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The national median salary for Acupuncturists is $76,045 per year ($36.56/hr) according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025. The middle 50% of earners make between $55,390 and $102,274 annually. Top earners at the 90th percentile reach $161,470 per year. There are approximately 7,830 acupuncturists employed in the United States.
About This Role
BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018
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.
Career Outlook
BLS Employment Projections · 2024-2034
10-year growth
+6.8%
Faster than average
Annual openings
900
per year, on avg
Workforce today
15K
as of 2024
Why those openings exist
11% from new growth89% from people leaving the role
Most openings come from replacement, not growth. Retention matters more than recruiting here.
Typical entry requirements
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Industry Wage Breakdown
Top 5 industries by employment · median annual wage, sector-specific
Industry
Workforce
Median Pay
Offices of Other Health Practitioners
NAICS 621300
6K
$66,300
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
NAICS 611300
270
$61,210
Outpatient Care Centers
NAICS 621400
230
$119,750
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals
NAICS 622100
170
$108,070
Employment Services
NAICS 561300
50
$100,920
Wage range across top 5 industries: $61,210 to $119,750 (96% spread)
Wage Percentiles
Hourly & annualized (2,080 hours)
Percentile
Hourly Rate
Annual Salary
P10
$18.67
$38,834
P25
$26.63
$55,390
P50MEDIAN
$36.56
$76,045
P75
$49.17
$102,274
P90
$77.63
$161,470
Market Context Signal
JOLTS · health sector
Hot
Openings Rate
5.4%
Quits Rate
1.9%
Health Care & Social Assistance openings rebounded to 1.36M (+87K) in March with rate at 5.4%. Hires rose to 700K (+75K). The sector remains structurally tight; compensation pressure persists for clinical roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average acupuncturists salary?
The national median salary for Acupuncturists is $76,045 per year ($36.56/hr) according to BLS OEWS May 2025 data. The middle 50% earn between $55,390 and $102,274 annually.
How much do top-earning acupuncturists make?
The 90th percentile salary for Acupuncturists is $161,470 per year ($77.63/hr). The 75th percentile is $102,274 per year.
What is the entry-level salary for acupuncturists?
Entry-level Acupuncturists (10th percentile) earn approximately $38,834 per year ($18.67/hr). The 25th percentile is $55,390 per year.
Wage figures on this page come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2025 release. OEWS surveys roughly 1.1 million establishments annually. It is the most comprehensive employer-reported wage dataset in the United States.
P10 through P90 percentiles represent the wage distribution across all surveyed employers (not self-reported by workers). Geographic adjustments use BLS-derived cost multipliers calibrated from regional wage variation.
Wages are estimates. Individual compensation depends on experience, education, employer size, industry, and negotiation. Use this as benchmark context, not absolute ground truth.
CompSignal is a free labor market intelligence tool built for HR, compensation, and talent acquisition teams. We make BLS data, the same primary source Mercer and Radford cross-reference in their paid surveys, searchable and actionable without an enterprise subscription.
Built and maintained by Falcon Incentives, a compensation strategy and incentive design consultancy.