NOT FAIR OR RIGHT THAT THEIR PLACE OF BUSINESS TAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS THEY DO

MY QUESTIONS (AND COMMENTS) TO THE MASSAGE THERAPIST IS:

- IT IS WELL KNOW THAT IT is not A STANDARD IN THE UNITED STATES TO TIP MASSAGE THERAPIST. MASSAGE THERAPIST'S BASE PAY is not LIKE WAIT STAFF AT $2 AND SOME CENTS PER HOUR SO THEY ARE DEFINITELY EARNING THEIR 'LIVING' BY TIPS. I HAVE NEVER MET (OR HEARD) OF A WAIT PERSON WHO HAS PAID MONEY TO GO TO SCHOOL TO 'LEARN' TO BE A WAITER/WAITRESS AND WHO ACTUALLY PICKS THAT TYPE OF JOB AS THEIR 'CAREER OR PROFESSION'. DO I NEED TO SAY MORE ABOUT THE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO? I THINK NOT AND IT'S BEST NOT TO USE THAT ANALOGY IN THE FUTURE BECAUSE IT ISN'T SIMILAR IN ANY RESPECT. THAT BEING SAID, WHY DID YOU PICK THIS PROFESSION KNOWING THAT TIPS ARE NOT MANDATORY NOR A STANDARD IN THE INDUSTRY?

- DID YOU DO ANY RESEARCH ON THE COST OF GOING TO SCHOOL VERSUS YOUR ANNUAL INCOME UPON GRADUATION (WITH AND WITHOUT TIPPING AND WITH GOOD, AVERAGE AND GREAT TIPPING SINCE THEIR IS NO 'SET' TIP AMOUNT REQUIRED)? AND THE ADDED COST AND TIME OF CONTINUED EDUCATION? AND ANY OTHER COST YOU WOULD INCUR DUE TO your chosen PROFESSIONAL FIELD?

- DID YOU NOT KNOW THAT THE AVERAGE THERAPIST CAN ONLY REALLY WORK APPROXIMATELY 25 HOURS PER WEEK (AS STATED ABOVE IN OTHER POSTS) BECAUSE OF THE DEMANDS ON THE BODY? I AM ASSUMING EACH PERSON WHO IS IN THIS PROFESSION KNEW THIS before PAYING MONEY (WAS IN $10,000 - $15,000 RANGE AS SOMEONE POSTED EARLIER) TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL IN THIS FIELD. DIDN'T YOU?

- IF A THERAPIST DID THEIR DUE DILIGENCE before BECOMING CERTIFIED, I CAN ONLY ASSUME THAT EACH INDIVIDUAL DID SO WITH APPROVAL OF ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS KNOWN. THAT BEING THE CASE, THEN WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING??????

- IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW BUT FOUND SOME OF THE ABOVE TO BE TRUE after THE FACT, THAT IS NOT THE CUSTOMERS FAULT/RESPONSIBILITY BUT FALLS ON YOU. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD SUGGEST RE-EVALUATING THE PROFESSION you chose TO HAVE. MAYBE IT IS NOT THE ONE YOU REALLY WANT OR NEED OR CAN AFFORD? MANY MAKE CAREER CHANGES IN THEIR LIFETIME AS THEIR CURRENT ONE DOESN'T FIT THEIR PASSION, FINANCIAL NEEDS AND SO FORTH AND YOU ARE NOT RESTRICTED TO THIS PROFESSION ANY MORE THAN ANY OF THESE OTHERS WHO HAVE CHANGED THEIRS. IS IT TIME FOR A CAREER CHANGE?

