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Acupuncturists Salary in Santa Cruz, CA

In the 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS dataset, Acupuncturists in Santa Cruz, CA have a median annual salary of $91,350, with 50 recorded jobs in this area. Recorded earnings range from $45,630 at the 10th percentile to $93,750 at the 90th percentile.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · Data year: 2025 · Last updated: 2026-09-22

Salary overview

Median annual salary

$91,350

Data year: 2025

Hourly median

$43.92

Employment

50

Source

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS

Salary distribution

$45,630
10th
$47,360
25th
$91,350
Median
$91,350
75th
$93,750
90th

Local compared with national

Santa Cruz, CA

$91,350

Median annual · 2025

United States

$76,040

Median annual · 2025

The Santa Cruz, CA median is 20.1% above the national median in the available dataset (a difference of $15,310).

Top skills

  1. 1.Active ListeningImportance 3.9
  2. 2.Critical ThinkingImportance 3.8
  3. 3.Social PerceptivenessImportance 3.8
  4. 4.Service OrientationImportance 3.8
  5. 5.SpeakingImportance 3.6
  6. 6.Judgment and Decision MakingImportance 3.5
  7. 7.Reading ComprehensionImportance 3.3
  8. 8.MonitoringImportance 3.3
  9. 9.Complex Problem SolvingImportance 3.3
  10. 10.WritingImportance 3.1
  11. 11.Active LearningImportance 3.1
  12. 12.CoordinationImportance 3.1

Career information

Education and experience

Typical education
Master's Degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Job zone
5

Technology used

  • AcuPartner Professional
  • Electronic health record EHR software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word
  • Miridia Technology AcuGraph
  • Qchart
  • Qpalm Acupuncture
  • QPuncture II
  • Trigram Software AcuBase Pro

Common tasks

  • Maintain and follow standard quality, safety, environmental, and infection control policies and procedures.
  • Treat patients using tools, such as needles, cups, ear balls, seeds, pellets, or nutritional supplements.
  • Adhere to local, state, and federal laws, regulations, and statutes.
  • Identify correct anatomical and proportional point locations based on patients' anatomy and positions, contraindications, and precautions related to treatments, such as intradermal needles, moxibustion, electricity, guasha, or bleeding.
  • Develop individual treatment plans and strategies.
  • Insert needles to provide acupuncture treatment.
  • Evaluate treatment outcomes and recommend new or altered treatments as necessary to further promote, restore, or maintain health.
  • Collect medical histories and general health and lifestyle information from patients.
  • Maintain detailed and complete records of health care plans and prognoses.
  • Educate patients on topics, such as meditation, ergonomics, stretching, exercise, nutrition, the healing process, breathing, or relaxation techniques.

Related careers

Occupations recorded as related in the dataset. A relationship does not imply a guaranteed transition.

Acupuncturists salary in other locations

Other occupations in Santa Cruz, CA