For eager newcomers trying to hustle a life in New York City, there are certain time-honored means of staying afloat: foaming lattes as a barista, selling books at the Strand, or shepherding spaniels as a paid dog walker.

Now, it seems, they can add to that list professional cuddler.

In recent years, cuddling — billed as therapeutic, nonsexual touch on sites like the Snuggle Buddies and Cuddlist — has become the latest thing in wellness, beyond yoga and meditation.

A quasi movement that dates back more than a decade thanks to snuggle mixers sponsored by the nonprofit group Cuddle Party has morphed into a cuddle-for-hire industry of one-on-one sessions.

For $79, practitioners who sign up for Cuddlist, for example, receive about 10 hours of training. Once trained, pro cuddlers promise a physical and psychic salve through spooning, arm tickling and deep embraces. Think of it as a blend of talk therapy, yoga and improvisational bodywork, the free jazz equivalent of massage.