Somatic Bodywork at Cortiva Institute

Cortiva Institute's somatic bodywork program lands squarely in the middle of Maryland's massage therapy landscape—with one crucial advantage. First-year graduates earn $23,356, exactly matching the state median but outperforming three-quarters of similar programs nationwide. More importantly, the program carries just $8,444 in debt, giving it one of the lowest debt-to-earnings ratios in the field at 0.36. For comparison, Fortis Institute graduates earn more initially ($29,449) but likely carry substantially higher debt loads to get there.

The earnings trajectory tells a realistic story about the profession: graduates see modest 12% growth to $26,085 by year four. This isn't spectacular career growth, but it's steady improvement in a field where income often depends on building a client base over time. With three-quarters of students receiving Pell grants, this program clearly serves students who need affordable entry into healthcare work without gambling on massive debt.

For an anxious parent, here's what matters: your child can enter the bodywork field for under $9,000 in debt and start earning immediately. The program won't make them wealthy, but it delivers what it promises—professional certification at a manageable cost with earnings that, while modest, consistently beat national averages. If your child is genuinely interested in therapeutic bodywork, this represents a low-risk path into the field.