Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 207 college programs, at a typical net price.
On these figures the cost and debt outweigh the earnings premium.
What Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services pays
Career outlook for Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services graduates
The job market for the occupations Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Massage therapists | 168,000 | +15.4% | $57,950 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services vs similar majors
How Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services stacks up against the closest fields in Health Professions & Nursing on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services Health Professions & Nursing · this major | Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences | Medical Clinical Sciences/Graduate Medical Studies | Medicine | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 18 F | 80 A | 80 A | 80 A |
| ROI verdict | Poor return | Strong return | Strong return | Strong return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $24,728 | $226,546 | $214,065 | $162,555 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $20,841 | $212,530 | $166,304 | $65,892 |
| ROI vs cost | -370% | +1,129% | +1,565% | +708% |
| Typical debt | $8,545 | $207,643 | $81,076 | $201,913 |
| Colleges offering it | 207 | 33 | 6 | 155 |
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boca Beauty Academy-Parkland Parkland, FL | Certificate | $37,145 | $5,865 | -410% | Poor return |
| 2 | Boca Beauty Academy Boca Raton, FL | Certificate | $37,145 | $5,865 | -417% | Poor return |
| 3 | Pacific College of Health and Science San Diego, CA | Certificate | $26,922 | $12,271 | -421% | Poor return |
| 4 | Carrington College-Spokane Spokane, WA | Certificate | $28,461 | $8,366 | -464% | Poor return |
| 5 | Southwest Institute of Healing Arts Tempe, AZ | Certificate | $27,605 | $9,500 | -467% | Poor return |
| 6 | Pacific College of Health and Science New York, NY | Certificate | $19,111 | $23,937 | -494% | Poor return |
| 7 | Myotherapy Institute Lincoln, NE | Certificate | $30,463 | — | -510% | Poor return |
| 8 | Carrington College-Portland Portland, OR | Certificate | $28,461 | $8,366 | -517% | Poor return |
| 9 | Lincoln Technical Institute-Moorestown Moorestown, NJ | Certificate | $27,214 | $7,917 | -523% | Poor return |
| 10 | Pinnacle Career Institute Kansas City, MO | Certificate | $31,521 | $7,834 | -527% | Poor return |
| 11 | Pacific College of Health and Science San Diego, CA | Certificate | $19,111 | $23,937 | -527% | Poor return |
| 12 | Cortiva Institute-Arlington Arlington, TX | Certificate | $29,226 | $7,678 | -531% | Poor return |
| 13 | Lincoln Technical Institute-Iselin Iselin, NJ | Certificate | $27,214 | $7,917 | -537% | Poor return |
| 14 | IBMC College Fort Collins, CO | Certificate | $29,219 | — | -556% | Poor return |
| 15 | Cortiva Institute Cromwell, CT | Certificate | $28,024 | $7,600 | -556% | Poor return |
| 16 | National American University-Rapid City Rapid City, SD | Certificate | $30,614 | — | -563% | Poor return |
| 17 | Gwinnett College Roswell, GA | Certificate | $27,445 | $9,500 | -568% | Poor return |
| 18 | Spa Tech Institute-North Andover North Andover, MA | Certificate | $25,438 | $6,861 | -574% | Poor return |
| 19 | Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia, SC | Certificate | $27,932 | $7,811 | -591% | Poor return |
| 20 | Victoria's Academy of Cosmetology Kennewick, WA | Certificate | $33,987 | — | -598% | Poor return |
| 21 | Alaska Career College Anchorage, AK | Certificate | $33,184 | $9,493 | -601% | Poor return |
| 22 | Dayton School of Medical Massage Dayton, OH | Certificate | $26,499 | $13,430 | -618% | Poor return |
| 23 | Concorde Career College-Memphis Memphis, TN | Certificate | $30,444 | $8,769 | -624% | Poor return |
| 24 | Gwinnett College Raleigh, NC | Certificate | $27,146 | $9,500 | -630% | Poor return |
| 25 | Cortiva Institute Linthicum, MD | Certificate | $29,306 | $7,917 | -637% | Poor return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.