Naturopathic Physicians: Career Profile
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals. May use physiological, psychological or mechanical methods. May also use natural medicines, prescription or legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other natural remedies.
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The Daily Work of Naturopathic Physicians Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of naturopathic physicians span:
- Document patients' histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
- Educate patients about health care management.
- Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
- Conduct physical examinations and physiological function tests for diagnostic purposes.
- Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
- Interview patients to document symptoms and health histories.
- Diagnose health conditions, based on patients' symptoms and health histories, laboratory and diagnostic radiology test results, or other physiological measurements, such as electrocardiograms and electroencephalographs.
- Administer treatments or therapies, such as homeopathy, hydrotherapy, Oriental or Ayurvedic medicine, electrotherapy, and diathermy, using physical agents including air, heat, cold, water, sound, or ultraviolet light to catalyze the body to heal itself.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful naturopathic physicians combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Other Naturopathic Physicians Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Doctor (Dr)
- Naturopath
- Naturopathic Doctor
- Naturopathic Endocrinologist
- Naturopathic Medicine Doctor
- Naturopathic Oncologist
- Naturopathic Oncology Provider
- Physician
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 2,491,795 naturopathic physicians working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +6.6% over the projection horizon.
Naturopathic Physicians Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $138,086 |
| Hourly median | $66.39 |
| 10th percentile | $88,826 |
| 25th percentile | $113,456 |
| 75th percentile | $162,716 |
| 90th percentile | $187,346 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $160,560 |
| District of Columbia | $145,480 |
| Virginia | $128,940 |
| Montana | $124,550 |
| Georgia | $123,840 |
| California | $118,210 |
| New York | $117,190 |
| Hawaii | $116,800 |
| Utah | $113,730 |
| North Carolina | $112,590 |
| Missouri | $111,050 |
| Maine | $108,020 |
| Washington | $107,100 |
| Massachusetts | $104,770 |
| Wisconsin | $104,330 |
| Minnesota | $104,100 |
| Connecticut | $102,150 |
| Texas | $101,420 |
| New Jersey | $100,900 |
| Wyoming | $99,570 |
| Nevada | $98,740 |
| Ohio | $96,700 |
| New Mexico | $96,660 |
| Vermont | $94,450 |
| Alaska | $94,000 |
| Alabama | $92,750 |
| West Virginia | $92,750 |
| Kentucky | $89,860 |
| Nebraska | $89,380 |
| Illinois | $88,730 |
| Michigan | $88,000 |
| Rhode Island | $87,050 |
| Tennessee | $86,940 |
| North Dakota | $86,940 |
| Iowa | $86,830 |
| Colorado | $86,740 |
| Oregon | $85,840 |
| Louisiana | $84,640 |
| Kansas | $83,510 |
| Mississippi | $82,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,720 |
| Arizona | $79,990 |
| Indiana | $79,790 |
| Arkansas | $79,790 |
| South Dakota | $79,790 |
| New Hampshire | $79,730 |
| South Carolina | $66,950 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for naturopathic physicians shift depending on where you work. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $145,220 | 29.7% | 8.73 |
| Southeast | $110,915 | 21.9% | 1.94 |
| Far Western US | $108,986 | 12.1% | 0.83 |
| Rocky Mountains | $97,978 | 4.2% | 1.19 |
| Plains States | $97,753 | 4.9% | 0.69 |
| New England | $95,500 | 8.5% | 4.06 |
| Great Lakes | $91,446 | 11.3% | 0.74 |
| Southwest | $88,248 | 7.1% | 0.56 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | NC | $179,960 | 190 |
| Missoula, MT | MT | $177,610 | 30 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $162,610 | 6,330 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $149,070 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $137,240 | 220 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $137,180 | 240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $132,790 | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $131,120 | 2,530 |
Which Industries Hire Naturopathic Physicians
The largest employers of naturopathic physicians are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 1,010 | $78,630 |
| Finance and Insurance | 130 | $111,260 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 100 | $67,000 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 90 | $90,250 |
| Manufacturing | 40 | $105,930 |
| Wholesale Trade | 30 | $134,830 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Naturopathic Physicians Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for naturopathic physicians reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Primary-Short)
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Long)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Supplemental)
- Family Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Aspiring naturopathic physicians commonly pursue programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
14 programs across 3 majors
References
Data on this page comes 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: 29-1299.01 (Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other).