Massage Therapy is a Certificate program (Hybrid) offered by Midwest Institute in Earth City, MO. The program takes 35 weeks by day; 51 weeks evening to complete, with a total tuition of $15,580.
Program Overview
Midwest Institute’s Massage Therapy certificate trains students to work as professional massage therapists. The program covers five major areas: anatomy and physiology, the principles of therapeutic massage, hydrotherapy, allied therapeutic modalities and clinical pathology, together with ethics, business practices and healthcare communication.
Students learn Swedish massage technique, indications and contraindications, body mechanics and hygiene, then move on to allied modalities, whole-body assessment, charting and massage for special populations such as the elderly, prenatal clients, athletes and the chronically ill. The program finishes with a 250-hour student massage clinic on campus, where students work with clients and review for the national exam.
The program prepares students for Missouri licensure. All students must pass the Massage and Bodywork Licensing Examination (MBLEx) to work in the field, and a Missouri student massage license, which requires a background check, is needed during the program. Graduates receive a certificate.
What sets this Program apart
- An on-campus clinic. Students complete 250 supervised hours with real clients in the school’s own student massage clinic.
- Licensure preparation. The curriculum prepares students for the MBLEx and Missouri licensure, including CPR and first aid certification.
- Flexible study. Morning classes run Monday to Friday, evening classes three nights a week, and a blended format moves theory online.
- Business skills. A dedicated course takes students through setting up a practice, marketing and a written business plan.
Admission Requirements and Process
At Midwest Institute, we admit students into career training programs in medical assisting, veterinary technician, dental assisting, massage therapy, and surgical technology. We evaluate your interest, motivation, and readiness so you can succeed in your chosen path. Our Admissions counselors carefully determine how you will benefit from the career path you have chosen.
General Requirements
- Minimum Age 17Applicants must be at least 17 years of age.
- High School Diploma or GEDApplicants must have proof of a high school diploma or GED. High school diploma must be from an accredited high school recognized by the Department of Education.
- No Felony ConvictionsApplicants cannot have a felony conviction, a felony will make them ineligible for all programs.
- Admissions InterviewPersons interested in applying to Midwest Institute may submit an application on the Midwest Institute website, phone, email, or write for an interview appointment. All students…
- Entrance ExamAll prospective students must pass an entrance exam prior to enrollment.
- Criminal Background CheckMassage Therapy students must submit for a criminal background check prior to being considered for enrollment into the program. If any felonies, drug-related, sexual or violent…
- Fingerprint Check and Student LicenseMassage Therapy students must also submit a fingerprint background check that goes to the Missouri Board of Massage Therapy as part of the process for attaining a student license…
- Online Readiness AssessmentOnline/blended programs: An online assessment must be completed and the student must meet the appropriate indicator levels prior to enrollment. All students must certify that they…
Application Process
- 1Contact AdmissionsReach out to Midwest Institute online, by phone, email, or in writing to set up an interview appointment with an Admissions counselor.
- 2Interview with AdmissionsMeet with an Admissions counselor, who will determine how you will benefit from the career path you have chosen. Entrance requirements may include an interview with the Director of Education.
- 3Complete Your ApplicationFollowing the interview, the applicant must complete an application for review and evaluation by a school official. Ask Admissions for the application.
- 4Pass the Entrance ExamAll prospective students must pass an entrance exam prior to enrollment. Online/blended students also complete an online readiness assessment.
- 5Submit a Background CheckMassage Therapy students must submit for a criminal background check prior to being considered for enrollment into the program.
- 6Complete the FAFSAFill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Midwest Institute's Financial Aid Office will guide you step by step through Pell Grants, Direct Loans, scholarships, VA benefits, or WIOA funding.FAFSA Code for Earth City: 014528Fill Out the FAFSA
- 7Acceptance and RegistrationAdmission is based to a great extent on the applicant’s interest in the paramedical field, responsible attitude, and maturity. A registration fee of $75 is required upon acceptance to a program.
Program Schedule
The Massage Therapy certificate is 810 contact hours. Day students normally finish in 35 weeks and evening students in 51 weeks; students who cannot attend clinic full time take longer. The 250-hour supervised student massage clinic is held on campus from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, so evening students must arrange daytime hours for it. Once clinic begins it runs continuously, with no vacations, and missed hours must be made up. The online/blended format delivers about 54 percent of the program online and 46 percent on campus.
| Program and session | Class times |
|---|---|
| Medical Assisting, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
| Medical Assisting, evening | 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday |
| Dental Assisting, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
| Dental Assisting, evening | 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday |
| Massage Therapy, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Friday |
| Massage Therapy, evening | 6 p.m. to 10:15 p.m., Monday, Tuesday and Thursday |
| Veterinary Technician, morning | 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday to Thursday |
Lab times on campus are scheduled within each program’s class hours and may change. The school is closed for New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Thanksgiving and the following Friday, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. On weather closings, classes move to Zoom. The catalog addendum lists start dates.
Campus Location
Why Accreditation Is Important
When you attend an accredited institution, you attend a school that has been independently evaluated for educational quality.
Midwest Institute is institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). It is approved to operate by the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development.
- A reliable indicator of quality
- Approved program of study
- Qualified instructors
- Recognition by employers nationwide
Accreditations
Student Demographics
These are demographics for all students at the Earth City Campus (IPEDS, 2024).
Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid Information
| Charge (2026-27) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Tuition | $15,580 |
| Registration fee | $75 |
| Massage lab/supplies fees | $150 |
| Books | $433 |
| National certification exam fee | $265 |
| Student license | $25 |
| Provisional license | $75 |
| Liability insurance | $149 |
| Gel holster | $15 |
| Massage table | $150 |
| Total | $16,917 |
The addendum prints a total of $15,655 for tuition and the registration fee; the massage fees and books are listed separately and are added here. Book prices are set by the publisher and can change. Students also obtain their own background check, which is not included in the fees, and furnish scrubs and approved tennis shoes, estimated at about $150.
Financial aid. Midwest Institute takes part in the federal student aid programs: eligible students can receive Federal Pell Grants and Federal Direct Loans. The school is approved for VA education benefits, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and eligible students may also qualify for military tuition assistance, scholarships or Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) funding. The school does not publish its federal school code. Tuition can be paid without interest while you attend, and the balance must be paid in full before your diploma or transcripts are released. Use the school’s net price calculator for a personal estimate.
Cancellation and refunds. You can cancel within three working days of signing the enrollment contract and making a first payment, by letter postmarked within that period or in person, and receive everything you paid within 30 days. If the school does not accept your application, all money paid is refunded. After the three-day period and before classes begin, cancelling forfeits the $75 registration fee. Once classes start, a student who withdraws within the first 10 percent of the days is charged 10 percent of the tuition, within 25 percent is charged 25 percent, and before 50 percent is charged 50 percent; there is no refund after half of the program or academic year. Tuition is charged per academic year: certificate programs have one academic year and the associate degree has two.
Curriculum
Eleven required courses and 810 contact hours: healthcare communications, orientation, HIV, safety, CPR and first aid, business law and ethics, principles of therapeutic massage, anatomy and physiology with kinesiology, allied therapeutic modalities and advanced assessment, medical terminology, clinical pathology, business practices and career development, and the 250-hour student massage clinic. Hours follow the catalog’s course descriptions and add up to 810. The catalog gives the program as 34 semester credits, while its course credits add up to 33 credits.
The required courses below are from Midwest Institute's published catalog.
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | External | Total | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MT:020 | Orientation | 4 | 0 | |
| MT:105 | HIV, Safety, CPR, and First Aid | 10.5 | 0.5 | |
| MT:115 | Business Law and Ethics | 11 | 0.5 | |
| MT:117 | Principles of Therapeutic Massage | 158 | 6 | |
| MT:126 | Anatomy and Physiology/Kinesiology | 126 | 8 | |
| MT:141 | Allied Therapeutic Modalities/Advanced Assessment | 108.5 | 4.5 | |
| MT:149 | Medical Terminology | 8 | 0 | |
| MT:155 | Clinical Pathology | 47 | 2.5 | |
| MT:158 | Business Practices and Career Development | 42 | 2.5 | |
| COM:101 | Healthcare Communications | 45 | 3 | |
| Student Massage Clinic | 250 | 250 | 5.5 | |
| Totals | 250 | 810 | 33 |
Required Courses
| Subject # | Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| MT:020 | Orientation | 0 |
| MT:105 | HIV, Safety, CPR, and First Aid | 0.5 |
| MT:115 | Business Law and Ethics | 0.5 |
| MT:117 | Principles of Therapeutic Massage | 6 |
| MT:126 | Anatomy and Physiology/Kinesiology | 8 |
| MT:141 | Allied Therapeutic Modalities/Advanced Assessment | 4.5 |
| MT:149 | Medical Terminology | 0 |
| MT:155 | Clinical Pathology | 2.5 |
| MT:158 | Business Practices and Career Development | 2.5 |
| COM:101 | Healthcare Communications | 3 |
| Student Massage Clinic | 5.5 | |
| Totals | 33 |
Career Outcomes
Massage therapists work in spas, hotels, chiropractic offices, fitness centers, sporting events, natural health clinics and private practice. Passing the MBLEx is required to work in the field; a provisional license can be issued until the exam is passed. The program prepares students for Missouri licensure, and the school has not determined whether it meets other states’ requirements.
Published rates. For July 2024 to June 2025, Midwest Institute reports a 92 percent graduation rate and a 75 percent placement rate for Massage Therapy, calculated with the ABHES formula.
Placement help includes resume and interview coaching, employer networking and job referrals, and it continues after graduation. The school cannot guarantee placement.
What to expect as a Midwest Institute student
Midwest Institute has trained medical, dental, veterinary and massage professionals in the St. Louis area since it opened in Kirkwood in 1965. Its Earth City campus, off the Earth City Expressway near I-70, has classrooms, medical and dental exam rooms, massage therapy rooms, laboratory classrooms with microscopes, centrifuges, electrocardiograph and IV equipment, a surgical operatory lab, a complete veterinary clinic and a farm. The campus is accessible, and administrative offices are generally open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays.
Attendance is taken seriously: an absence is an absence, whether excused or not, and arriving late or leaving early takes 2 percent off each course grade, up to 10 percent. Blended students attend their remote classes in real time on the residential schedule and must come to every scheduled lab on campus; missing more than two lab days in a module means withdrawal. Students wear scrubs and approved tennis shoes. To graduate, students complete all assignments, hold at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA, and settle their accounts. One-on-one tutoring, help finding housing and placement assistance are available, and graduates can return for placement help at any time, although the school cannot guarantee a job.
Midwest Institute of Massage Therapy in Belleville, Illinois, is a different school and is not affiliated with Midwest Institute.
About Surgical Technology. The catalog also lists a Surgical Technology Associate of Applied Science degree. ABHES withdrew that program’s approval from the school’s grant of accreditation in August 2022 and the school did not appeal; the January 2026 catalog says the program is in the process of approval for initial programmatic accreditation through ABHES. It is not listed here until that approval is confirmed.