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If you’ve reading this article, then it’s safe to assume that you’re considering becoming an acupuncturist and enrolling in an acupuncture school in Florida. And like most prospective students, you’re concerned about the high cost of acupuncture school.
This is a normal and legitimate concern to have. For example, if you decide to go to acupuncture school in Florida, the average cost of tuition is $51,000 for the entire program. You can also expect a minimum of 3 years of study to complete the program, although some programs require 4 full-years.
$51,000 over 3-4 years is a lot of money and time to invest in anything! As you research schools and tuition, you may come across blogs by former acupuncture students. Some will argue that their education wasn’t worth the cost of tuition, others will argue that it was worth every penny because it allowed them to live their dreams, and others will simply state they would’ve gone about it differently.
Ultimately, they’re all right. Like with any other major life-choice, deciding whether the rewards of being an acupuncturist is worth the pains of taking on the expenses of acupuncture school is something that has to be decided on an individual basis.
And while an individual school cannot promise you a job after graduation, we can address some concerns and questions you may have. For example, if cost is a major concern, then be sure to apply for financial aid.
Many acupuncture schools are nationally-accredited and offer financial aid assistance to qualifying students. For example, Acupuncture and Massage College is nationally-accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), and programmatically-accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM). We offer federal financial aid to those who qualify.
Aside from financial aid, many organizations, such as the Trudy McAlister Foundation, provide private scholarships to acupuncture students offset the cost of tuition. Additionally, there are other more ways to save on acupuncture school tuition.
Is Acupuncture School Worth the Cost? You Decide.
Again, there’s no way around it: acupuncture school is expensive. But, medical education is expensive, everywhere.
For example, medical school tuition at the University of Florida is $32,744 a year for in-state students, and $45,000 for out-of-state students. Assuming a typical 4-years of study, that brings the medical school tuition at Florida to $130,976 (in-state) or $180,000 (out-of-state). On top of that, Western medical doctors have to complete residency programs and incur additional costs to for malpractice insurance before they’re fully-licensed MDs.
Obviously, becoming an MD and becoming an Acupuncture Physician are very different in regards to scope of practice, type of medicine, and even state licensing requirements, but I’m using the familiar high-costs of Western medical school to raise a point: becoming a doctor (western or oriental medicine) requires a true vocation to healing, a yearning of wanting to heal people.
Having a vocation always triumphs over the initial, but concerning, barrier of affording tuition. I’m willing to bet that very few people would put up with the rigors of medical school if they were only doing it for the money and humanitarian organizations, like Doctors Without Borders, would not exist.
The point of all is that it’s important to decide if becoming an acupuncturist is your vocation. Because, at the end of the day, if you don’t feel called to this, then regardless of what you pay for schooling, it was too much.
So, I encourage you not to think of becoming an acupuncture physician as a day job, because it’s so much more than that; it’s your future, it’s your vocation.
Begin Your Career in Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
Acupuncture and Massage College in Miami, FL can give you the skills to become a professional acupuncturists. We are a nationally-accredited college and offer a Master’s of Oriental Medicine and have one of the largest Chinese herbal clinics in Florida.
If you’re certain that becoming an acupuncturist is for you, download our free career guide below. If you're in the area, feel free to visit us at 10506 North Kendall Drive, Miami, FL. You can schedule a visit by clicking here or by calling us at (305)595-9500.
