I am an independent MT with 10+ years of experience and I do a good job (otherwise I wouldn't last that long on my own). I do both relaxation (aka "spa") and therapeutic massages. Some of my clients tip and some don't, and that's OK either way . What really matters to me us when a client appreciates and values my work. Some clients show appreciation with cash and I always say "thank you " and "I appreciate it".
If you can't tip for whatever reason - a sincere "thank you " is great. A Christmas card or a thank you card doesn't cost much but it shows my that you value me.

FYI...Massage Envy pays their workers $10/hour...
Also, many spas do NOT pay their therapists 1/2 of the service cost.

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%.

Is the 35k average people who do this full time? Or includes people who are doing it part time or are lots of them just starting out. At $50 an hour that's only 700 hours of massage. That's less than 60 hours a month. Is that typical?

Anonymous wrote:You do realize that most massage therapist only work 25-30 hours due to the more intense job we have. I for one ALWAYS tip $20 for an hour. We as therapist touch your body, even glutes, sometimes after a client has worked out without bathing, or sun tanned without bathing, you sweat during massage, etc. You think that's necessary to complain about tipping when a therapist who works at Massage Envy is only making $16 an hour, again, only working 25 hours a week. I use my tip money to feed my family and put gas in my car because my entire paycheck goes to my bills. Or for therapists who rent their own room, they have linens to clean, lotions to buy, again, etc...the money you pay for the actual massage goes to the rent, insurance and continuing education classes we have to take to stay licensed. You people need to come down off your high horse 'oh I don't get tipped for my job' and realize the real situation. I'm sorry I don't sit at a desk for 40 hours, I bust my ass for my money.

Okay, I have always tipped 20% but now that I have read your rant, I will rethink that. We all bust our ass, most people don't "sit at a desk" and those who do are usually also working hard. I teach all day long, never sit at at desk and go home and work a few more hours to prepare for the next day, and I don't get a tip nor am I paid well, but I love my job and do it for that reason. You chose your profession, if it sucks so badly, try another one. Do you honestly think you are one of the only hard working people on the planet? I scrimp to save money to treat myself a couple of times a year to a massage, but you make me mad!

I don't think you should be tipping a medical professional. I don't tip my doctor, dentist, dental hygienist, etc..

Standard tip for massage is flat rate, not percentage. 30 minutes= $5- $10, 60 minutes= $15- $20, and 90 minutes= $25 to $30. (Obviously this varies based on whether or not your needs were met.) Also, if you belong to a Massage Envy or similar chain, those massage therapists are paid a very low wage. On average, they start at $15/ hour. (That's per hour of massage. If the book is not full, they sit around without getting paid.) Spas generally don't give 50% commission on massage, unless they hire independent contractors. And keep in mind, massage therapists go to school for their craft, have to pay for testing, licensing, maintaining that license, continuing ed, CPR/ First Aid classes, etc, etc. Most therapists also have to do laundry when they are not with a client, and all have paper work to complete for each client after each massage. Finally, please do not call him or her a "masseuse" or "masseur". Those individuals provide "happy endings", a massage therapist does not.

Anonymous wrote:I tip $15-18 on a 60 min massage. I am a massage envy member so my pro-rated hour massage rate is $59. It is more if you are not a member. This is where it's tricky--the sign suggests tipping on the full rate--but the reason you sign up to be a member is to get the reduced rate...ugh! That is why I go slightly over 20%.

also-- I assume this is like a waitress type thing where they rely on tips. If it is a spa or salon--these people are probably getting a small hourly rate and the tips bring them up to a normal hourly rage.

I tip $15-18 on a 60 min massage. I am a massage envy member so my pro-rated hour massage rate is $59. It is more if you are not a member. This is where it's tricky--the sign suggests tipping on the full rate--but the reason you sign up to be a member is to get the reduced rate...ugh! That is why I go slightly over 20%.

Agree!! You don't have to tip no matter how good it is especially if you go a lot because of severe back pain. It's not a luxury for some of us it's needed. I used the same place all the time. There are 5 therapists there and it's only a massage therapy place. I didn't tip on my first and 2nd visit then on my third the girl said do you just want 80 on the card? I knew then they get tips. So I started giving about 15 percent sometimes 20. I'm done. From now on they get 10 percent. I need the service whether they do a good job or not. If I could afford it then I would tip more. I can't afford it' which is y I only get a massage every other month. MEDICALLY I NEED THEM BUT INSURANCE DOES NOT COVER THEM

I tip 20% for a $100 massage.

