Somatic Bodywork at WellSpring School of Allied Health-Lawrence

At $22,913 in first-year earnings against $17,937 in debt, WellSpring's Lawrence campus lands squarely in the middle of the pack nationally but performs slightly better than most Kansas programs in the field. The 0.78 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates will shoulder roughly 9-10 months of their first year's income to repay loans—manageable compared to many associate programs, though bodywork careers generally start at modest income levels. With 55% of students receiving Pell grants, this program serves a population where every dollar of debt matters.

The concerning element here is that this program's debt sits at the 75th percentile nationally while earnings hit exactly the median. Put simply: graduates leave with more debt than three-quarters of similar programs while earning what half of them earn. Kansas programs collectively keep debt lower than the national average, which helps, but $17,937 is still substantial when you're starting just under $23,000 annually. For context, bodywork practitioners often work part-time initially while building a client base, meaning actual take-home may fall short of these figures in the early years.

This program makes sense primarily for students passionate about hands-on therapeutic work who understand they're trading higher immediate earnings for a career focused on helping others. The debt load is reasonable enough to repay, but expect a tight budget in those first few years after graduation.