SOC 29-1291.00Bright outlook

    Acupuncturists

    Diagnose, treat, and prevent disorders by stimulating specific acupuncture points within the body using acupuncture needles.

    Median pay
    $76,040
    Growth
    +8.6%
    Much faster than average
    Openings a year
    800
    Typical education
    Master's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $38,830
    Median
    $76,040
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $161,470
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    7,830 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Acupuncturists treat and prevent physical disorders by stimulating specific points on the body, often using needles and alternative therapies. The career offers a median annual pay of $76,040 and is experiencing rapid employment growth.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What acupuncturists do

    Job Zone 5: Extensive preparation

    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.

    Most need a graduate degree, such as a master's, PhD, MD or JD.

    What the work is like

    Acupuncturists spend their days diagnosing and treating patients to improve their physical well-being. They insert acupuncture needles into precise points on the body and may also utilize cups, nutritional supplements, acupressure, and therapeutic massage. This role is highly social and focuses on assisting and caring for others. Practitioners must gather detailed patient information, make clinical decisions, and solve complex health problems.

    Succeeding in this field requires strong skills in active listening, critical thinking, service orientation, and social perceptiveness. Acupuncturists must communicate clearly and understand human psychology, biology, medicine, and counseling. The work demands high attention to detail, empathy, dependability, and cautiousness to ensure patient safety. Beyond direct patient care, practitioners handle administrative tasks, organize their schedules, and maintain professional relationships with the public.

    How to get there

    Entering this career typically requires extensive preparation, including a graduate degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that a master's degree is the typical entry-level education, though some practitioners hold a PhD or an MD. Students preparing for this field often major in alternative and complementary medicine and medical systems.

    To practice, professionals can earn the Diplomate in Acupuncture certification from the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Additionally, some states list a license for this work, so candidates should check local regulations.

    Pay and outlook explained

    In 2025, the median annual pay for acupuncturists was $76,040. Individual earnings vary significantly based on experience and location, with the lowest 10% earning less than $38,830 and the highest 10% earning more than $161,470. There are currently 7,830 people employed in this field. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 8.6%, which is much faster than average. This growth is expected to result in approximately 800 job openings each year.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R)
    63 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    75 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    18 / 100
    Social (S) · strongest
    78 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    10 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    34 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code SIR. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    93
    Documenting/Recording Information
    89
    Getting Information
    83
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    82
    Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
    81
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    80
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    79
    Performing Administrative Activities
    69
    Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
    66
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    66
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Service Orientation
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Speaking
    • Judgment and Decision Making
    • Complex Problem Solving
    • Monitoring
    • Reading Comprehension
    • Active Learning

    Knowledge

    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Medicine and Dentistry
    • Psychology
    • Biology
    • English Language
    • Administrative
    • Therapy and Counseling
    • Administration and Management
    • Education and Training
    • Sales and Marketing

    Abilities

    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Oral Expression
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Written Comprehension
    • Inductive Reasoning
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Finger Dexterity
    • Speech Clarity

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Empathy
    • Cautiousness
    • Integrity
    • Sincerity
    • Cooperation
    • Self-Control
    • Intellectual Curiosity
    • Optimism

    Also called

    Acupressure Therapist · Acupressurist · Acupuncture Doctor · Acupuncture Physician · Acupuncture Provider · Acupuncturist · Auricular Acupuncturist · Auricular Detoxification Specialist · Auricular Therapist · Chinese Medical Doctor (Chinese MD)

    Career pathway

    From your interests to acupuncturists

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Acupuncturists$76,040 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1Metropolitan State University of Denver logo
      Metropolitan State University of Denver

      Denver, CO · Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $33,605
      4 yrs after
      $45,766
      Median debt
      $19,000
    2. 2Ashford University logo
      Ashford University

      San Diego, CA · Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $43,308
      4 yrs after
      $44,036
      Median debt
      $40,444
    3. 3Vermont Technical College logo
      Vermont Technical College

      Randolph, VT · Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $40,273
      Median debt
      $26,636
    4. 4Everglades University logo
      Everglades University

      Boca Raton, FL · Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $31,786
      4 yrs after
      $36,960
      Median debt
      $40,291

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What acupuncturists may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    51 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about acupuncturists

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What alternative job titles do acupuncturists use?

    Professionals in this field are also known as acupressure therapists, acupuncture physicians, auricular therapists, or Chinese medical doctors.

    What are some related careers in healthcare?

    Related professions that focus on patient care and therapy include naturopathic physicians, chiropractors, massage therapists, and physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians.

    What certification is available for acupuncturists?

    Practitioners can obtain the Diplomate in Acupuncture certification, which is issued by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.