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Massage Therapy Schools in California

There a dozens of massage therapy schools in California to choose from. How can you tell the good schools from the average schools?

Word of mouth plus your own research will help you make the most important decision of your new massage career. So check out what our readers are saying about the top massage therapy schools in California. And while our reader comments are very valuable, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all massage school. You may be more suited for a smaller niche school while somebody else will flourish in a larger comprehensive massage program. So don't be afraid to buck the trend and explore some of the lesser known massage therapy schools in California.

Below we offer some tips on choosing a good California massage school. And of course certain items like accreditation are mandatory. All schools should meet minimum california requirements.

How to Choose the Best California Massage Schools

I have broken down the research process into these easy steps. Don't rush, be thorough... It will cost you a lot of wasted time and money if you have to change massage schools.

1) Review all of the listings for the California massage therapy schools below.

2) For schools that interest you, follow the links to request more information about their program. They will contact you with detailed information about their program.

3) This is where it gets challenging. You have to sort through all the material and try to choose a handful of schools (no more than six) that really interest you.

4) Contact each school directly and make an appointment to visit with the admissions staff. They should give you a tour of the school and answer any questions you have. If a school is reluctant to answer certain questions you should consider that a warning flag.

5) If you are still interested in the program, make an appointment to observe a class in session. Don't be afraid to ask questions of the students and instructors after class. This step should help you determine what school "feels" the best to you. Schools should give you as much access as you need (without violating the privacy of its students).

6) Decision Time! Hopefully there is a strong front runner to make your decision easier. But if you are stuck between two choice, you may want to repeat step 5 again.

For more information on choosing your California massage therapy school, check out our complete guide to choosing a massage school.

Additional Selection Tips to Consider

Make sure you choose a program that focuses on what you are interested in. Some schools have a strong focus on pathology, anatomy, and physiology. Others are more focused on pain management, relaxation, or spa treatments. If you want to work in a chiropractor's office you are going to choose a different school than somebody interested in relaxation spa techniques.

Depending on the focus of the school you're looking at, the hands on part of the program will be different. They may include components of other disciplines that aren't strictly massage, such as shiatsu, reiki, and yoga, or you may see different massage elements used in different programs, such as Thai massage, Hawaiian massage, trigger point therapy, neuromuscular therapy, Swedish massage, or sports focused massage. Many California massage schools offer a combination of elements from different disciplines to give you a more comprehensive and complete background.

And while many schools will list these techniques in their brochures, be sure to ask how much time is spent on each technique. You can't expect to really learn shiatsu massage with only 8 hours of training.

 

So Let's Get Started!

Jump down to our Massage Therapy Schools California Listings below and start making your list of schools. Remember to check out the ratings and comments that our readers give to each school.

Then add it to our directory of top Massage Therapy Schools in California. Its simple, just tell us the name of the massage school, where it is located, and as much information about it as you can. Don't forget to tell us what you think about the school!

Below is our list of top massage therapy schools in California. You can rate each program and add comments about each school.

North West College (CA) 
Campus Locations: West Covina, Pomona, Pasadena, Glendale, Riverside.
Instruction: 45 Credits
Average Duration: 6 Months
Tuition Cost: $6000
...

High Tech Institute  Not rated yet
Campus Locations:Sacramento, CA – Kansas City, MO – Las Vegas, NV – Memphis, TN – Milwaukee, WI – Minneapolis, MN – Nashville, TN – Orlando, FL - St....

Everest College  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Alhambra, CA – Anaheim, CA – City of Industry, CA – Gardena, CA – Hayward, CA – LA Wilshire, CA – Long Beach, CA – Ontario, CA – Reseda,...

Concorde Career College  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: San Diego, CA and Memphis, TN
Instruction: 34 Weeks
Average Duration: 34 Weeks
Tuition Cost: $13,000
[Techniques covered:...

Bryan College of Sacramento (Sacramento, Los Angeles, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Sacramento, Los Angeles, CA
Instruction: 720 Hours
Average Duration: 1 year
Tuition Cost: $10,000
Techniques covered: Swedish ...

California Academy for the Healing Arts (Costa Mesa, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Costa Mesa, CA
Instruction: 720 Hours
Average Duration: 1 year
Tuition Cost: Not specified
Techniques covered: Reiki and ...

California Healing Arts College (Los Angeles, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Los Angeles, CA
Instruction: 720 Hour
Average Duration: 48 Weeks
Tuition Cost: $9000
Techniques covered: Deep Tissue Therapy,...

Career Networks Institute (Costa Mesa, CA )  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Costa Mesa, CA
Instruction: 720 Hours
Average Duration: 9 Months
Tuition Cost: $8000
Techniques covered: relaxation massage,...

Clarita Career College (Long Beach, Lancaster, Canyon, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations:Long Beach, Lancaster, Canyon Country, CA
Instruction: 700 Hours
Average Duration: 9 Months
Tuition Cost: $7500

[Accredited ...

LA College International (Los Angeles, CA )  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Los Angeles, CA
Instruction: 720 Hours
Average Duration: 9 Months
Tuition Cost: $9000
Techniques covered: Swedish massage,...

Institute of Professional Practical Therapy (IPPT)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Los Angeles, North Hollywood
Instruction: 500 hours
Average Duration: 55 Weeks
Tuition Cost: $5850
Techniques covered: Varies
...

