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Acupuncturists

Occupation · SOC 29-1291.00

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.

Also called: Acupuncture Physician · Acupuncturist · Herbalist · Licensed Acupuncturist (LAC) · Acupuncture Doctor · Acupuncture Provider · Chinese Medical Doctor (Chinese MD) · Chinese Medicine Doctor · Oriental Medicine Provider · Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor · Acupressure Therapist · Acupressurist

Job family: Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations

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A source-stamped Markdown brief of this occupation — paste it into an agent, or fetch /roles/role-29-1291-00/context.md directly.

AI work map

A fast read on where AI already shows up in this occupation, where it stays a copilot, where humans remain in the loop, and what the labor market is doing. Built from observed Claude.ai conversations mapped to O*NET tasks and from published research — measures of usage and exposure, not advice or predictions that the job is going away.

14th-percentile task overlap — yet about 900 openings a year (+6.8% projected, BLS) . What exposure means →

AI & job outlook

What today's research says about this occupation's exposure to AI, how AI is actually being used in it, and where employment is headed. These are positions within published studies — measures of exposure and usage, not predictions that this job will disappear.

Exposure to current AI

Each study uses its own scale, so the raw scores are not comparable across rows — the percentile (this job's rank among all U.S. occupations with data) is the comparable figure, and sizes the bars.

Measure Rank vs all occupations Percentile Score
LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) Low 21st 0.2
AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) Low 13th 0.1

OpenAI's exposure study scores tasks three ways: with a language model alone (α 0.2), with simple added tooling (β 0.2), and including AI-powered software (γ 0.2). Higher means more of the job's tasks could be done at least twice as fast — not that they will be automated away.

How AI is actually used in this job

Among measured AI assistant conversations mapped to this occupation (Anthropic Economic Index, 2026-01-15), these task types came up most. These are shares of observed AI conversations — not shares of the job, of worker time, or of what could be automated.

Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health. 0.8%
Analyze physical findings and medical histories to make diagnoses according to Oriental medicine traditions. 0.7%
Develop individual treatment plans and strategies. 0.5%

Job outlook

Independent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projection for 2024–2034 — a labor-market forecast, not an AI-impact forecast.

Outlook About average · +6.8% by 2034
Projected annual openings 900
Employment 2024 → 2034 15,300 → 16,400

“Annual openings” counts new jobs plus replacements for workers who leave the occupation, so it can be large even when growth is modest.

Tasks

All 18 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, ordered by importance. Each links to its own page with AI-exposure and observed-use detail.

Work activities

Knowledge, skills & abilities

O*NET importance rating, from 1 (not important) to 5 (extremely important).

Knowledge

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
Economics and Accounting 3.1

Essential skills

Active Listening 3.9
Critical Thinking 3.8
Speaking 3.6
Reading Comprehension 3.3
Monitoring 3.3
Writing 3.1
Active Learning 3.1

Abilities

Oral Comprehension 3.9
Oral Expression 3.9
Problem Sensitivity 3.9
Deductive Reasoning 3.9
Near Vision 3.9
Written Comprehension 3.8
Inductive Reasoning 3.6
Written Expression 3.3
Arm-Hand Steadiness 3.3
Finger Dexterity 3.3
Speech Clarity 3.3
Information Ordering 3.0
Category Flexibility 3.0
Flexibility of Closure 3.0
Selective Attention 3.0
Speech Recognition 3.0

Transferable skills

Social Perceptiveness 3.8
Service Orientation 3.8
Judgment and Decision Making 3.5
Complex Problem Solving 3.3
Coordination 3.1
Time Management 3.0

Skills in demand

Skills employers ask for in job postings for this occupation (Lightcast), with whether each is a common or specialized skill.

