Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems: earnings, debt, and careers
CIP 51.33. Official graduate outcomes from the U.S. Department of Education across 200 programs, and the careers this field is linked to.
Graduate earnings by credential level
| Credential | Programs | Graduates (recent year) | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Typical program median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate certificate | 37 | 572 | $27,874 | $36,403 | $16,134 10 programs |
| Associate's degree | 8 | 96 | $28,350 | $30,016 | $36,007 2 programs |
| Bachelor's degree | 15 | 298 | $36,347 | $40,222 | $40,289 7 programs |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2 | 0 | Data unavailable | $40,973 | Data unavailable |
| Master's degree | 59 | 1,112 | $31,087 | $35,462 | Data unavailable |
| Doctoral degree | 25 | 92 | $38,471 | $45,167 | Data unavailable |
| Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) | 31 | 759 | $36,393 | $41,692 | Data unavailable |
| Graduate certificate | 23 | 90 | $33,087 | $60,830 | Data unavailable |
National earnings are published by the Department of Education for each field and credential level Verified data. Typical program median debt is ConnectPrep's calculation: the median across programs of each program's median federal debt Calculated estimate. It covers federal loans only.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, Most Recent Field of Study Data. Varies by measure; see measure definitions. Published October 15, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Undergraduate certificate programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee WI · Public · 28 graduates measured | $43,732 | Data unavailable | $28,250 |
| ICOHS College CA · Private, nonprofit · 28 graduates measured | $34,249 | Data unavailable | $9,500 |
| Southern California University of Health Sciences CA · Private, nonprofit · 60 graduates measured | $28,111 | $25,591 | $17,100 |
| Healing Mountain Massage School UT · Private, for-profit · 22 graduates measured | $23,429 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Southwest Institute of Healing Arts AZ · Private, for-profit · 107 graduates measured | $20,330 | $36,360 | $12,813 |
| American College of Healthcare Sciences OR · Private, for-profit · 65 graduates measured | $19,952 | $31,204 | $22,563 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Associate's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front Range Community College CO · Public · 19 graduates measured | $32,085 | $38,213 | $36,770 |
| American College of Healthcare Sciences OR · Private, for-profit · 22 graduates measured | $16,931 | $24,120 | $35,244 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Bachelor's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| The University of Arizona Global Campus AZ · Private, for-profit · 163 graduates measured | $43,308 | $44,036 | $46,719 |
| New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine NY · Private, nonprofit · 27 graduates measured | $35,349 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver CO · Public · 26 graduates measured | $33,605 | $45,766 | $24,317 |
| Everglades University FL · Private, nonprofit · 80 graduates measured | $31,786 | $36,960 | $55,184 |
| Maharishi International University IA · Private, nonprofit · 21 graduates measured | $23,077 | Data unavailable | $41,206 |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Master's degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia University of Integrative Medicine VA · Private, nonprofit · 20 graduates measured | $46,173 | $24,835 | Data unavailable |
| Bastyr University WA · Private, nonprofit · 31 graduates measured | $44,183 | $45,224 | Data unavailable |
| Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences MA · Private, nonprofit · 41 graduates measured | $43,765 | $45,248 | Data unavailable |
| National University of Health Sciences IL · Private, nonprofit · 25 graduates measured | $41,301 | $37,753 | Data unavailable |
| Maharishi International University IA · Private, nonprofit · 44 graduates measured | $41,083 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| New York College of Health Professions NY · Private, nonprofit · 17 graduates measured | $40,558 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine · Private, for-profit · 23 graduates measured | $38,887 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Pacific College of Health and Science CA · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $36,277 | $28,428 | Data unavailable |
| Pacific College of Health and Science NY · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $36,277 | $28,428 | Data unavailable |
| Pacific College of Health and Science IL · Private, for-profit · 92 graduates measured | $36,277 | $28,428 | Data unavailable |
| New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine NY · Private, nonprofit · 32 graduates measured | $33,411 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| East West College of Natural Medicine · Private, for-profit · 20 graduates measured | $30,870 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Oregon College of Oriental Medicine · Private, nonprofit · 68 graduates measured | $30,744 | $39,542 | Data unavailable |
| Five Branches University CA · Private, for-profit · 34 graduates measured | $28,952 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Midwest College of Oriental Medicine-Racine WI · Private, for-profit · 20 graduates measured | $24,452 | $34,068 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Doctoral degree programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Branches University CA · Private, for-profit · 17 graduates measured | $55,227 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| Bastyr University WA · Private, nonprofit · 129 graduates measured | $43,851 | $53,515 | Data unavailable |
| Pacific College of Health and Science CA · Private, for-profit · 276 graduates measured | $38,040 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
| National University of Health Sciences IL · Private, nonprofit · 43 graduates measured | $33,034 | $49,244 | Data unavailable |
| Daoist Traditions College of Chinese Medical Arts NC · Private, for-profit · 17 graduates measured | $21,527 | Data unavailable | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Professional degree (JD, MD, and similar) programs with the highest early earnings
| School | Median earnings, 1 yr | Median earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoran University of Health Sciences AZ · Private, nonprofit · 90 graduates measured | $41,971 | $61,302 | Data unavailable |
| National University of Natural Medicine OR · Private, nonprofit · 96 graduates measured | $36,368 | $48,358 | Data unavailable |
| East West College of Natural Medicine · Private, for-profit · 20 graduates measured | $35,348 | $35,102 | Data unavailable |
| Pacific College of Health and Science CA · Private, for-profit · 183 graduates measured | $33,806 | $34,773 | Data unavailable |
| Pacific College of Health and Science IL · Private, for-profit · 183 graduates measured | $33,806 | $34,773 | Data unavailable |
| Phoenix Institute of Herbal Medicine & Acupuncture AZ · Private, for-profit · 16 graduates measured | $19,993 | $25,985 | Data unavailable |
Ranked by published median earnings one year after completion. Programs with suppressed earnings do not appear, so this is not a ranking of program quality.
Careers linked to Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems
| Occupation | Median wage, all workers | Change 2025 to 2035 | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acupuncturists | $76,040 | +8.6% | Master's degree |
| Healthcare diagnosing or treating practitioners, all other | $115,210 | +5.5% | Master's degree |
| Healthcare practitioners and technical workers, all other | $65,790 | +5.1% | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Occupations mapped to this field in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. Occupation wages describe all workers, not recent graduates.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk. CIP 2020 and SOC 2018 taxonomies. Published April 30, 2020. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, National. May 2025 reference period. Published April 30, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, Table 1.2: Occupational projections, 2025-35, and worker characteristics, 2025. Base year 2025, projected year 2035. Published August 27, 2026. Retrieved October 18, 2026. Methodology.
Detailed CIP codes in this field (8)
- 51.3300 Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems, General
- 51.3301 Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
- 51.3302 Traditional Chinese Medicine and Chinese Herbology
- 51.3303 Naturopathic Medicine/Naturopathy
- 51.3304 Homeopathic Medicine/Homeopathy
- 51.3305 Ayurvedic Medicine/Ayurveda
- 51.3306 Holistic/Integrative Health
- 51.3399 Alternative and Complementary Medicine and Medical Systems, Other