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Somatic Bodywork

A program that prepares individuals to promote physical and emotional balance and well-being through the application of skilled touch principles and techniques. Includes instruction in therapeutic massage and other hands-on touch methods, anatomy and physiology, structural/functional integration and various holistic health systems (Rolfing/Structural Integration, colon hydrotherapy, Breema, Hellerwork, lymphatic drainage, Rosen Method, hydrotherapy, and others), client counseling, practice management, and applicable regulations and professional standards.

Types of Degrees Somatic Bodywork Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Somatic Bodywork can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	6
Master’s Degree	22

What Somatic Bodywork Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Somatic Bodywork 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

Skills developed in a Somatic Bodywork 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.
• Writing — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Active Learning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Somatic Bodywork 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.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Somatic Bodywork 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 Somatic Bodywork professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Learning management system LMS	Computer based training software	—
InteractElsevier Netter’s 3D Interactive Anatomy	Medical software	—
Material safety data sheet MSDS software	Compliance software	—
iParadigms Turnitin	Information retrieval or search software	—
Sakai CLE	Computer based training software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Collaborative editing software	Word processing software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Somatic Bodywork graduates include:

• Optometry Professor
• Neurological Surgery Teacher
• Adjunct Instructor
• Gynecology Teacher
• Activity Therapy Teacher
• Music Therapy Teacher
• Instructor
• Speech Therapy Teacher
• Gastroenterology Teacher
• Clinical Laboratory Science Professor
• Physical Therapy Professor
• Physical Therapy Teacher
• Roentgenology Teacher
• Orthopedics Teacher
• Clinical Instructor

What Can You Do With a Somatic Bodywork Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Somatic Bodywork 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 Somatic Bodywork 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 Somatic Bodywork?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 67.9% of Somatic Bodywork degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	19	67.9%
Men	9	32.1%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	23	82.1%
Asian	1	3.6%
Hispanic or Latino	1	3.6%
Race Unknown	1	3.6%
International Students	2	7.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Somatic Bodywork Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Somatic Bodywork graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 Somatic Bodywork Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Somatic Bodywork 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
Asian Bodywork Therapy	140
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.