The overall demand for complementary and alternative health care, including acupuncture and oriental medicine, has been growing.

Acupuncturists practice in a wide variety of settings. Many are in private practice, while others work in an integrated medical setting with other healthcare providers, such as MD's, chiropractors, naturopaths and massage therapists. Some hospitals and larger medical institutions have also incorporated acupuncture into their patient care services.

Because many licensed acupuncturists are self-employed, earnings vary widely by geographic location, expertise and individual. A 2002 magazine article on U.S. salaries included profiles of two acupuncturists, one of whom made $60,000 per year and the other $150,000. National estimates of fees charged by acupuncturists range from $30 or $40 to well over $100 per treatment, with initial visits often higher than follow-ups. (Excerpted from "Acupuncture in California" by Catherine Dower, copyright University of California, San Francisco Center for the Health Professions)

California accounts for at least one-third of the total U.S. acupuncture workforce, estimated to be between 14,000 and 17,000. Of California's 6,300 licensed acupuncturists, about 5,700 have California addresses, with most practicing in urban settings. (Excerpted from "Acupuncture in California" by Catherine Dower, copyright University of California, San Francisco Center for the Health Professions). Although the highest concentration of TCM practitioners occurs along the east and west coasts, Yo San University graduates practice in areas across the country, including New York, Oregon, Florida, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas, New Mexico, Illinois, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, and Hawaii.