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New Jersey requires future massage therapists to undergo a training program and take an exam.
Read on to find out more about the requirements.
Article Table of Contents
License Criteria: Education
The program you attend must be accepted by the New Jersey Department of Education, the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education, or the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
You can also train in another state if the school’s standards are similar to the ones in New Jersey.
Popular Programs
The training must be split as per the following:
90 hours in anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology, both theory and practice
100 hours of clinical practice under a supervisor
One semester credit equals 15 hours, and the total must add up to 500 hours.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Academy of Massage Therapy | 321 Main St. 2nd Floor Hackensack, NJ 07601 |
| Academy of Massage Therapy | 75 Montgomery St. #402 Jersey City, NJ 07302 |
| Academy of Natural Health Sciences | 102 Green St. Woodbridge, NJ 07095 |
| Brookdale Community College | 765 Newman Springs Road Lincroft, NJ 07738 |
| Cortiva Institute | 2 Hudson Place, 2nd Floor Hoboken, NJ 07030 |
| Cortiva Institute- Somerset School of Massage Therapy | 1985 Highway 34 Wall Township, NJ 07719 |
| Gentle Healing School of Massage | 1274 S. River- Cranbury Rd. Cranbury, NJ 08512 |
| Essex County College | 303 University Ave. Newark, NJ 07102 |
| Everest Institute | 5000 Hadley Rd. #100 South Plainfield, NJ 07080 |
| Institute for Therapeutic Massage | 1255 Broad Street #101B Bloomfield, NJ 07003 |
| Institute for Therapeutic Massage | 1069 Ringwood Ave. #315 Haskell, NJ 07420 |
| Institute for Therapeutic Massage | 95 Mt. Kemble Ave. Morristown, NJ 07962 |
| Institute for Therapeutic Massage | 67 Route 37 West Riverwood Building 2- 2nd floor Toms River, NJ 08755 |
| Institute for Therapeutic Massage | 106 Apple Street #112 Tinton Falls, NJ 07724 |
| JSG School of Massage Therapy | 207 Livinston St. Northvale, NJ 07647 |
| Warren County Community College | 475 Route 57 West Washington, NJ 07882 |
License Criteria: Testing
New Jersey offers the MBLEX as a licensing exam.
To apply, you must read the candidate bulletin first.
You can submit your registration online and get your ATT, after which you have 3 months to take the exam.
If you want to get extra credentials, you can take the Board Certification examination.
For this, you need 250 hours of work experience after which you will be given an NCBTMB code.
Certification by Endorsement
You can get this type of license once you submit your credentials for verification by the New Jersey Board.
These must be requested directly from each jurisdiction you have a license from.
Other Requirements
To get licensed, you also need courses in CPR, first aid, and automated external defibrillators with the American Heart Association or another accepted entity.
You will also have to submit your fingerprints for a background check after the application form is sent.
How to Apply
If you applied by education, your school needs to send in official transcripts.
These can be requested from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development if your schools have closed since.
If you applied by exam, you can have your test scores sent directly to the New Jersey licensing agency.
You also need to submit 2 ID style photos along with health certification copies.
The fee varies between $60 and $120 based on the year.
Other Info
You can contact The New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy by using the form on their website.
The New Jersey Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association can also provide additional info.
Remember to renew your license every 2 years.
The salary you will receive as a massage therapist will depend on your education and experience.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Newark | $58,474 |
| Jersey City | $61,956 |
| Paterson | $59,037 |
| Elizabeth | $58,474 |
| Lakewood | $58,319 |
| Edison | $57,450 |
| Woodbridge | $57,450 |
| Toms River | $57,469 |
| Clifton | $59,037 |
| Trenton | $57,860 |
Regional Salary in New Jersey
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 120 | $95,330 | $45.83 | $128,330 | $47,640 |
| Ocean City, NJ | 30 | $70,600 | $33.94 | $97,380 | $46,730 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Massage Therapist
Massage Therapy by State