Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services at Ridgewater College
MN · Associate's Degree · CIP 51.35
Executive Summary
Graduates with a Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services degree from Ridgewater College earn a median salary of $28,622 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in MN, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $30,417. The degree typically pays for itself in 72.9 years.
Quick Insights
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
$20,649
Typical Career
$28,622
Top Performers
$38,226
Estimated break-even: 72.9 years.
Debt-to-Income Check
$191
Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment
Typical monthly pay is approximately $2,385. Most students can comfortably afford about a $191 monthly loan payment with this degree.
Comparison Bench
This degree earns 0.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.4x more than the average college graduate.
Purchasing Power Context
A dollar in Minnesota buys what costs $0.94 nationally.
Industry Breadcrumbs
Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Manufacturing, Retail Trade.
Where Associate's Graduates from This School Work
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
$30,417
Nominal: $28,622 in Minnesota (COL 94.1% of national avg) · 6.3% 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).
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 | $19,539 | $26,449 | $37,041 |
| 5 Years After Graduation | $20,649 | $28,622 | $38,226 |
| 10 Years After Graduation | $31,171 | $42,309 | $50,441 |
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 $28,622 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in MN, which has a cost-of-living index of 94.1% of the national average.
Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $28,622 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9410)
= $30,417 National Average equivalent.
COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →
Career Verdict
The primary industries for graduates are predominantly within Health Care & Social Assistance, with 56.0% entering this field immediately after graduation. This trend continues with 37.6% and 36.7% of graduates remaining in the same sector five and ten years later, respectively. However, the estimated break-even point compared to a high-school-only path is approximately 72.9 years, suggesting that while the field offers stable employment opportunities, the return on investment may be limited in the short to medium term.
Compare with Another School
See how the Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services degree at Ridgewater College stacks up against another institution side-by-side.
Ready to apply?
Start your application for Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Services at Ridgewater College.
Explore More
Other Degrees at Ridgewater College
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.