29 Series · SOC 29-1291

Acupuncturists Salary

National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).

$76,040
Median / year
$161,470
Top 10% earn
+6.8%
Growth '23–'33
7,830
US workers

Acupuncturists earn a median of $76,040 per year.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $76,040, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,830 (10th percentile) to $161,470 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 7,830 US workers. Tennessee pays the most ($141,430), since pay varies by state and metro area.

29 Series · Source: BLS OEWS Compare with another job →
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The pay verdict

Acupuncturists earn a median of $76,040, putting them above the typical US occupation and higher than 67% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Healthcare Practitioners and Technical, it ranks #50 of 71 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 6.8% by 2033.

$76,040
Median annual wage
Top 33%
of 825 US occupations with published wages
#50 of 71
in Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
4.2×
90th-to-10th pay spread

Highest-paying state: Tennessee at $141,430. Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.

Acupuncturists (SOC 29-1291) pays a national median of $76,040 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,830 at the 10th percentile to $161,470 at the 90th, with a mean of $87,020 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 7,830 Americans work in this occupation across 24 reporting states and 25 metro areas.

BLS Employment Projections forecast a +6.8% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as faster than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 900 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Master's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 0.7 per 100,000 and injury rate of 1.5 per 100.

Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Tennessee pays the highest state median at $141,430, which is +86% above the national figure. The top metro is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $107,880 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.

BLS OEWS May 2025 7,830 jobs Median $76,040/yr

Median Salary

$76,040

per year

Median Hourly

$36.56/hr

per hour

Mean Salary

$87,020

average

Employment

7,830

jobs nationwide

How does this pay compare nationally?

Where Acupuncturists pay sits nationally

Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median

$76,040 Top 33% higher than 67% of 825 US occupations

$0–$20,000: 0 US occupations (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 98 US occupations (12%). Below this entry. $40,000–$60,000: 298 US occupations (36%). Below this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 209 US occupations (25%). This entry sits in this band. $80,000–$100,000: 82 US occupations (10%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 58 US occupations (7%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 32 US occupations (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 14 US occupations (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 9 US occupations (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 25 US occupations (3%). Above this entry. This job $0 $200,000 every BLS occupation, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025

Does this job pay well and grow?

Each dot is a 29-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Acupuncturists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Acupuncturists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.8% growth and $76,040 median pay.

Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Acupuncturists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.8% growth and $76,040 median pay. Scatter plot of 25 data points. $0$50000$100000$150000$200000$250000$300000 0%10%20%30%40%50% Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) Median annual wage
Among 25 29-series occupations with growth data, Acupuncturists sits on the faster-growing side at +6.8% growth and $76,040 median pay.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).

Job Outlook (2024–2034)

Projected Growth

+6.8%

Faster than average

Annual Openings

900

per year (projected)

Typical Education

Master's degree

Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034

Workplace Safety

All safety ratings →
A

Very Safe

Safety Grade (BLS 2023)

Fatality Rate

0.7/100K

Injury Rate

1.5/100

Danger Index

6.4/100

Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023

Career Intelligence

Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Acupuncturists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.

Top Skills

Active Listening 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.8
Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Service Orientation 3.8
Speaking 3.6
Judgment and Decision Making 3.5
Reading Comprehension 3.3
Monitoring 3.3
Complex Problem Solving 3.3
Writing 3.1

Knowledge Areas

Customer and Personal Service 4.5
Medicine and Dentistry 4.1
Psychology 3.8
Biology 3.7
English Language 3.6
Administrative 3.5
Therapy and Counseling 3.5
Administration and Management 3.4
Education and Training 3.3
Sales and Marketing 3.3

Key Tasks

  • ▸ Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
  • ▸ Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
  • ▸ Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
  • ▸ Identify correct anatomical and proportional point locations based on patients' anatomy and positions, contraindications, and precautions related to treatments, such as intradermal needles, moxibustion, electricity, guasha, or bleeding.
  • ▸ Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.
  • ▸ Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.
  • ▸ Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health.
  • ▸ Collect medical histories and general health and lifestyle information from patients.
  • ▸ Maintain detailed and complete records of health care plans and prognoses.
  • ▸ Educate patients on topics, such as meditation, ergonomics, stretching, exercise, nutrition, the healing process, breathing, or relaxation techniques.

Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.

