Explore
Private practice
Acupuncturist
A master's degree, and then you build the practice yourself.
Typical pay
$45k-$95k
How you get in
3-4 year master's plus NCCAOM certification
Outlook
Growing with integrative and pain-management demand
Acupuncturists treat pain and other conditions using needling and related East Asian medicine techniques. Licensure requires a three to four year master's, and almost everyone ends up self-employed.
A day in the life
- 9:00aSet treatment rooms, review intake forms
- 9:30aIntake and treatment, about an hour per patient
- 12:00pLunch and herb inventory
- 1:00pAfternoon treatments, often four or five
- 5:00pNotes and insurance billing
- 6:00pMarketing and community outreach — the practice does not fill itself
How to get in
Master's in acupuncture
Duration
3-4 years after a bachelor's
Cost
$40,000-$100,000
Credential
NCCAOM certification plus state license
- Complete undergraduate prerequisites — a full bachelor's is not always required
- Complete an ACAHM-accredited master's program with clinical hours
- Pass the NCCAOM board exams
- Get state licensed, then open a practice or join an existing clinic
Add Chinese herbal medicine
Duration
1 additional year
Cost
$10,000-$30,000
Credential
NCCAOM herbal certification
- Complete the acupuncture master's
- Add the herbal medicine specialization
- Sell and prescribe herbal formulas alongside treatment
- Meaningfully increases revenue per patient
Integrative clinic employment
Duration
Same training
Cost
$40,000-$100,000
Credential
License plus NCCAOM
- Complete licensure
- Join a physical therapy, chiropractic or integrative medical practice
- Take a salary or split instead of building your own patient base
- Lower ceiling, far lower risk than solo practice
What people love
- · Full autonomy over your practice and approach
- · Low overhead compared to most healthcare
- · Growing insurance coverage for pain treatment
- · Deep, ongoing patient relationships
What wears people down
- · Master's degree for modest and variable income
- · Building a patient base takes years
- · Insurance coverage is inconsistent by state and plan
- · Scope of practice varies widely by state