Spa schools offer students an opportunity to make a living capitalizing on the growing consumer demand for beauty and wellness treatments. Whether your interest is in massage therapy, physical training, homeopathic remedies, or nail technology, spa schools offer a wide variety of curriculum to train you for the spa career of your choice. With clientele that range every age group, a growing number of spas across the country, and the rapidly expanding nature of the field itself, it's no wonder student interest has escalated as well.

In fact, according to the 2004 Massage Therapy Consumer Survey, commissioned by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), more than one in five adults surveyed – 21 percent – received a massage in the past 12 months. On the academic side of the industry, the survey indicated there are 1,135 spa schools that offer programs of a minimum of 500 in-class hours – an 80 percent increase from the 628 programs that existed two years prior.

Skills Beyond Spa Schools

Graduates of spa management certificate schools who will succeed in their spa careers are generally those that have a love for helping people and for contributing to their clients' well-being. If you possess a passion for health care and contributing to your community, spa schools can turn those interests into a paycheck. Flexibility is also a large part of why many people pursue a spa career. Beyond the obvious work environment at a spa, degrees from spa schools can be applied at hotels, physicians' offices and clinics, beauty salons, group practices, and even home offices.

Some programs at spa schools even incorporate business coursework, to prepare students for the more managerial side of the spa industry. Spa directors, spa managers, marketing leaders, and operations managers are all positions found at most facilities. Students who enjoy working in the spa industry but want to pave the way to move behind working one on one with patients should explore these opportunities.

As for current trends in the industry, there are a few that are on the rise in the world of spas and massage. Massage therapy is becoming more acknowledged in medical settings, and considered by some to be preferable to chiropractic or physical therapy treatments in some cases of pain management. Also, larger numbers of health care providers are acknowledging spa therapy, and in general the Baby Boomers of the American population are growing older and demanding more spa related services and treatment.