HEALTH Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Acupuncturists

Projected to grow +8.6% through 2035, Acupuncturists is expanding faster than most occupations. Median pay is $76,040, and early movers in a growing field often advance faster.

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About Acupuncturists

This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a acupuncturists: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Alternative Medicine and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.

Diagnose, treat, and prevent disorders by stimulating specific acupuncture points within the body using acupuncture needles. May also use cups, nutritional supplements, therapeutic massage, acupressure, and other alternative health therapies.

Median Wage: $76,040
Employed Nationally: 8K
Openings / Year: 800
Entry Education: Master's degree
Job Zone: Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Also known as:

Acupressure Therapist Acupressurist Acupuncture Doctor Acupuncture Physician Acupuncture Provider

How Much Do Acupuncturists Make?

Most acupuncturists take home around $76,040 a year, above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $55,380 and $102,280, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.

A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.

$76,040

National Median (Annual)

Above the national median for college graduates.

$55K–$102K

Middle 50% Range

25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.

Earnings Range

$55,380 Entry-level

$76,040 Median

$102,280 Experienced

The mean wage for this occupation is $87,020, above the median. A concentration of very high earners pulls the average up. The median is the better gauge of typical pay.

What Do Acupuncturists Do?

This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.

What You'll Do

Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
Identify correct anatomical and proportional point locations based on patients' anatomy and positions, contraindications, and precautions related to treatments, such as intradermal needles, moxibustion, electricity, guasha, or bleeding.
Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.

Core Skills Employers Look For

Active Listening Critical Thinking Social Perceptiveness Service Orientation Speaking

Who Thrives Here

Social

Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.

Investigative

This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.

Realistic

Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.

Where Do Acupuncturists Work?

What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.

Work Setting

Mixed

Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.

Physical Demands

Light

Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.

Stress Level

Moderate

Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.

What Is the Job Outlook for Acupuncturists?

Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +8.6%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 800 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.

Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.

↗ +8.6%

10-Year Growth (2025–2035)

Faster than average.

800

Annual Openings

New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.

Currently Employed

Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.

Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.

Where the Jobs Are

The five states below employ the most Acupuncturists professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $76,040 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.

#	State	Jobs	Median Wage	vs. National
1	California	2,520	$75,530	-0.7%
2	New York	1,160	$86,120	+13.3%
3	Florida	900	$69,990	-8.0%
4	Oregon	360	$64,870	-14.7%
5	North Carolina	320	$76,500	+0.6%

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →

How to Get Here

To get hired here you will usually need a master's degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.

Typical Entry Education Master's degree

Job Zone

Zone 5: Extensive Preparation

Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.

Degree Programs That Lead Here

#	Program	Graduates/yr	4yr Median	Colleges
1	Alternative Medicine	3,431	$40,222	98

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Top Colleges for Aspiring Acupuncturists

Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.

#	College	UCD Score	Net Price	Salary 10yr
1	Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Skokie Skokie, IL	80	—	$44,136
2	American College of Healthcare Sciences Portland, OR	79	$23,782	—
3	Pacific College of Health and Science Chicago, IL	76	—	$26,209
4	Red Rocks Community College Lakewood, CO	75	$9,044	$46,288
5	Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Gurabo, PR	74	$7,051	$26,223
6	Saint Louis University Saint Louis, MO	73	$24,398	$70,783

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Plan Your Path

Once you've sized up Acupuncturists, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.

College ROI Calculator

See if the degree that leads to Acupuncturists pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.

College Cost Calculator

Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.

Compare Colleges

Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.

College Match Quiz

Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.

Acupuncturists Pros & Cons

Strong earnings and growing demand make Acupuncturists a compelling path. The 3 strengths and 2 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.

PROS

Above-average pay At $76,040 median annually, this career pays meaningfully more than most college-graduate roles. Financial return on education is typically strong.
Fast-growing field At +8.6% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $102,280 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.

CONS

High education requirement Most employers require a master's degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
Entry-level pay well below the national median The 25th percentile wage of $55,380 is considerably below the $76,040 median. Early-career workers typically spend 5 or more years building toward typical pay. Factor this into any program ROI calculation.

Acupuncturists Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Acupuncturists professionals earn?

Around $76,040 a year for the typical worker, above the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $55,380 and $102,280. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.

Is Acupuncturists a good career?

Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $76,040 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Job growth of +8.6% through 2035 means demand is real. The harder question is whether the education investment at your specific program will pay off. School selection matters enormously at this preparation level.

How long does it take to work as Acupuncturists?

Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A master's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Alternative Medicine are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $76,040 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.

Is a master's degree worth it to become an Acupuncturists?

It depends heavily on program cost. At $76,040 median, expensive graduate school debt can take 20 or more years to recover. In-state public schools, employer-sponsored programs, or income-driven repayment make the strongest case. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.

What is the job outlook for Acupuncturists?

Employment is projected to change by +8.6% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 800 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 8K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.

What skills do Acupuncturists professionals need?

Mainly Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, and Speaking. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.