Acupuncturists: Job Description
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.
Featured schools near , edit
What Tasks Do Acupuncturists Perform?
The core tasks performed by acupuncturists cover:
- 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.
- Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.
- Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health.
- Collect medical histories and general health and lifestyle information from patients.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective acupuncturists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Acupressure Therapist
- Acupressurist
- Acupuncture Doctor
- Acupuncture Physician
- Acupuncture Provider
- Acupuncturist
- Auricular Acupuncturist
- Auricular Detoxification Specialist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 3,333,926 acupuncturists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +5.2% over the projection horizon.
Acupuncturists Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $102,425 |
| Hourly median | $49.24 |
| 10th percentile | $56,859 |
| 25th percentile | $79,642 |
| 75th percentile | $125,208 |
| 90th percentile | $147,992 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Florida | $183,530 |
| Michigan | $153,350 |
| Massachusetts | $135,250 |
| Minnesota | $124,640 |
| District of Columbia | $97,080 |
| New York | $93,610 |
| Arizona | $87,780 |
| New Jersey | $86,550 |
| New Mexico | $83,220 |
| New Hampshire | $83,110 |
| Kentucky | $82,220 |
| Texas | $82,170 |
| Alaska | $82,040 |
| Missouri | $80,360 |
| Maryland | $78,080 |
| California | $77,640 |
| Wisconsin | $74,450 |
| Indiana | $73,850 |
| Washington | $73,420 |
| North Carolina | $73,100 |
| Maine | $66,320 |
| Oregon | $63,620 |
| Georgia | $60,440 |
| Idaho | $37,430 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for acupuncturists vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $107,678 | 3.2% | 0.96 |
| Plains States | $105,267 | 6.9% | 1.03 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,550 | 7.8% | 1.54 |
| Far Western US | $74,610 | 70.7% | 2.99 |
| Great Lakes | $74,450 | 1.9% | 0.56 |
| Southeast | $69,482 | 7.5% | 0.79 |
| Rocky Mountains | $37,430 | 1.9% | 1.99 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | FL | $190,060 | |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $135,260 | 60 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $128,940 | 40 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $126,600 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $106,710 | 210 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $97,360 | |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $97,080 | |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | CA | $96,560 |
Which Industries Hire Acupuncturists
The largest employers of acupuncturists are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 7,450 | $77,780 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 500 | n/a |
| Educational Services | 250 | $63,780 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Acupuncturists Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for acupuncturists reflects the following characteristics:
- Physical Proximity
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Education and Training
Most acupuncturists positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Primary-Short)
- Physical Therapists (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Primary-Long)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Supplemental)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
- Family Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
- General Internal Medicine Physicians (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Aspiring acupuncturists often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists).
GradDegree.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© GradDegree.com – All Rights Reserved.