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Alternative Medicine & Systems

A general program that focuses on the theories, science, and practice of alternative and complementary medicine and medical systems. Includes instruction in understanding acupuncture, herbal medicine, naturopathy, homeopathy, and other alternative and complementary medicine modalities; mind-body therapies; nutrition; comparison of conventional and alternative medicine; and medical ethics; and may include training in specific alternative and complementary medicine modalities.

Types of Degrees Alternative Medicine & Systems Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Alternative Medicine & Systems have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	213
Associate’s Degree	96
Bachelor’s Degree	298
Master’s Degree	1,611
Doctor’s Degree	801

What Alternative Medicine & Systems Majors Need to Know

Programs in Alternative Medicine & Systems emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Alternative Medicine & Systems emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.5 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.3 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Alternative Medicine & Systems program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Critical Thinking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Alternative Medicine & Systems careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.7 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.7 / 7
Getting Information	4.6 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.2 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.2 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.1 / 7
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public	4.1 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Alternative Medicine & Systems professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Trigram Software AcuBase Pro	Medical software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
HTS Vision CVS2	Eye tracking software	—
MAX Systems Max-Gold Medical Clinic Software	Medical software	—
SeeRite Flash and Match	Computer based training software	—
HTS Vision HTS2 Computerized Binocular Home Eye Exercise System	Eye tracking software	—
Eye Tracking Exercises Enterprises Track with Letters	Eye tracking software	—
Computer perceptual processing software	Computer based training software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates include:

• Naturopath
• Naturopathic Doctor
• Acupuncturist
• Acupressurist
• Herbalist
• Kinesiologist
• Flight Surgeon
• Lactation Consultant
• Homeopathic Doctor
• Nephrologist
• Gastroenterologist
• Tuberculosis Specialist
• Occupational Medicine Specialist
• Medical Specialist
• Reflexologist

What Can You Do With a Alternative Medicine & Systems Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Alternative Medicine & Systems commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other	1.0%	$138,809	$116,859–$160,758
Orthoptists	4.8%	$135,811	$108,351–$163,270
Naturopathic Physicians	6.6%	$138,086	$113,456–$162,716
Acupuncturists	5.2%	$102,425	$79,642–$125,208

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	39.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	36.5%
Master’s degree	8.9%
Bachelor’s degree	4.4%
First professional degree	3.8%
Postsecondary certificate	3.0%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.6%
Post-doctoral training	1.6%
Some college courses	0.7%
Post-master’s certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Alternative Medicine & Systems?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 81.4% of Alternative Medicine & Systems degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2,457	81.4%
Men	562	18.6%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,379	45.7%
Asian	627	20.8%
Hispanic or Latino	268	8.9%
Black or African American	227	7.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	24	0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	17	0.6%
Two or More Races	145	4.8%
Race Unknown	223	7.4%
International Students	109	3.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Alternative Medicine & Systems Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$31,185
4 years	$30,904
5 years	$35,897

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $35,897 — roughly 15% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Alternative Medicine & Systems Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Alternative Medicine & Systems. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	2
Bachelor’s	5	2
Master’s	7	3

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Alternative Medicine & Systems Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Alternative Medicine & Systems graduates earn a median of $30,904 four years after completion — about 19% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	311,372
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants	99,987
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	90,379
Health and Medical Administrative Services	90,166
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services	80,693
Public Health	41,086
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	33,946
Medicine	29,737
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	29,603
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions	24,761
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	23,250
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Science/Research and Allied Professions	20,443

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.