ROI Major

Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services at Parkland College

IL · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.35

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services degree from Parkland College earn a median salary of $38,967 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in IL, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $42,448. The degree typically pays for itself in 23 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$29,169

Typical Career

$38,967

Top Performers

$53,921

Estimated break-even: 23 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$260

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $3,247. Most students can comfortably afford about a $260 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.0x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.5x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Illinois buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Accommodation & Food Services.

Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 39.7%
Educational Services 10.9%
Accommodation & Food Services 6.5%

Institution-wide industry mix for graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$42,448

Nominal: $38,967 in Illinois (COL 91.8% of national avg) · 8.9% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

23 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $23,592 $34,596 $48,144
5 Years After Graduation $29,169 $38,967 $53,921
10 Years After Graduation $37,430 $49,118 $67,343

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $38,967 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in IL, which has a cost-of-living index of 91.8% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $38,967 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9180) = $42,448 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates of the Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services program at Parkland College can expect a steady earnings trajectory over time. One year after graduation, the median earnings are reported at $34,596, increasing to $38,967 after five years and reaching $49,118 by the ten-year mark. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary aligns more closely with a national equivalent of $42,447.71, indicating that while initial earnings may be modest, there is potential for growth that outpaces inflation over time.

The majority of graduates find employment in the Health Care & Social Assistance sector, with 41.7% entering this field immediately after graduation. This figure remains significant over the years, with 39.7% and 32.7% continuing in similar roles five and ten years later, respectively. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 23 years, suggesting that while the program offers a pathway into a growing industry, the return on investment may take considerable time to materialize.

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Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.