Acupuncturists vs Psychiatrists
Median pay is about $206k higher for Psychiatrists. The usual entry education is master's plus license for Acupuncturists and doctoral (MD) plus residency for Psychiatrists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Acupuncturists | Psychiatrists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $76,040 | $281,870, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $55,380 | $154,150, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $102,280 | $362,740, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +8.6% Growing fast, higher | +7.2% Growing fast |
| Openings a year | 800 | 900 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Master's plus license | Doctoral (MD) plus residency |
| Difficulty modeled | 3.6 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Low | Low |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 51st pct | 92nd pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Acupuncturists
- Monitoring
Only Psychiatrists
- Active Learning
Both lean on active listening, critical thinking, speaking, reading comprehension, writing.
More comparisons
Compare Acupuncturists with
Compare Psychiatrists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.