Prevailing Wage for Acupuncturists
Prevailing wage for Acupuncturists, classified under SOC 29-1291, is set by the DOL using regional Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. Whether your employer knows you as an Acupuncture Physician, Acupuncture Doctor, or Chinese Medicine Doctor, the same four experience levels apply, and the wage floor varies substantially by city.
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Entry-level practitioners with limited post-graduation experience, performing routine treatments under supervision, and still building clinical protocols. Employers typically file at Level 1 for new graduates or candidates with fewer than two years of independent acupuncture practice.
Qualified practitioners with solid independent clinical experience who manage a full patient caseload without routine supervision. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Acupuncturists, reflecting the profession's standard expectation of licensure and self-directed practice.
Experienced practitioners who take on complex or specialty cases, mentor junior staff, or lead clinical program development. Employers file at Level 3 when the role requires demonstrated expertise across multiple modalities or carries supervisory responsibility.
Fully competent senior practitioners in lead clinical, program director, or department head roles. These positions set treatment protocols, oversee multiple practitioners, and often carry administrative or business development responsibilities beyond patient care.
Prevailing Wage for Acupuncturists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Acupuncturists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Confirm your filing level matches clinical autonomy
Acupuncturists working independently from day one are rarely true Level 1 hires. If your offer requires full licensure and an unsupervised patient caseload, verify the employer filed at Level 2 or higher, not the lower entry floor.
Watch for metro wage gaps in California versus Idaho
Acupuncturist prevailing wages in top California metros can run two to three times higher than in markets like Boise. If your worksite is listed on the LCA as a California location, the California regional floor applies, not a national average.
Check historical sponsorship data on Migrate Mate
Acupuncturist sponsorship is concentrated among integrative health systems and specialty wellness groups. Migrate Mate shows which employers have sponsored this occupation before, so you can focus applications on organizations with a real filing track record.
Flag title-aliasing risks on LCA filings
Job postings for Chinese Medical Doctors or Acupuncture Providers are sometimes filed under a general healthcare SOC rather than 29-1291, which can set a different wage floor. Confirm the LCA references SOC 29-1291 specifically before accepting an offer.
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Find Jobs for AcupuncturistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 29-1291.00 alongside Acupuncturists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Acupuncture Doctor Prevailing Wage
Acupuncture Doctor Prevailing Wage
Acupuncture Doctor positions fall under SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Acupuncture Physician Prevailing Wage
Acupuncture Physician Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Acupuncture Physician for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Acupuncture Provider Prevailing Wage
Acupuncture Provider Prevailing Wage
Acupuncture Provider is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Chinese Medical Doctor (Chinese MD) Prevailing Wage
Chinese Medical Doctor (Chinese MD) Prevailing Wage
Chinese Medical Doctor (Chinese MD) positions fall under SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Chinese Medicine Doctor Prevailing Wage
Chinese Medicine Doctor Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Chinese Medicine Doctor for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Herbalist Prevailing Wage
Herbalist Prevailing Wage
Herbalist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Licensed Acupuncturist (LAC) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Acupuncturist (LAC) Prevailing Wage
Licensed Acupuncturist (LAC) positions fall under SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Oriental Medicine Provider Prevailing Wage
Oriental Medicine Provider Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Oriental Medicine Provider for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor Prevailing Wage
Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor Prevailing Wage
Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 29-1291.00 (Acupuncturists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the DOL set the prevailing wage for Acupuncturists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of geographic areas. For each area, wages are divided into four levels based on experience and job complexity. Employers sponsoring an Acupuncturist for an H-1B or PERM green card must pay at least the prevailing wage for the applicable level and worksite location, as certified through the OFLC Labor Condition Application process.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I identify mine?
Level 1 covers entry-level practitioners with limited experience working under supervision. Level 2 applies to qualified practitioners handling an independent caseload, and is the most common filing level for this occupation. Level 3 reflects experienced clinicians with specialty expertise or supervisory duties. Level 4 covers senior or lead roles with program oversight responsibilities. Your level should match the actual duties and autonomy described in your job offer, not just the title.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Acupuncturist role vary so much by city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so local labor market conditions directly determine the floor. The worksite address on the LCA, not the employer's headquarters, determines which regional wage applies. High-cost metros with dense integrative health employers set higher floors through competitive local wages, while smaller markets with fewer survey respondents tend to produce lower figures. Moving a worksite across metro boundaries can change the applicable floor significantly.
What happens if an employer's offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored Acupuncturist position?
USCIS will not approve an H-1B petition, and DOL will not certify a PERM application, if the offered wage falls below the prevailing wage floor for the relevant level and location. The employer must correct the offered wage before filing or risk denial. If a certified LCA later shows the employer paid below the attested wage, DOL can impose back-pay obligations and debar the employer from future filings.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for Acupuncturists in a specific U.S. location?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 29-1291 for any metropolitan area or state. Select the wage year matching the intended filing period and the experience level that fits the role. You can also review OFLC disclosure data to see what wages employers have recently attested for this occupation by location. Migrate Mate lists employers with a verified sponsorship history for Acupuncturists, which helps you identify which organizations are actively filing in specific cities.
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