Salary Range

Annual Salary Distribution

$38,830$55,380$76,040$102,280$161,470
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

Hourly Rate Distribution

$18.67$26.63$36.56$49.17$77.63
10th pct25thMedian75th90th pct

10th Percentile

$38,830

25th Percentile

$55,380

Median

$76,040

75th Percentile

$102,280

90th Percentile

$161,470

Salary by State

Highest Paying States

1. Tennessee $141,430 2. New Jersey $125,260 3. Indiana $120,490 4. Maryland $101,650 5. Massachusetts $93,360

Lowest Paying States

20. Colorado $56,950 21. Utah $58,620 22. Hawaii $64,570 23. Oregon $64,870 24. Michigan $65,490
View all 24 states →
# State Median Salary vs National
1 Tennessee $141,430 +86% above national
2 New Jersey $125,260 +65% above national
3 Indiana $120,490 +58% above national
4 Maryland $101,650 +34% above national
5 Massachusetts $93,360 +23% above national
6 Missouri $89,000 +17% above national
7 New York $86,120 +13% above national
8 Arizona $85,300 +12% above national
9 Kentucky $85,130 +12% above national
10 Wisconsin $84,820 +12% above national
11 Washington $83,200 +9% above national
12 Maine $83,040 +9% above national
13 New Hampshire $77,470 +2% above national
14 North Carolina $76,500 +1% above national
15 California $75,530 1% below national
16 Georgia $73,980 3% below national
17 Florida $69,990 8% below national
18 Minnesota $69,690 8% below national
19 Texas $66,530 13% below national
20 Michigan $65,490 14% below national
21 Oregon $64,870 15% below national
22 Hawaii $64,570 15% below national
23 Utah $58,620 23% below national
24 Colorado $56,950 25% below national

Salary by Metro Area

Highest Paying Metros

1. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $107,880 2. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $105,850 3. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $101,390 4. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $100,920 5. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $100,550

Lowest Paying Metros

21. Raleigh-Cary, NC $41,390 22. Eugene-Springfield, OR $51,740 23. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $52,000 24. Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $55,470 25. Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $58,620
View all 25 metro areas →
# Metro Area Median Salary vs National
1 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $107,880 +42% above national
2 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD $105,850 +39% above national
3 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $101,390 +33% above national
4 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV $100,920 +33% above national
5 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $100,550 +32% above national
6 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA $99,360 +31% above national
7 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $98,240 +29% above national
8 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA $91,350 +20% above national
9 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC $89,990 +18% above national
10 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $86,530 +14% above national
11 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN $85,130 +12% above national
12 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC $82,890 +9% above national
13 Madison, WI $81,700 +7% above national
14 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $74,860 2% below national
15 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $70,080 8% below national
16 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $67,210 12% below national
17 Urban Honolulu, HI $64,570 15% below national
18 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA $64,490 15% below national
19 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $64,420 15% below national
20 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $62,590 18% below national
21 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT $58,620 23% below national
22 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL $55,470 27% below national
23 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA $52,000 32% below national
24 Eugene-Springfield, OR $51,740 32% below national
25 Raleigh-Cary, NC $41,390 46% below national

Similar Occupations in the Same Category

Other roles in SOC major group 29 (healthcare practitioners) with comparable pay and career paths.

Anesthesiologists

SOC 29-1211

Athletic Trainers

SOC 29-9091

Audiologists

SOC 29-1181

Cardiologists

SOC 29-1212

Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

SOC 29-2031
Compare Acupuncturists side-by-side with another occupation →

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a Acupuncturists make? ▼
The median annual salary for Acupuncturists is $76,040 ($36.56/hour). The salary range spans from $38,830 at the 10th percentile to $161,470 at the 90th percentile.
What state pays Acupuncturists the most? ▼
Tennessee pays the highest median salary for Acupuncturists at $141,430/year, which is +86% above the national median.
What education do you need to become a Acupuncturists? ▼
The typical entry-level education for Acupuncturists is Master's degree.
How dangerous is being a Acupuncturists? ▼
Acupuncturists has a safety grade of A (Very Safe) based on BLS data. The fatality rate is 0.7 per 100,000 workers and the injury rate is 1.5 per 100 workers.
Is Acupuncturists a good career? ▼
Employment for Acupuncturists is projected to grow 6.8% from 2024 to 2034, which is faster than average. About 900 openings are projected each year.
How does Acupuncturists pay vary by state? ▼
Acupuncturists salaries vary significantly by state. The highest-paying state is Tennessee at $141,430/year, while Michigan pays the least at $65,490/year. BLS data covers 24 states and territories.
Which metro areas pay the most for Acupuncturists? ▼
The highest-paying metro area for Acupuncturists is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $107,880/year. BLS reports wage data for 25 metro areas for this occupation, with pay varying based on local demand and cost of living.

What to do with this data

How to use Acupuncturists pay figures in a real decision

  • For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $102,280/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
  • Location moves pay significantly: Tennessee leads at $141,430/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
  • Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs

These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.

Data as of May 2025. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 annual release. Employment projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024–2034. Data reflects cross-industry estimates for all ownership types.

These are survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. See how to use them.

Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.

This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.