Acupuncturists

Health Science · Therapeutic Services

Bright outlookJob zone 5: extensive preparationO*NET 29-1291.00

Pay and outlook shown for

median pay per year, Texas (no San Antonio figure is published for this career)

$31k10th$67kMedian$90k90th

New workers start near $31,470; experienced workers reach $90,420

Job outlook

U.S. projection, 2024 to 2034.

Employment change: +7%; nationwide
Openings a year: 900; nationwide, from growth and people leaving
Employed in 2024: 15,300; nationwide

Typical entry education: Master's degree

Alamo Colleges programs that lead here

No program is mapped to this career yet. Many careers start from a transfer pre-major or a related program.

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Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

Active Listening4.0
Critical Thinking3.9
Social Perceptiveness3.9
Service Orientation3.5
Speaking3.9
Judgment and Decision Making3.6
Reading Comprehension4.0
Monitoring3.5

What the work is

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.

Formulate herbal preparations to treat conditions considering herbal properties, such as taste, toxicity, effects of preparation, contraindications, and incompatibilities.
Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
Maintain detailed and complete records of health care plans and prognoses.
Dispense herbal formulas and inform patients of dosages and frequencies, treatment duration, possible side effects, and drug interactions.
Consider Western medical procedures in health assessment, health care team communication, and care referrals.
Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

Master's degree77%
Doctoral or professional23%

Job zone 5, extensive preparation: A graduate or professional degree, usually after a bachelor's.

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