Aromatherapy Schools and Careers
Get Aromatherapy Career, School, Salary and Certification Info
Find Aromatherapy Schools | Natural Healers Career Resource Center
| | As aromatherapy becomes increasingly mainstream in the spa industry and the field of alternative and complementary medicine, more practitioners are choosing to add aromatherapy school to their résumés. While many different cultures have used aromatic plants for healing purposes, modern aromatherapy was formally developed in the early 20th century and popularized in the 1980s and 1990s. |
Aromatherapy Career Overview
Aromatherapy practitioners come from a wide range of career fields. Aromatherapy training can be useful to spa workers such as massage therapists or estheticians. Many complementary health professionals use aromatherapy in conjunction with other modalities such as acupuncture or Ayurveda. Some graduates of aromatherapy school choose to work directly with the production or sales of essential oils, cosmetics and related products.
Learn more about the different kinds of aromatherapy careers.
Aromatherapy Training and Education
What You'll Study in Aromatherapy School
Basic curriculum at aromatherapy school includes the history of aromatherapy, profiles of specific essential oils, physiology and psychology of how essential oils work within the body, chemistry and contraindications, and how to safely produce, use and apply the oils.
Average Length of Study
Basic courses at aromatherapy schools vary in length from 30 hours to 100 hours. To practice at the professional level, organizations such as the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) and the Alliance of International Aromatherapists (AIA) suggest 200 hours or more of training.
Average Tuition
Aromatherapy school generally costs between $1,400 and $2,000 for basic aromatherapy training, though some distance education and home study courses are available for as little as $600 to $1,000.
Aromatherapy Certification
Graduates of aromatherapy school are usually granted certification upon completion of a basic or professional-level program, but this should not be confused with a license to practice. Currently, aromatherapy is not specifically licensed or regulated at the state level. However, most practitioners with aromatherapy training practice under the umbrella of other professions, such as massage therapy, nursing, naturopathy or acupuncture—occupations which do require licensing in many states. The National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA) stresses the importance of licensing, and is working toward a standardized certification in aromatherapy for the future.
Aromatherapy Career Outlook
Increasing interest in complementary therapies and preventive wellness practices has meant an accompanying surge in interest in aromatherapy and aromatherapy massage. Even the scientific community has been researching the therapeutic effects of essential oils, conducting studies on compounds in tea tree oil, lemon oil and others. More mainstream acceptance of aromatherapy means good career news for graduates of aromatherapy school, particularly for massage therapists, who can expect much-faster-than-average job growth in their field.
Aromatherapy Salary
Salaries vary for graduates of aromatherapy school depending on the field in which they practice. Massage therapists make an average annual salary of $39,780, skin care specialists earn $31,990 on average, and registered nurses earn $66,530.
Is an Aromatherapy Career Right for You?
More and more insurance companies cover natural health treatments such as chiropractic and aromatherapy, making it a good time to think about attending aromatherapy school. However, bear in mind that aromatherapy is a science as well as a healing art. If you plan to incorporate essential oils and the power of fragrance in your work as a holistic health professional, it is important to pursue formal aromatherapy training to familiarize yourself with the effects these oils have on the body, including potential skin irritations. Once you've completed aromatherapy school, you'll be qualified to use the aromatic properties of essential oils to help heal the body, mind and spirit.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2011
Alliance of International Aromatherapists, 2010
National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy, 2011
National Cancer Institute, 2010
Where can I get training?
- Arizona
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts - Tempe
- California
- South Bay Massage College - Manhattan Beach
- Hands on Healing Institute - Pasadena (Tujunga)
- American Institute of Massage Therapy - Santa Ana
- Connecticut
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Groton - Groton
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Newington - Newington
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Westport - Westport
- Florida
- Boca Beauty Academy - Boca Raton
- Academy of Palm Beach - Lake Worth (Palm Beach County)
- Massachusetts
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Newington - Training in Newington, CT
- Michigan
- Irene's Myomassology Institute - Detroit area - Southfield
- New York
- Finger Lakes School of Massage - NY - Ithaca
- Finger Lakes School of Massage - Mt Kisco
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Westport - Training in Westport, CT
- Pennsylvania
- Lancaster School of Cosmetology & Therapeutic Bodywork - Lancaster
- Rhode Island
- Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy - Groton - Training in Groton, CT
- Washington
- Everest College - Seattle - Seattle
Search our directory and find more: Massage Therapy Schools, Acupuncture, Chiropractic, and more.