Institute for Business & Technology (Santa Clara, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Santa Clara, CA
Instruction: 75 Credits
Average Duration: 8 Months
Tuition Cost: $7000
Techniques covered: Swedish massage,...

Massage Center (Chatsworth, Thousand Oaks, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Chatsworth & Thousand Oaks.
Instruction: 300 Hours
Average Duration: 3 Months
Tuition Cost: $4000
Techniques covered: Therapeutic ...

Mesa Academy (Placentia, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Placentia, CA
Instruction: 500 Hours
Average Duration: 4 Months
Tuition Cost: $7500
Techniques covered: Over 25 different ...

National Holistic Institute (CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Emeryville, San Francisco, San Jose, Sonoma County, and Los Angeles County.
Instruction: 720 Hours
Average Duration: 9 months
...

Mueller College of Holistic Studies (San Diego, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: San Diego, CA
Instruction: 616 Hours
Average Duration: 6 Months
Tuition Cost: $8500
Techniques covered: Mueller College ...

Milan Institute   Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Bakersfield, Clovis, Indio, Visalia and Fairfield CA. Also Boise Idaho and Reno Nevada.
Instruction: 500 Hours
[Average Duration:...

Redding Massage School (Redding, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Redding (Keswick), CA
Instruction: 200 Hours
Average Duration: 3 Months
Tuition Cost: $1900
Techniques covered: Students ...

Remington College (San Diego, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: San Diego, CA
Instruction: 8 Modules
Average Duration: 8 Months
Tuition Cost: $5000
Techniques covered: Massage therapists ...

Santa Barbara Business College (SBBC)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Bakersfield, Palm Desert, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura.
Instruction: 75 Credits
Average Duration: 6 months
[Tuition Cost:...

Poway Academy of Massage (Poway, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Poway, CA
Instruction: 800 Hours
Average Duration: 6 months
Tuition Cost: $10,000

Accredited by: National Accrediting ...

Shiatsu Massage School of California (Santa Monica, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Santa Monica, CA
Instruction: 104 Hours
Average Duration: 3 Months
Tuition Cost: $1015
Techniques covered: Shiatsu

[Accredited ...

United Education Institute (CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Chula Vista, El Monte, Huntington Park, Ontario, San Bernardino, San Diego, Van Nuys.
Instruction: 60 Credits
[Average Duration:...

Summit Career College (Colton, Anaheim, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Colton, Anaheim (CA).
Instruction: 45 Quarter Hours
Average Duration: 48 Weeks
Tuition Cost: $5000
Techniques covered: Swedish ...

Western Career College (CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Antioch, Citrus Heights, Emeryville, Pleasant Hill, Sacramento, Stockton, San Leandro, and San Jose.
Instruction: 300 hours
[Average ...

Fremont College (Cerritos, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Cerritos, CA
Instruction: 60 units
Average Duration: 40 weeks
Tuition Cost: $8000
Techniques covered: Swedish massage ...

World School of Massage and Holistic Healing Arts (San Francisco, CA)  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: San Francisco, CA
Instruction: 210 Hours
Average Duration: 3 Months
Tuition Cost: $2730
Techniques covered: Swedish Massage,...

Alternative Healing Center  Not rated yet
Campus Locations:Felton, CA
Instruction: 4 classes taken in succession
Average Duration: 6 months
Tuition Cost: $1075
Techniques covered: Reiki
...

ACI Career College  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Modesto
Instruction: 1080 Hours
Average Duration: 36 weeks
Tuition Cost: $5000
Techniques covered: Swedish Massage, connective ...

Academy of Natural Healing  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: San Clemente
Instruction: 720 hours
Average Duration: 1 year
Tuition Cost:
Techniques covered: Therapeutic Massage, Trigger ...

Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Oakland, CA
Instruction: 3025 Hour
Average Duration: 3 years
Tuition Cost: $25,500/year
Techniques covered: acupuncture,...

A2ZHealth.net  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: Reseda and Thousand Oaks, CA
Instruction: Swedish Massage Technician Program (300 hours); Massage Therapist Program (500 hours); Holistic ...

American Institute of Natural Healing  Not rated yet
Campus Locations:21 G. St. Antioch, CA
Instruction:Programs Individualized and Planned with Admissions Counselor.
Average Duration:Not listed,...

American Career College  Not rated yet
Campus Locations:
1. Los Angeles Campus, 4021 Rosewood Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90004
2. Orange County Campus 1200 North Magnolia Ave., Anaheim, CA ...

Traditional Chinese Medicine  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: ACTCM 455 Arkansas Street, San Francisco, GA 94107 and ACTCM Clinic 450 Connecticut Street, San Francisco, GA 94107

[Instruction:...

Body Mind College-School of Massage & Holistics  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: 5440 Morehouse Drive, Suite 2700, San Diego,GA 92121
Instruction: 520 Hours
Average Duration: Flexible. Classes May be Taken ...

Bodywork Associates: School of Manual Therapies  Not rated yet
Campus Locations:2027 Village Lane, Suite 202, Solvang, CA 93463
Instruction: 250 hour program and 550 hour program
Average Duration: 22 weeks ...

American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine  Not rated yet
Campus Locations: San Francisco
Instruction: 451/484 hours respectively
Average Duration: 18 month
Tuition Cost: about $8000
[Techniques covered:...

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