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Holistic Health

A program that focuses on the holistic interconnectedness of physical, psychological, social, spiritual, and environmental well-being and that integrates aspects of alternative, complementary, and conventional medicine to alleviate illness and promote, maintain, and optimize wellness. Includes instruction in anatomy and physiology, alternative diagnostic and healing methods, aromatherapy, biofeedback, energy medicine, environmental psychology, ethics, health coaching, herbal medicine, mind-body medicine, mindfulness, nutrition, somatic bodywork, and stress management.

Types of Degrees Holistic Health Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Holistic Health can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	57
Associate’s Degree	31
Bachelor’s Degree	142
Master’s Degree	251

What Holistic Health Majors Need to Know

Studies in Holistic Health build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Holistic Health graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Holistic Health emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.6 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Holistic Health program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Innate abilities most relevant to Holistic Health careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Holistic Health graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Documenting/Recording Information	4.7 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Holistic Health professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Eye Tracking Exercises Enterprises Track with Letters	Eye tracking software	—
HTS Vision CVS2	Eye tracking software	—
Therapeutic orthoptic software	Medical software	—
HTS Vision HTS2 Computerized Binocular Home Eye Exercise System	Eye tracking software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
SeeRite Flash and Match	Computer based training software	—
Computer Aided Vision Therapy CAVT	Medical software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Computer perceptual processing software	Computer based training software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
MAX Systems Max-Gold Medical Clinic Software	Medical software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Holistic Health graduates include:

• Naturopathic Doctor
• Naturopath
• Tuberculosis Specialist
• Acupressurist
• Heliotherapist
• Doctor of Naprapathic Medicine
• Gastroenterologist
• Clinical Fellow
• Heart Specialist
• Kinesiologist
• Hospital Fellow
• Naprapath
• Hospice Fellow
• County Health Officer
• Sanipractic Physician

What Can You Do With a Holistic Health Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Holistic Health commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other	1.0%	$138,809	$116,859–$160,758
Orthoptists	4.8%	$135,811	$108,351–$163,270
Naturopathic Physicians	6.6%	$138,086	$113,456–$162,716

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Holistic Health graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	45.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	41.6%
Bachelor’s degree	3.8%
First professional degree	3.8%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.9%
Master’s degree	1.9%
Post-doctoral training	1.9%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Holistic Health?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 88.8% of Holistic Health degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	427	88.8%
Men	54	11.2%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Holistic Health graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	269	55.9%
Asian	12	2.5%
Hispanic or Latino	74	15.4%
Black or African American	56	11.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	3	0.6%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.6%
Two or More Races	31	6.4%
Race Unknown	27	5.6%
International Students	6	1.2%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Holistic Health Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Holistic Health graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$31,185
4 years	$30,904
5 years	$35,897

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $35,897 — roughly 15% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Holistic Health Programs

Distance learning is reported by IPEDS for Holistic Health. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Bachelor’s	3	1
Master’s	3	0

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Holistic Health Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Holistic Health graduates earn a median of $30,904 four years after completion — about 19% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems	3,019
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine	1,485
Naturopathic Medicine/Naturopathy	235
Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Herbology	165
Ayurvedic Medicine/Ayurveda	141
Herbalism/Herbalist	113
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems, Other	107
Direct Entry Midwifery	74
Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services, Other	52
Aromatherapy	8
Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems	—
Homeopathic Medicine/Homeopathy	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.