- FOR THE MANY THERAPIST WHO FEEL THAT THE BUSINESS TAKES TOO MUCH OF THE CUSTOMERS FEE, WHY NOT do something ABOUT IT OTHER THAN COMPLAIN ABOUT YOUR SITUATION AND EXPECT THE CONSUMER TO MAKE UP THE DIFFERENCE TO MEET YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS? WHY DON'T YOU OPEN YOUR OWN MASSAGE BUSINESS? IN THIS SITUATION YOU CAN THEN DICTATE WHAT EACH THERAPIST EARNS. YOU CAN START A BUSINESS, CHARGE THE CONSUMER A FAIR 'FLAT' FEE (NO TIPPING EXPECTED BUT IF THEY DO IT'S THE CREAM ON THE CAKE), PAY THE THERAPIST WHAT IS A FAIR AND DECENT WAGE AND THEN EVERYONE IS A WINNER?!?!? THERE ARE MANY THERAPIST ON THIS POST COMPLAINING IN THIS AREA SO I WOULD THINK EASY ENOUGH FOR 'LIKE MINDS' TO POOL THEIR RESOURCES AND GO IN TO BUSINESS TOGETHER. THEN YOU COULD CHANGE YOUR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES MORE TO YOUR LIKING. DOES THIS NOT SOUND LIKE A VIABLE CHOICE?

- I HAVE READ MANY ABOVE POST FROM THERAPIST WHO SEEM UNHAPPY AND ANGRY AT THE PRACTICES REVOLVING AROUND THEIR PROFESSION. I'M INCLINED TO THINK IF AN INDIVIDUAL IS SO UNHAPPY WITH THEIR WORK, THEN A CHANGE IS DEFINITELY NEEDED. EITHER FIND ANOTHER PROFESSION THAT IS MORE TO YOUR LIKING, START YOUR OWN BUSINESS IN YOUR CURRENT FIELD SO YOU CAN DICTATE THAT THE BUSINESS OPERATES TO YOUR WANTS AND NEEDS OR IF YOU CHOOSE TO STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, IT HELPS TO LOSE THE ATTITUDE. NO ONE 'MADE' YOU CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION AND A LOT OF ENERGY IS WASTED TRYING TO CHANGE ITS' PRACTICES BY COMPLAINING ABOUT THEM AND THE CUSTOMERS WHO SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY BY SPENDING THEIR MONEY AND GOING THERE. THE MASSAGE THERAPY BUSINESS ISN'T UNIQUE. THIS APPLIES TO ANY INDUSTRY AND ITS' EMPLOYEES.

- TIME FOR A PERSONAL INVENTORY AND CERTAINLY CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT "PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY" FOR 'YOUR' ACTIONS!


AGAIN. AS IN MY PREVIOUS POST, A LARGE AMOUNT OF THERAPIST ARE IN THIS PROFESSION FOR THE 'RIGHT' REASONS, DO A FABULOUS JOB AND WE GIVE THOSE INDIVIDUALS KUDOS FOR THEIR HARD WORK AND GREAT ATTITUDE! MANY THANKS AGAIN TO YOU FOLKS!

I AM SURPRISED BY ALL THE REMARKS ON TIPPING OR NOT TIPPING MASSAGE THERAPIST. SOMEONE COMMENTED THAT IT IS SIMILAR OR THE SAME AS A WAITER/WAITRESS. THAT THEIR MASSAGE TIPS ARE NEEDED TO 'LIVE ON'. I DO NOT SEE IT AS THE SAME OR EVEN SIMILAR AS NO ONE DISAGREES ABOUT TIPPING WAIT PERSONNEL - THAT IS CONSIDERED A STANDARD IN THAT INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES. TIPPING MASSAGE THERAPIST IS NOT CONSIDERED A STANDARD. APPRECIATED YES, IF A CUSTOMER SO INCLINES BUT SHOULD THEY FEEL OBLIGATED? NO.

IF INDIVIDUALS IN THAT PROFESSION FEEL THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY WITHOUT CUSTOMERS TIPPING, THEN PERHAPS THEY SHOULD FIND ANOTHER PROFESSION/JOB THAT PAYS THEM THE MONEY THEY NEED TO LIVE ON? I'M NOT SURE WHY A PERSON WOULD PICK A FIELD THAT WOULDN'T SUPPORT THEIR LIFESTYLE UNLESS THEY WERE IN IT FOR THE PASSION. EACH PERSON HAS A CHOICE BEFORE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR THEIR PROFESSION AND I WOULD THINK ONE WOULD FIRST CHECK ON WHAT THE PROFESSION PAYS TO DETERMINE IF IT WOULD MEET THEIR FINANCIAL AND EMOTIONAL NEEDS. IT IS NOT THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CUSTOMER TO TIP THE THERAPIST SO THAT THEY CAN MEET THEIR FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS WHETHER IT'S FINANCIAL NECESSITIES, RECREATIONAL LEISURE, UPGRADES (PAY FOR THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION AS ONE PERSON POSTED), ETC.

