---
title: Is a Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services degree worth the debt?
cip: 5135
source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard — Field of Study (2026-06-10 release)
sourceId: src:doe:college-scorecard:field-of-study:2026-06-10
---

# Is a Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services degree worth the debt?

Leading with the **Certificate**, across **207** colleges (207 of 207 programs report earnings):

- **Median pay, 1 year after completion:** $19,214 ($19,097 at 2 years)
- **Median federal debt:** $7,885 (federal loans only)
- **Debt-to-earnings:** 0.39× a first year's pay
- **Across-college spread (middle 50%):** $17,856–$21,852 — the program you choose moves the number this much.


**How to read this:** these are MEDIANS across college programs, measured **1–2 years after completion** (early career, graduates only) — NOT lifetime earnings, and NOT comparable to a college's 10-years-after-entry figure. They cover **federally-aided completers at programs large enough to report**; small programs are suppressed. A field median is not a prediction of your outcome, not causal (who enters a field differs by field), and **not a "best majors" ranking** — earnings are one dimension of worth. Verify by field at the official College Scorecard (https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/).

## By degree level

| Level | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt | Debt/pay | Colleges | Programs reporting |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Certificate | $19,214 | $7,885 | 0.39× | 207 | 207/207 |
| Associate's | $22,841 | $23,937 | 1.06× | 13 | 13/13 |

## Where a Certificate in this field reports the highest early-career pay

Reflects who enrolls and where, not causal program quality.

| College | Pay (1yr) | Federal debt |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Saint Paul College (MN) | $28,933 | — |
| Great Bay Community College (NH) | $28,258 | — |
| Gwinnett College (GA) | $27,788 | $9,500 |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness (WI) | $27,559 | $7,917 |
| The Institute of Beauty and Wellness Madison (WI) | $27,559 | $7,917 |
| Avenue Five Institute (TX) | $27,296 | $5,815 |
| Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute Minneapolis (MN) | $27,028 | $6,333 |
| Blue Cliff Career College (AL) | $25,920 | — |
| Indiana Wellness College (IN) | $25,694 | $6,932 |
| Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics and Massage Therapy | $25,551 | $6,941 |
| Alaska Career College (AK) | $25,498 | $9,493 |
| Colorado School of Healing Arts (CO) | $25,005 | $7,450 |
| Parker University (TX) | $24,870 | $9,500 |
| Universal Spa Training Academy (IL) | $24,840 | $6,861 |
| Sage School of Massage & Esthetics | $24,750 | $7,811 |

RECORDED College Scorecard figures + one DERIVED ratio (debt-to-earnings). Informs and compares; not advice on what to major in. Each college's full record: `/education/<slug>`.

Structured data: `/education/fields/somatic-bodywork-and-related-therapeutic-services.jsonld` · `/education/fields/somatic-bodywork-and-related-therapeutic-services.json`