Acupuncturist salary
From 97 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 29-1291: Acupuncturists
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 40% of Acupuncturist filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Median up 49% since FY2020. From $62,774 in FY2020 to $93,600 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Acupuncturist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 97 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Acupuncturist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 29-1291, Acupuncturists). The median base salary is $72,800, 41% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $63,253 and $90,646. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 40% of filings.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 40% of filings
Mid-level · 31% of filings
Senior · 16% of filings
Expert · 12% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $64,480 | 39 |
| Level II · Qualified | $72,400 | 30 |
| Level III · Experienced | $93,600 | 16 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $114,837 | 12 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Acupuncturist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 2 metro areas
| Metro area | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| New York, NY | $79,040 | 31 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $53,206 | 12 |
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Acupuncturist does
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.
Typical 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.
Preparation
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
O*NET occupation: Acupuncturists (29-1291.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Acupuncturists), the median annual wage was $76,040 in May 2025, with 7,830 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $72,800, 4% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $50,968 | $38,830 |
| 25th percentile | $63,253 | $55,380 |
| Median | $72,800 | $76,040 |
| 75th percentile | $90,646 | $102,280 |
| 90th percentile | $114,837 | $161,470 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $50,968 |
| 25th | $63,253 |
| 50th (median) | $72,800 |
| 75th | $90,646 |
| 90th | $114,837 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $62,774 | $53,446 | $83,200 | 11 |
| FY2021 | $61,298 | $54,704 | $74,100 | 11 |
| FY2022 | $73,143 | $61,360 | $83,200 | 20 |
| FY2023 | $62,400 | $56,160 | $83,200 | 29 |
| FY2024 | $62,827 | $55,848 | $72,200 | 44 |
| FY2025 | $70,000 | $60,840 | $79,040 | 61 |
| FY2026 | $93,600 | $72,600 | $114,837 | 36 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Acupuncturist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Acupuncturist jobs is $72,800 (97 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $63,253 and $90,646.
What does an entry-level Acupuncturist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $64,480. Level I accounts for 40% of Acupuncturist filings.
Do H-1B Acupuncturists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($72,800) is 4% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($76,040, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.