Somatic Bodywork at Pacific College of Health and Science

Pacific College's somatic bodywork certificate ranks in the 66th percentile nationally—solidly above average—but falls below the Illinois median of $22,062. More importantly, the program's $21,955 median earnings place graduates in the bottom 40% statewide, trailing competitors like Midwest Technical Institute by nearly $2,000 annually. With 58% of students receiving Pell grants, this modest earnings outcome matters: every thousand dollars counts when you're starting at around $22,000 annually.

The silver lining is the debt picture. At $12,271, graduates owe roughly $4,750 more than the state average, but the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 remains manageable—you'd pay roughly 7 months of gross income to clear this debt. Compared to many certificate programs that saddle students with far worse ratios, this creates a realistic path to becoming debt-free relatively quickly.

For families considering this program, the calculation is straightforward: your child can enter this field without catastrophic debt, but should expect below-median Illinois earnings in a career where income starts low across the board. If bodywork is the goal, several Illinois competitors deliver similar training with less debt or slightly better earnings. The program works as an affordable entry point, but not as the state's strongest value proposition in this field.