If you've thought about a career as an acupuncturist you may have wondered how to become an acupuncturist, what education do you need to be an acupuncturist, how much schooling is needed to become an acupuncturist and what kind of salary to expect. And you may be thinking about or planning to open your own practice. Of course you need to check this all out before you commit to any of the many accredited acupuncture schools in the U.S. today.

First of all the job outlook is excellent. With alternative medicine and specifically acupuncture becoming more and more respected by traditional doctors, more and more acupuncturists are coming onto the scene. More people are choosing acupuncture as a career when they realize the many benefits. It's a career in which you can choose to work for a large or small alternative or conventional medical clinic and earn a salary or open your own practice, setting your own hours and appointments. You can lease or buy a few acupuncture needles and other equipment and rent a small space in a small alternative clinic and you're in business.

There are jobs posted all the time in the health care classifieds in newspapers and Craigslist for acupuncturists. The demand greatly outweighs the supply. With a degree in acupuncture you can work in a variety of situations including small and large clinics, hospital settings and there are even cruise ship openings. You have lots of choices. You may want to specialize in veterinary acupuncture or face lift acupuncture. Or other areas including weight loss or addictions. Acupuncturists are commonly found in pain management clinics.

The wage or salary for acupuncture can easily range from $45,000 on up to $65,000 a year. The more experience you have the more money you'll make. On your own in your own acupuncture practice you can charge what you like. An hourly rate could be $50 to $80 an hour or more depending on experience.

Occasionally you can even find an existing practice for sale as some licensed acupuncturists go on to becoming conventional doctors, naturopaths, chiropractors or practitioners in another of the health professions. Some people like to take massage therapy training long with acupuncture classes.

To become a licensed acupuncturist could take up to three years through one of the accredited acupuncture schools on campus and online. You may be able to shorten the time by taking many of your classes online. And there's a lot of money available now for online degrees or just online classes, courses or programs. Occasionally you can get free grants and scholarships. Many scholarships go unclaimed every year. Make sure to check these out.