How hard do you work for your money? Try doing a deep tissue massage on your partner for 10 min. Now multiply that by 6 or more.... As a professional , masseur (man) or masseuse (woman), you work physically and mentally, if your good.
I give an awesome massage, that is tailored to the client. I like to be appreciated for the work I do. Some clients are good and some are not . I make myself give the best massage regardless. If I am offered over 20 dollars on a 60 min. I feel that is excessive. But I won't reject it. I work to make money.
On the most part.... men are a lot better tippers than women , but women communicate appreciation better than men verbally, a few women are bitchy as well.
I have some good return clients that don't tip at all (not many). and I have a lot of good return clients that give 10% to 30%. I have a few men clients... that are wealthy...that on occasion have tipped more than the price of the massage. No inappropriate stuff.
When I get a massage (and I do regularly, for the physical need and also sharpen my own skills) I tip a minimum of 10% maximum 25%. I know what is good and what isn't when it comes to massage, and on two occasions I have stopped the massage that I am receiving and ended it politely, and left without paying a dime..... I will not eat bad food either. If it's not good I don't go back.
On one occasion I had my haircut and the jerk did not listen to my instruction and cut off considerably more hair than I had instructed. I got up and left without paying . I was polite but refused to pay. If I am not intent on satisfying my customer ( never any inappropriate /and it's illegal ) I am not a profession.
As a professional you know if your good or not. If you don't know .... you won't be a professional very long!

If you go out to eat and spend 60 dollars on a meal and tip less than 10% your a cheap, unless the service or food was bad or poor! Now take a masseuse, ( if their good) they works harder than any cook, waiter/server or busboy...combined, now give that person less than 15% and your communicating either they are not very good at their job, or you are a cheap! Unlike a waiter a masseuse will split the massage fee, normally 50/50 with the establishment, and keep all tips.

So to sum it all up 10%-20% !

Have a good day. I am a massage establishment owner / operator and masseur. 12 yrs experience.

As a massage therapist I would like to thank everyone who tips...after reading some of the responses now I don't think I care how much, its just nice that you do. We did choose this just because we like to make people feel good and we do come into some real nasty situations sometimes that would make others run for the hills. But without us (massage therapist) the public wouldn't be able to lay down and relax while having all your tension worked out. So please keep in mind that yes we are not making $2.75/hr like a waitress but we are definetly not getting much of what people are paying for that massage. Not even close. Ive been in this business for 5 yrs and only now find a place where I am being paid right and I can finally say I didn't waste my education. So thank you and take care of yourselves

As a massage therapist I would like to thank everyone who tips...after reading some of the responses now I don't think I care how much, its just nice that you do. We did choose this just because we like to make people feel good and we do come into some real nasty situations sometimes that would make others run for the hills. But without us (massage therapist) the public wouldn't be able to lay down and relax while having all your tension worked out. So please keep in mind that yes we are not making $2.75/hr like a waitress but we are definetly not getting much of what people are paying for that massage. Not even close. Ive been in this business for 5 yrs and only now find a place where I am being paid right and I can finally say I didn't waste my education. So thank you and take care of yourselves

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So you pay $90 for a 60 minute massage, you're paying for the massage to be a good one, not half assed and if it is good, which is what you're paying to get, you tip anyway. Tipping is out of control. TIP stands for "To Ensure Prompt Service", not to get quality work/services or the alrady high price you're paying for the service, regardless if the person is the owner or not. I'll tip if they go over the hour, if they provide something more than the basic service I'm paying for. How many of you get a tip from you work for going exactly what you're suppopse to do and yeah, wee're all working to make the other guy rich and we're not seeing "tips".

That is the so stupid.

I am a massage therapist and would HATE to get someone who thinks like you. We live off tips just like waitresses do. The Spa or where ever charges you $90 and the therapist usually gets a very small portion of that and we pray for a tip to make it worth it to us!!!!

Anonymous wrote:You do realize that most massage therapist only work 25-30 hours due to the more intense job we have. I for one ALWAYS tip $20 for an hour. We as therapist touch your body, even glutes, sometimes after a client has worked out without bathing, or sun tanned without bathing, you sweat during massage, etc. You think that's necessary to complain about tipping when a therapist who works at Massage Envy is only making $16 an hour, again, only working 25 hours a week. I use my tip money to feed my family and put gas in my car because my entire paycheck goes to my bills. Or for therapists who rent their own room, they have linens to clean, lotions to buy, again, etc...the money you pay for the actual massage goes to the rent, insurance and continuing education classes we have to take to stay licensed. You people need to come down off your high horse 'oh I don't get tipped for my job' and realize the real situation. I'm sorry I don't sit at a desk for 40 hours, I bust my ass for my money.

So we should feel bad that this was your choice of career, and you choose to work PT 25 hrs a week. and you massage therapist are not the only people that bust their BUTTS for compensation of what they do (that is called a JOB). Having said that, tipping is based on services provided and if one feels led to give a high tip or feel service was n. Myot acceptable and leave a low tip, it should TOTALLY be up to the customer. Demanding or telling others what to tip is RUDE to say the least. My husband and I joined Envy last night to help get some pain under control. I saw the "customary rates" and that is just hoping one will feel obliged to give a 'set' amount. We will give what we feel the therapist deserves for not just doing their job, but above "average". Service industry period, is NOT A FLAT 20% RATE, it is rated on service provided. I know massage therapist that rent WAY about their means to look like the "fit in", not my problem they are that insecure & therefore get crappy about what they do for a living & how hard they work, & how much tips they receive. High horse is for people that think they deserve more than they do. Just sayin...