SOME POSTS MENTIONED THAT A MASSAGE THERAPIST'S JOB WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR VARIOUS REASONS AND THIS TOO WAS A REASON WHY A CUSTOMER SHOULD TIP. I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK THAT [b]MANY[/b] PEOPLE'S JOBS ARE DIFFICULT YET THEY AREN'T PAID MUCH AND CERTAINLY DO NOT RECEIVE TIPS (OTHER THAN A POSSIBLE CHRISTMAS TIP FOR SOME). ROOFERS, CONSTRUCTION, COOKS, GARDENERS, PLUMBERS, ELECTRICIANS, CLEANERS (NEVER FUN TO CLEAN SOMEONE ELSE'S TOILET!), GARBAGE/WASTE PICKUP ARE [u]JUST A FEW[/u] OF THE MANY PROFESSIONS THAT WORK JUST AS HARD (IF NOT MORE) THAN MASSAGE THERAPIST AND GET PAID VERY LOW WAGES (OFTEN LESS THAN MT'S).

SO IN CONCLUSION MY ADVISE WOULD BE AS MANY BEFORE. IF A CUSTOMER TIPS YOU, GREAT AND I HOPE IT IS SINCERELY APPRECIATED. IF NOT, I HOPE A SINCERE 'THANK YOU' SUFFICES. IF TIPPING DOESN'T OR YOU FEEL YOU MUST HAVE IT TO SUPPORT YOURSELF, I WOULD SUGGEST YOU GO IN ANOTHER FIELD. IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING GOING TO SCHOOL TO BECOME A THERAPIST, CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE COST OF IT ALONG WITH YOUR TIME, ASSESS YOUR POTENTIAL FUTURE INCOME ASSOCIATED WITH THE DEGREE AND WILL IT MEET YOUR FUTURE FINANCIAL NEEDS? IF IT DOESN'T .... WELL ANOTHER DEGREE SHOULD BE IN YOUR FUTURE!

FOR ALL YOU HARD WORKING THERAPIST WHO DO A GREAT JOB, LOVE YOUR WORK REGARDLESS OF TIPPING - THANK YOU!!!! WE DO APPRECIATE YOU!!!

Always tip if you are getting a service. Almost all massage/hair stylist/makeup artists only make commission. They also don't get health benefits or paid time off. Take care of the people who service you!

Do Happy Endings require a tip?

Wow, amazing to see this thread running for a couple of years.

Most of the places I go charge $60 for a hour FB massage. I will tip them $20.

My question, what is an appropriate tip for a 4 hand massage, that lasts an hour?

Anonymous wrote:IF you think that your therapist is making a LOT of money....ask the front desk how much your therapist is being paid.
As a therapist at a spa and a clinic and a chiropractor I can tell you generally the rate of pay IS LOW!
And yet schooling runs $10,000-$15,000 or more and requires at least 6 months and ALSO requires therapists to pay for continuing education classes every year, carry their own liability insurance AND pay for their own state licensing every single year! Figure $400 per year just to practice!
Additionally due to repetitive stress to the hands, wrists and joints a therapist can't/won't usually work more than 25 hours a week MAX!
Expected career span for a LMT is ONLY SEVEN YEARS! Due to repetitive stress injuries.
Additionally therapists are paid ONLY for the time that they are giving massage. If I am there 8 hours but work only 90 minutes, I get paid for 90 minutes!
Chiropractors pay between $18 and $33 per hour. Typically no tips. So even $5 is nice. I've seen chiro's pay as little as $15/hr.
Envy/Heights/Elements (membership base clinics) pay $15-18 an hour. Will max at $20 but therapists rarely stay 5 years.
Spa's usually it's like between 30% and 50% of the charge. but 50% is RARE. Where I work 50 minute Swedish is $90 and I get paid $22.
Every therapist appreciates the gratuity. Some therapists are counting on it to pay the bills. But it is rare to be tipped through a chiropractic office or PT office.
Otherwise here is how I feel and see others feel about tips for a one hour session (50 minutes hands on)
Zero: Shameful. If you leave me nothing and come back again, don't expect my best work. Good work, but not my best.
That said: I have had a LOT of bad massages out there. Communicate what you want. If it is that bad still, don't tip.
$5: Wow. You better be in a tough spot. But I won't give you my best work next time. Thumbs are the first to go. And I won't give you my thumbs.
$10: acceptable but nothing special or inspiring.
$15: I know that you appreciate my work, my education and my commitment.
$20: You get my very best every time. I am committed to you and your health and well-being. I may give you extra time, better lotion or other little freebies to let you know you are appreciated.
More than that and you got the massage of a lifetime and you really do appreciate it.

