Acupuncturists are medical practitioners who practice the ancient art of acupuncture. Acupuncture is based on Chinese medicine, and it involves inserting needles into the body in specific locations to stimulate the nervous, endocrine and other bodily systems. Acupuncture has been a mainstay of medical practitioners in China and throughout the Far East for centuries, and it has been studied and adapted to some extent in Western medicine, especially for use in pain control and addictive behavior.
Education and Training
The educational background of acupuncturists varies significantly. Most acupuncturists trained in the U.S. have a diploma or certificate from an acupuncture school (requires 16 months to six years) or have earned a Master of Acupuncture degree (four to five years total study) or a Master of Chinese/Oriental Traditional Medicine degree (five to six years total study). Acupuncturists who trained in China or elsewhere in the Far East usually have an OMD (Oriental Medicine Doctor) or CMD (Chinese Medical Doctor) degree.
Average Salaries
According to Indeed, the average annual acupuncturist salary in the U.S. as of November 2010 is $94,000. According to Payscale, the range for average annual acupuncturist salaries in the U.S. is $37,642 to $161,034.
Average Salary in Selected States
Based on a 2010 online survey of acupuncturists by Allied Health World, Mississippi had the highest average salary of any state for the profession at $121,000. Utah had the lowest at $74,000. The average salary in Alabama was $102,000, in Arkansas $84,000, California $94,000, Connecticut $92,000, Florida $92,000, Hawaii $77,000, Idaho $79,000, Nevada $90,000, New York $111,000, South Carolina $84,000, Texas $90,000, Washington $84,000, and Wisconsin $77,000.
State Licensing
One of the reasons that the average salary varies so much is that some states have licensing requirements (licensed acupuncturists generally charge more). Forty states and the District of Columbia require licensing of acupuncturists. These states issue licenses based on an exam given by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. Applicants for certification must be at least 18 and have fulfilled current training requirements, passed the written and point-location exams and have completed training in clean needle techniques.
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