Tools & technology

Example Category
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet software Hot technology
Microsoft Office software Office suite software Hot technology
Microsoft Outlook Electronic mail software Hot technology
Microsoft Windows Operating system software Hot technology
Microsoft Word Word processing software Hot technology
AcuPartner Professional Medical software
Electronic health record EHR software Medical software
Miridia Technology AcuGraph Medical software
Qchart Medical software
Qpalm Acupuncture Medical software
QPuncture II Medical software
Trigram Software AcuBase Pro Medical software

Work context

How characteristic each condition is of the job, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale (higher = more present in day-to-day work). Each condition links to how it varies across all occupations.

Physical Proximity 4.9
Freedom to Make Decisions 4.8
Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals 4.7
Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams 4.7
E-Mail 4.7
Contact With Others 4.6
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled 4.6
Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls 4.5
Telephone Conversations 4.4
Exposed to Disease or Infections 4.2
Importance of Being Exact or Accurate 4.0
Frequency of Decision Making 3.9
Deal With External Customers or the Public in General 3.8
Spend Time Standing 3.8
Health and Safety of Other Workers 3.6
Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results 3.5
Consequence of Error 3.3
Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions 3.2
Level of Competition 3.1
Written Letters and Memos 3.1
Importance of Repeating Same Tasks 3.0
Time Pressure 3.0
Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team 2.8
Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body 2.7
Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People 2.6
Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets 2.5
Spend Time Sitting 2.4
Spend Time Walking or Running 2.3
Conflict Situations 2.3
Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities 2.2
Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers 2.2
Public Speaking 2.2
Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions 1.9
Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling 1.8
Exposed to Contaminants 1.7
Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable 1.7
Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings 1.6
Dealing with Violent or Physically Aggressive People 1.6
Spend Time Keeping or Regaining Balance 1.6
Indoors, Not Environmentally Controlled 1.3

How to get in

Job zone
Zone 5 — Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Education
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).
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree · BLS, the typical path — not a requirement
Related experience
Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Preparation level
SVP (8.0 and above) — total schooling plus on-the-job experience.

What to study: Health Professions and Related Programs . Fields of study crosswalked to this occupation (NCES CIP–SOC), not a requirement.

Education of current workers

Share of people in this occupation at each level of education.

Master's Degree 67.9%
Doctoral Degree 14.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate 7.1%
First Professional Degree 7.1%
Bachelor's Degree 3.6%

Interests & work styles

The interests and personal qualities O*NET associates with people who do this work.

Work styles

Dependability 7.0
Attention to Detail 6.0
Integrity 5.0
Cautiousness 4.0
Cooperation 3.0

Interest areas

Health Care Service 6.4
Personal Service 4.3
Social Service 4.0
Teaching/Education 3.4
Medical Science 3.4
Professional Advising 3.2
Life Science 2.6

Career interests (Holland / RIASEC)

Social 5.7
Investigative 5.5
Realistic 4.8
Conventional 3.1

Wages & employment

U.S. · annual wages (BLS OEWS)

$42k10th$54k25th$78kMedian$107k75th$159k90th
Annual wages by percentile — U.S. (BLS OEWS). The light band spans the 10th–90th percentile; the darker band is the middle half (25th–75th); the line is the median.
15k202416k2034 (proj.)+6.8% · About average
Projected U.S. employment, 2024–2034 (BLS Employment Projections). A labor-market forecast for the occupation, not an AI-impact forecast.
10th percentile $41,840
25th percentile $54,090
Median (50th) $78,140
75th percentile $107,120
90th percentile $158,540
People employed 8,440

Industries that employ this occupation

Where these workers are employed, by number of jobs (national, BLS OEWS). Pay shown is the occupation's national median, not industry-specific.

Industry Workers National median pay
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 7,450 $77,780
Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector 500 —
Educational Services · Sector 250 $63,780
Offices of Chiropractors · National industry 250 $69,990
Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists · National industry — $55,730

Where this work is most concentrated

Industries where this occupation is far more common than in the economy as a whole. The location quotient is how many times more concentrated it is here (a value of 5 means five times its economy-wide share).