I can see that you work hard to make money, but I can't say it's professional of you to calibrate the quality of your service to the tip amount.

Anonymous wrote:Charge what is appropriate and get away from the tipping nonsense.

I don't tip my doctor, my lawyer, my plumber, my car mechanic, my kid's teachers .......... they are all professionals. Massage therapists are no different.

I'm a massage therapist and I totally agree. We should be viewed as professionals and paid as such (though DCUM posts on the subject remind me we have a long way to go on both counts). However, the nature of American business today is that a main goal should be to spend as little as possible on the employees. So please consider the setting because your therapist may well be making only $12.00 an hour out of that $49 that you're paying the business. Unless a therapist is a sole proprietor or working for one of the few places that give them 50%, tipping is a large part of the pay. I can't stand that businesses push off their employee salaries onto their customers, but it seems to be the American way. I hope it changes, but not tipping someone when a tip is customary won't change it. The immediate consequence is that the good therapists will leave for higher paying jobs and only bad ones will stay.

I love my work, but no way I'd do it for a grand total of $12.00 an hour - it's brutal on the body. My time and health are worth more than that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i am both an employed massage therapist at a five star spa in a five star hotel - and - i also have my own massage practice. i have been practicing for 11 years - and i have a bit to say about all of this :
whereas - as a whole - massage therapy is very rewarding career - here are a few facts :
--the average yearly salary for a massage therapist is just over $35,000. seeing hundreds of clients throughout the year - people skimping $5 or $10 on their tip adds up over time - and can equal a mother or father's ability to pay for a child's schooling, or a well-deserved vacation.
-- the average career span for a massage therapist is 5 - 7 years. the burnout rate is high. repetitive motion takes its toll.

at the hotel - i receive roughly 30% of what the hotel is charging (minus taxes, etc - b/c i am also considered an "employee" - for their own tax purposes)
(we used to be "contractors" - but they decided to switch us to employees - and we now receive about 15% less per paycheck - a huge savings for the hotel - not so great for the massage therapists)
i now get about $30 / hour massage. as a result - i often LIVE off of my tips. as do most massage therapists. if a client tips $20 - i am still only receiving $50 / massage.
for those who think that making $50 / hour is a lot - see average massage income (above)

in my own personal business - i charge less than the going local rate (average is roughly $75 - $90 /hr - i charge $65) and i don't even think twice about a tip.
given that my clients know that the hotel charges TWICE as much as my personal massages - they tend to tip. but i do not expect it
i do expect it at the hotel. and it boggles my mind when people do not - as a rule - tip at least 15 - 20%. especially when they receive a massage that is above average.
if i'm at a restaurant - and the service is above average - i will drop 30% - no problem.

summary - if you are going to a local business to get a massage - the massage therapists are generally NOT getting paid nearly as much as they would be if they were working for themselves.
tip them WELL - they work really hard. if you can tell they're not working hard - tip them 15%. if they're knocking it out of the park - drop 30%.

You say... "if you can tell they're not working hard - tip them 15%"

So you are saying... if I get someone who is obviously NOT giving me anywhere near their best... they should still get 15%???

That is INSANE! They do NOT deserve a Reward for sub par service!!! In many other jobs you get fired for that!


You say... "tip 30%"

You have lost touch with reality for 95% of your customers!!!

