Somatic Bodywork at Estelle Medical Academy

Estelle Medical Academy's somatic bodywork certificate presents a concerning combination: graduates earn about $5,000 less annually than Illinois peers and $2,400 below the national median, placing this program in the bottom quarter of similar offerings statewide. While starting earnings of $17,673 climb 32% by year four, that still only reaches $23,312—barely matching what top Illinois programs deliver in year one.

The good news is relatively low debt at $5,272, well under both state and national averages. However, even this manageable burden represents nearly four months of first-year income, and those initial earnings barely exceed minimum wage. Among the 33 Illinois massage therapy programs, competitors like Midwest Technical Institute and Soma Institute consistently produce graduates earning 25-30% more right out of the gate, suggesting better training or stronger employer connections.

For parents funding this certificate, the math is straightforward: your child would start thousands behind peers from nearby programs and would need several years of earnings growth just to catch up to where others begin. With robust enrollment data confirming these patterns, this isn't a sample size issue—it's a program that genuinely underperforms its local market. Unless there are compelling non-financial reasons to choose Estelle specifically, the stronger Illinois programs offer better career launching pads at similar or lower cost.