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Asian Bodywork Therapy

A program that prepares individuals to provide relief and improved health and well-being based on Chinese medical principles through one or more of the traditional bodywork therapies of Asia. Includes instruction in acupressure, AMMA(r) Therapy, Chi Nei Tsang, Five Element Shiatsu, Integrative Eclectic Shiatsu, Japanese Shiatsu, Jin Shin Do(r) Bodymind Acupressure(tm), Macrobiotic Shiatsu, Anma Therapy, Thai massage, Tui na, Zen Shiatsu, Qigong, Okazaki(r) Restorative Massage, principles of Western and Chinese medicine, patient counseling and observation, practice management, applicable regulations, and professional standards and ethics.

Types of Degrees Asian Bodywork Therapy Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Asian Bodywork Therapy may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	90
Associate’s Degree	50

What Asian Bodywork Therapy Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Asian Bodywork Therapy build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Asian Bodywork Therapy graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Asian Bodywork Therapy emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

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

Skills

The skill set built by a Asian Bodywork Therapy program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Asian Bodywork Therapy careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Asian Bodywork Therapy graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.9 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	3.9 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	3.9 / 7
Thinking Creatively	3.8 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Asian Bodywork Therapy professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
EcoLogic ADAM Indoor Air Quality and Analytical Data Management	Data base user interface and query software	—
Desire2Learn LMS software	Computer based training software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Medical procedure coding software	Medical software	—
Course management system software	Computer based training software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Blackboard software	Data base user interface and query software	—
TechSmith Snagit	Graphics or photo imaging software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Asian Bodywork Therapy graduates include:

• Mental Health Aides Teacher
• Serology Teacher
• Coding Educator
• Instructor
• Dental Hygiene Teacher
• Dental Assistant Teacher
• Adjunct Clinical Instructor
• Osteopathic Medicine Teacher
• Chiropractic Teacher
• Physiology Teacher
• Pathology Teacher
• Associate Professor
• Respiratory Therapy Instructor
• Physical Medicine Teacher
• Home Care and Home Health Aides Teacher

What Can You Do With a Asian Bodywork Therapy Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Asian Bodywork Therapy commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary	10.7%	$46,663	$40,304–$53,022

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

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Postsecondary certificate	31.5%
Master’s degree	21.3%
Doctoral degree	14.7%
Post-doctoral training	11.3%
Bachelor’s degree	9.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	7.5%
Some college courses	3.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.6%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Asian Bodywork Therapy?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 79.3% of Asian Bodywork Therapy degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	111	79.3%
Men	29	20.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Asian Bodywork Therapy graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	37	26.4%
Asian	12	8.6%
Hispanic or Latino	16	11.4%
Black or African American	13	9.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	1	0.7%
Two or More Races	10	7.1%
Race Unknown	44	31.4%
International Students	7	5.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Asian Bodywork Therapy Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Asian Bodywork Therapy graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$20,348
4 years	$22,219
5 years	$24,335

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $24,335 — roughly 20% above the 1-year mark.

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

Is a Degree in Asian Bodywork Therapy Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Asian Bodywork Therapy graduates earn a median of $22,219 four years after completion — about 42% 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
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services	11,197
Massage Therapy/Therapeutic Massage	11,029
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions, Other	2,445
Advanced General Dentistry	238
Advanced/Graduate Dentistry and Oral Sciences, Other	150
Somatic Bodywork	28
Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services, Other	—

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.