Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · Holland code ISR

Naturopathic Physicians

Diagnose, treat, and help prevent diseases using a system of practice that is based on the natural healing capacity of individuals. May use physiological, psychological or mechanical methods. May also use natural medicines, prescription or legend drugs, foods, herbs, or other natural remedies.

Also called: Doctor (Dr), Naturopathic Doctor, Naturopathic Medicine Doctor, Physician, Naturopathic Endocrinologist, Naturopathic Oncologist, Naturopathic Oncology Provider.

O*NET 29-1299.01

At a glance

US median annual pay: $115,210; Middle half earn $83,780 to $161,470. BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Most common education: Doctoral Degree; 96% of workers surveyed by O*NET report this level.
Preparation needed: Job Zone 5 of 5; Extensive preparation. Zone 1 is little or none; zone 5 is graduate-level.

What the work involves

The tasks workers in this occupation rate as most important, from the O*NET survey.

Document patients' histories, including identifying data, chief complaints, illnesses, previous medical or family histories, or psychosocial characteristics.
Educate patients about health care management.
Advise patients about therapeutic exercise and nutritional medicine regimens.
Conduct physical examinations and physiological function tests for diagnostic purposes.
Administer, dispense, or prescribe natural medicines, such as food or botanical extracts, herbs, dietary supplements, vitamins, nutraceuticals, and amino acids.
Interview patients to document symptoms and health histories.
Diagnose health conditions, based on patients' symptoms and health histories, laboratory and diagnostic radiology test results, or other physiological measurements, such as electrocardiograms and electroencephalographs.
Administer treatments or therapies, such as homeopathy, hydrotherapy, Oriental or Ayurvedic medicine, electrotherapy, and diathermy, using physical agents including air, heat, cold, water, sound, or ultraviolet light to catalyze the body to heal itself.

Skills and knowledge it leans on

Skills

Reading Comprehension4.3 / 5
Active Listening4.1 / 5
Speaking4.1 / 5
Critical Thinking4.1 / 5
Writing4.0 / 5
Active Learning3.8 / 5

Knowledge areas

Medicine and Dentistry5.0 / 5
Biology4.8 / 5
Psychology4.8 / 5
Therapy and Counseling4.5 / 5
Customer and Personal Service4.4 / 5
English Language4.2 / 5

Importance ratings on O*NET’s 1 to 5 scale. Higher means the occupation depends on it more.

Who tends to enjoy it

How strongly this occupation draws on each of the six Holland interest types, which is the same profile the career interests test compares you against.

Realistic59
Investigative82
Artistic14
Social79
Enterprising16
Conventional38

The same work abroad

Other countries classify jobs differently, so these are the closest matches through the international ISCO-08 standard, not exact equivalents.

European occupation titles (ESCO)

aromatherapist · DE Aromatherapeut/Aromatherapeutin · FR conseiller en aromathérapie/conseillère en aromathérapie
complementary therapist · DE Therapeut Komplementärmedizin/Therapeutin Komplementärmedizin · FR praticien de médecine alternative/praticienne de médecine alternative
acupuncturist · DE Akupunkteur/Akupunkteurin · FR acupuncteur/acupunctrice
homeopath · DE Homöopath/Homöopathin · FR homéopathe
traditional chinese medicine therapist · DE Therapeut Traditionelle Chinesische Medizin/Therapeutin Traditionelle Chinesische Medizin · FR intervenant en médecine chinoise/intervenante en médecine chinoise
physiotherapist · DE Physiotherapeut/Physiotherapeutin · FR physiothérapeute

Closest UK occupation groups (SOC 2020)

Occupational therapists (2222)56,000 employed
Podiatrists (2256)16,200 employed
Physiotherapists (2221)73,700 employed

Employment is the UK Annual Population Survey for April 2025 to March 2026, all workers in the group, which can be broader than this one occupation.

Pay across Europe, for the whole group

Median annual earnings of all employees in “Professionals”. This is the broad ISCO group this occupation falls in, not the occupation itself, so treat it as context for the wage level, not as a salary for this job.

Median annual earnings, Professionals, by country
Country	Median pay
Belgium	€61,714
Germany	€59,529
Ireland	€56,877
Austria	€55,374
Netherlands	€53,595
Sweden	€43,567
France	€41,515
Spain	€35,735
Italy	€33,649
Portugal	€26,072
Poland	€14,380

Eurostat Structure of Earnings Survey, businesses with ten or more employees outside public administration, in euro and not adjusted for the cost of living. Reference years differ between sources: the US, Japan and Europe figures on this page come from different survey years, so compare them as rough levels, not to the euro or yen.

Is it a fit for you?

Interest is one input, alongside ability, pay and what is hiring near you. The career interests test takes about thirteen minutes and ranks occupations by how closely their profile matches yours.

Take the career interests test