Industry Concentration Workers
Offices of Chiropractors · National industry 31.31× 250
Health Care and Social Assistance · Sector 5.89× 7,450
Other Services (except Public Administration) · Sector 2.06× 500
Educational Services · Sector 0.33× 250

Part of the Healthcare & Human Services career cluster.

Exposure quadrant: AI task-overlap percentile vs Median pay Acupuncturists sits at the 14th percentile of AI task-overlap and the 67th percentile of median pay, placed here against 6 adjacent occupations on the same two axes. Lower overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · higher pay Higher overlap · lower pay Lower overlap · lower pay Acupuncturists Massage Therapists Chiropractors Naturopathic Physicians Nurse Practitioners Family Medicine Physicians AI task-overlap percentile → ↑ Median pay
AI task-overlap percentile (horizontal) vs. median-pay percentile (vertical), across all scored occupations. This occupation is highlighted; related occupations are plotted alongside it. Overlap measures shared tasks with AI, not automation.

Side-by-side comparisons place two occupations’ pay, preparation, skills, and AI exposure on the same page — same data, same scale, no forecast.

What you can do with this

Options the data surfaces for Acupuncturists — not advice or a forecast. Each is a real cross-link you can follow into the evidence.

Skills that travel

Capabilities this work builds that are used across many other occupations.

Adjacent roles

Occupations O*NET rates as related — the nearby moves on the map.

Paths in

How people typically prepare for this work.

Zoom out

See where this work sits in the bigger picture.

Write a report on thisheadline · factoids · citation

Acupuncturists show 14th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 900 annual U.S. openings

  • Acupuncturists rank in the 14th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated.Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE
  • The occupation is projected to see about 900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • BLS projects employment to be about average (+6.8%) from 2024 to 2034.BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
  • Median annual pay is $78,140, across about 8,440 U.S. workers.BLS OEWS (May 2024)
Copy the whole kit
Acupuncturists show 14th-percentile AI task overlap — and about 900 annual U.S. openings

• Acupuncturists rank in the 14th percentile (Low band) for AI task overlap across U.S. occupations — a measure of how much of the work today's AI can attempt, not how much is automated. (Eloundou et al. (GPTs are GPTs) + Felten AIOE)
• The occupation is projected to see about 900 U.S. job openings per year (2024–34), counting growth and replacement — a labor-demand projection made independently of AI. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• BLS projects employment to be about average (+6.8%) from 2024 to 2034. (BLS Employment Projections 2024–34)
• Median annual pay is $78,140, across about 8,440 U.S. workers. (BLS OEWS (May 2024))

Source: Singulariki — "Acupuncturists". https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1291-00
Note: AI task overlap measures what today's AI can attempt, not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

AssetsShare imageMethodology & sourcesPress & newsroomThe newsroom

Every line is built only from figures this page already shows and cites. AI task overlap means what today's AI can attempt — not automation, job loss, or a forecast.

Sources for this page

Every figure above traces to a named public dataset and the exact release below — not hand-written opinion. See the full methodology for what each measure does and does not mean.

Data compiled June 2, 2026. Figures are estimates, not advice.

Cite this page
Plain

Singulariki. "Acupuncturists." Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Built from O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026. https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1291-00

APA

Singulariki. (2026). Acupuncturists. Singulariki: a source-backed encyclopedia of work. Retrieved June 7, 2026, from https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1291-00

BibTeX 
@misc{singulariki-role-29-1291-00,
  title  = {Acupuncturists},
  author = {{Singulariki}},
  year   = {2026},
  note   = {O*NET 30.3; BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2024; BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034; Anthropic Economic Index v4 (2026-01-15) + v2 (2025-03-27); Microsoft “Working with AI” working-with-ai; “GPTs are GPTs” (Eloundou et al.) arXiv 2303.10130. Accessed June 7, 2026},
  url    = {https://singulariki.com/roles/role-29-1291-00}
}

Citations name the underlying public dataset releases — they reflect what this page is built from, not just the URL.

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