Naturopathic Physicians: Career Overview
Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals. May use physiological, psychological or mechanical methods. May also use natural medicines, prescription or legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other natural remedies.
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What Do Naturopathic Physicians Perform?
The core tasks performed by naturopathic physicians span:
- Document patients' histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
- Educate patients about health care management.
- Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
- Conduct physical examinations and physiological function tests for diagnostic purposes.
- Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
- Interview patients to document symptoms and health histories.
- Diagnose health conditions, based on patients' symptoms and health histories, laboratory and diagnostic radiology test results, or other physiological measurements, such as electrocardiograms and electroencephalographs.
- Administer treatments or therapies, such as homeopathy, hydrotherapy, Oriental or Ayurvedic medicine, electrotherapy, and diathermy, using physical agents including air, heat, cold, water, sound, or ultraviolet light to catalyze the body to heal itself.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective naturopathic physicians rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Doctor (Dr)
- Naturopath
- Naturopathic Doctor
- Naturopathic Endocrinologist
- Naturopathic Medicine Doctor
- Naturopathic Oncologist
- Naturopathic Oncology Provider
- Physician
How Many Naturopathic Physicians Are There?
There are roughly 2,491,795 naturopathic physicians working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +6.6% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Naturopathic Physicians
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $138,086 |
| Hourly median | $66.39 |
| 10th percentile | $88,826 |
| 25th percentile | $113,456 |
| 75th percentile | $162,716 |
| 90th percentile | $187,346 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Naturopathic Physicians Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Maryland | $160,560 |
| District of Columbia | $145,480 |
| Virginia | $128,940 |
| Montana | $124,550 |
| Georgia | $123,840 |
| California | $118,210 |
| New York | $117,190 |
| Hawaii | $116,800 |
| Utah | $113,730 |
| North Carolina | $112,590 |
| Missouri | $111,050 |
| Maine | $108,020 |
| Washington | $107,100 |
| Massachusetts | $104,770 |
| Wisconsin | $104,330 |
| Minnesota | $104,100 |
| Connecticut | $102,150 |
| Texas | $101,420 |
| New Jersey | $100,900 |
| Wyoming | $99,570 |
| Nevada | $98,740 |
| Ohio | $96,700 |
| New Mexico | $96,660 |
| Vermont | $94,450 |
| Alaska | $94,000 |
| Alabama | $92,750 |
| West Virginia | $92,750 |
| Kentucky | $89,860 |
| Nebraska | $89,380 |
| Illinois | $88,730 |
| Michigan | $88,000 |
| Rhode Island | $87,050 |
| Tennessee | $86,940 |
| North Dakota | $86,940 |
| Iowa | $86,830 |
| Colorado | $86,740 |
| Oregon | $85,840 |
| Louisiana | $84,640 |
| Kansas | $83,510 |
| Mississippi | $82,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $81,890 |
| Pennsylvania | $80,720 |
| Arizona | $79,990 |
| Indiana | $79,790 |
| Arkansas | $79,790 |
| South Dakota | $79,790 |
| New Hampshire | $79,730 |
| South Carolina | $66,950 |
Where Naturopathic Physicians Earn the Most
Pay for naturopathic physicians shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Middle Atlantic | $145,220 | 29.7% | 8.73 |
| Southeast | $110,915 | 21.9% | 1.94 |
| Far Western US | $108,986 | 12.1% | 0.83 |
| Rocky Mountains | $97,978 | 4.2% | 1.19 |
| Plains States | $97,753 | 4.9% | 0.69 |
| New England | $95,500 | 8.5% | 4.06 |
| Great Lakes | $91,446 | 11.3% | 0.74 |
| Southwest | $88,248 | 7.1% | 0.56 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | NC | $179,960 | 190 |
| Missoula, MT | MT | $177,610 | 30 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $162,610 | 6,330 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $149,070 | |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $137,240 | 220 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | TX | $137,180 | 240 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $132,790 | |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | GA | $131,120 | 2,530 |
Top Industries Employing Naturopathic Physicians
The largest employers of naturopathic physicians work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 1,010 | $78,630 |
| Finance and Insurance | 130 | $111,260 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 100 | $67,000 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 90 | $90,250 |
| Manufacturing | 40 | $105,930 |
| Wholesale Trade | 30 | $134,830 |
Naturopathic Physicians work in the following industries:
Software Naturopathic Physicians Use
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
The on-the-job environment of naturopathic physicians tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Contact With Others
How to Become Naturopathic Physicians
This occupation sits in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Chiropractors (Primary-Short)
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Supplemental)
- Nurse Practitioners (Supplemental)
- Cardiologists (Primary-Short)
- Dermatologists (Primary-Long)
- Emergency Medicine Physicians (Supplemental)
- Family Medicine Physicians (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future naturopathic physicians typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
14 programs across 3 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1299.01 (Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other).
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