Acupuncturists vs Athletic Trainers
Side-by-side salary and career comparison using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Acupuncturists
$78,140
median annual salary
Athletic Trainers
$60,250
median annual salary
Acupuncturists earns $17,890 more per year (30% higher)
Salary & Career Comparison
| Metric | Acupuncturists | Athletic Trainers |
|---|---|---|
| Median Salary | $78,140 | $60,250 |
| Median Hourly | $37.57/hr | N/A |
| Mean Salary | $89,750 | $63,960 |
| 10th Percentile | $41,840 | $45,380 |
| 90th Percentile | $158,540 | $84,100 |
| Total Employment | 8,440 | 28,950 |
| Job Growth (2023–2033) | +6.8% | +11.1% |
| Annual Openings | 0.9 | 2.4 |
| Education | Master's degree | Master's degree |
| Work Experience | None | None |
Salary by State
States where both occupations have reported wage data, sorted by salary difference.
| State | Acupuncturists | Athletic Trainers | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | $183,530 | $58,410 | +$125,120 |
| Michigan | $153,350 | $58,550 | +$94,800 |
| Massachusetts | $135,250 | $63,720 | +$71,530 |
| Minnesota | $124,640 | $64,340 | +$60,300 |
| Kentucky | $82,220 | $51,550 | +$30,670 |
| New York | $93,610 | $63,850 | +$29,760 |
| Arizona | $87,780 | $58,270 | +$29,510 |
| New Hampshire | $83,110 | $55,180 | +$27,930 |
| Missouri | $80,360 | $54,340 | +$26,020 |
| District of Columbia | $97,080 | $74,990 | +$22,090 |
| New Mexico | $83,220 | $62,300 | +$20,920 |
| North Carolina | $73,100 | $52,980 | +$20,120 |
| Alaska | $82,040 | $62,740 | +$19,300 |
| Maryland | $78,080 | $60,840 | +$17,240 |
| Indiana | $73,850 | $57,750 | +$16,100 |
| Texas | $82,170 | $66,430 | +$15,740 |
| Wisconsin | $74,450 | $60,520 | +$13,930 |
| Washington | $73,420 | $60,350 | +$13,070 |
| New Jersey | $86,550 | $77,350 | +$9,200 |
| Maine | $66,320 | $58,140 | +$8,180 |
Showing top 20 of 24 states.
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Common Questions
Which pays more, Acupuncturists or Athletic Trainers?
Acupuncturists pays more, with a median annual salary of $78,140 compared to $60,250 — a difference of $17,890 per year.
Which has better job outlook?
Athletic Trainers has faster projected growth at 11.1% from 2023 to 2033, compared to 6.8% for Acupuncturists.
Where does this data come from?
All salary data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2024 release. Job outlook data comes from the BLS Employment Projections program covering 2023-2033.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024.