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To get a massage therapist license in New Mexico, you need to be 18 years old and have a high school diploma.
You will also need to complete a program and get examined.
Article Table of Contents
Training Requirements
You will need a total of 650 hours of education that cover:
- 165 hours of coursework in anatomy and physiology
- 150 hours of training and contraindications
- 75 hours in general instructions, from which 30 in ethics
- 4 hours in first aid
- 4 hours in CPR
The remaining hours are to be used for optional subjects.
Popular Programs
If you have 150 hours of work experience and/or practicum, these may be credited.
The training school must be approved, which is also the case for students from other states who get trained in their respective jurisdictions.
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Body Care School Healing Arts | 2032 Rose Lane Las Cruces, NM 88005 |
| Massage Therapy Training Institute | 2701 W. Picacho #4 Las Cruces, NM 88007 |
| Mountain Meadow Massage School | 101 Mader Lane Alto, NM 88312 |
| Muscle Therapy Center | 1711 N Jefferson Street Hobbs, NM 88240 |
| New Mexico Massage School | 2810 Sudderth Drive #207 Ruidoso, NM 88345 |
| New Mexico School of Natural Therapeutics | 202 Morningside Dr. SE Albuquerque, NM 87108 |
| Santa Fe School of Massage | 1091-A Siler Rd. Santa Fe, NM 87507 |
| Taos School of Massage | HCR, 74 El Prado, NM 87529 |
| Universal Therapeutic Massage Institute UTMI | 3410 Aztec Rd. NE Albuquerque, NM 87107 |
| University of New Mexico | 115 Civic Plaza Dr. Taos, NM 87571 |
Exam Requirements
You will need to take a national massage therapy exam and a state jurisprudence exam.
The exam offered currently is the MBLEx, which requires a $195 fee and to read the candidate bulletin.
This test is multiple choice and offered in both English and Spanish.
If you already passed the test, you can get extra score reports for a $20 fee.
If you never took a national examination, you can get one that will be valid for 90 days until you take the test.
However, this license will be revoked if you fail.
Certification by Credentials
If you already have a license in another state or country, you can get one in New Mexico after your credentials are reviewed by the Board.
How to Apply
You will need 2 passport-sized photos and have official transcripts sent in by your school.
Your school has to fill in ‘Form A’ and detail the numbers of hours and descriptions of each course if you graduated in another state.
If you have a license in another state, your licensing entity needs to fill in ‘Form B’.
Documents that are not in English must be professionally translated and legalized.
You must also pay a $175 application fee and a pro-rated certification fee.
Registering as a Massage Therapy Instructor
To get this certification, you must have 50 hours of instructional experience and submit proof you practiced in the past 3 years.
Other Info
You can reach out to the New Mexico Massage Therapy Board for additional info regarding the licensing process.
Another useful site is the New Mexico Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association, where you can learn more about industry updates.
Your license has to be renewed every 2 years, like in most states.
Below you can see the median salary you can expect to earn after you gain some experience.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $48,143 |
| Las Cruces | $43,523 |
| Rio Rancho | $47,990 |
| Santa Fe | $48,387 |
| Roswell | $44,905 |
| Farmington | $54,055 |
| Clovis | $45,358 |
| Hobbs | $44,173 |
| Alamogordo | $45,673 |
| Carlsbad | $44,905 |
Regional Salary in New Mexico
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | ** | $45,320 | $21.79 | $59,270 | $28,040 |
| Santa Fe, NM | 70 | $40,120 | $19.29 | $61,930 | $26,080 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Massage Therapist
Massage Therapy by State