+1

This is the problem with the tipping culture. It reaches a point where some tip is given irrespective of whether there is good service. So PP recommends a 15% tip for sub-par service because some sort of tip is expected.

One sees this even in restaurants where some advocate a tip even if the service was deficient.

Ridiculous!!

Anonymous wrote:i am both an employed massage therapist at a five star spa in a five star hotel - and - i also have my own massage practice. i have been practicing for 11 years - and i have a bit to say about all of this :
whereas - as a whole - massage therapy is very rewarding career - here are a few facts :
--the average yearly salary for a massage therapist is just over $35,000. seeing hundreds of clients throughout the year - people skimping $5 or $10 on their tip adds up over time - and can equal a mother or father's ability to pay for a child's schooling, or a well-deserved vacation.
-- the average career span for a massage therapist is 5 - 7 years. the burnout rate is high. repetitive motion takes its toll.

at the hotel - i receive roughly 30% of what the hotel is charging (minus taxes, etc - b/c i am also considered an "employee" - for their own tax purposes)
(we used to be "contractors" - but they decided to switch us to employees - and we now receive about 15% less per paycheck - a huge savings for the hotel - not so great for the massage therapists)
i now get about $30 / hour massage. as a result - i often LIVE off of my tips. as do most massage therapists. if a client tips $20 - i am still only receiving $50 / massage.
for those who think that making $50 / hour is a lot - see average massage income (above)

in my own personal business - i charge less than the going local rate (average is roughly $75 - $90 /hr - i charge $65) and i don't even think twice about a tip.
given that my clients know that the hotel charges TWICE as much as my personal massages - they tend to tip. but i do not expect it
i do expect it at the hotel. and it boggles my mind when people do not - as a rule - tip at least 15 - 20%. especially when they receive a massage that is above average.
if i'm at a restaurant - and the service is above average - i will drop 30% - no problem.

summary - if you are going to a local business to get a massage - the massage therapists are generally NOT getting paid nearly as much as they would be if they were working for themselves.
tip them WELL - they work really hard. if you can tell they're not working hard - tip them 15%. if they're knocking it out of the park - drop 30%.

You say... "if you can tell they're not working hard - tip them 15%"

So you are saying... if I get someone who is obviously NOT giving me anywhere near their best... they should still get 15%???

That is INSANE! They do NOT deserve a Reward for sub par service!!! In many other jobs you get fired for that!


You say... "tip 30%"

You have lost touch with reality for 95% of your customers!!!

Anonymous wrote:As a therapist myself you should be tipping 20 bucks, don't be cheap we work hard to make sure you walk out feeling good. most of us don't get paid that much and we will remember if you are a bad tipper

Where do you work... I sure don't want to go there!!!

You say... "if you can tell they're not working hard - tip them 15%"

So you are saying... if I get someone who is obviously NOT giving me anywhere near their best... they should still get 15%???

That is INSANE! They do NOT deserve a Reward for sub par service!!! In many other jobs you get fired for that!


You say... "tip 30%"

You have lost touch with reality for 95% of your customers!!!

Several people here are confusing two completely different things. A massage THERAPIST is a healthcare professional, and sometimes health insurance pays part of it. In this case, in a HEALTHCARE setting, I would not tip. If a professional massage therapist has chosen to work in a spa or hair salon, or comes to your home they should get a tip. IMHO, a 60 min. massage gets a $10-$15 tip. If a MASSEUSE is giving the massage in the spa/salon, I'd still give $10-$20. People are indeed getting "used" to tipping the manicure person, then having a tip for the next person doing the pedicure (I think some places do this on purpose), then tipping the hair stylist. Then, they get Christmas tips. I hate to sound cheap, because I don't think I am, but if I tipped everyone the same way, I wouldn 't be able to get out of the salon for $400. This is crazy, and I certainly can't do this once a week, or once a month for that matter. So first clarify if this is a health care setting or a salon. It may help if they hang their tipping policy as well. ("No tipping" which is sometimes for the parking valet at an event, or "Tips appreciated.")

As a therapist myself you should be tipping 20 bucks, don't be cheap we work hard to make sure you walk out feeling good. most of us don't get paid that much and we will remember if you are a bad tipper

Depends on if it's a happy ending or not.