Naturopathic physicians diagnose and treat patients using natural remedies and therapies. You'll need a doctoral degree and extensive preparation. The work is investigative, patient-centered, and requires deep knowledge of medicine, biology, and therapeutic practices.
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Naturopathic physicians work directly with patients to assess health concerns and develop treatment plans. You'll spend time gathering detailed health information, listening carefully to patient histories, and interpreting medical findings to guide your recommendations. Your days involve documenting patient records, staying current with research and clinical knowledge, and making clinical decisions about which natural therapies and remedies best fit each person's needs. You'll explain complex health concepts to patients in clear, understandable terms and monitor their progress over time.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Naturopathic Physicians earn a median of $115,210 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is modest. Employment is projected to grow 2 percent from 2024 to 2034, little or no change for all occupations, with about 2,400 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
This career requires a doctoral degree and extensive preparation. You'll complete undergraduate coursework in biology, chemistry, and other sciences before pursuing doctoral-level training in naturopathic medicine. The path demands strong reading comprehension, critical thinking, and active learning skills. Throughout your education, you'll develop expertise in medicine, psychology, biology, and therapeutic counseling. This is a job zone 5 career, meaning it requires the highest level of preparation and ongoing professional development to practice safely and effectively.
Becoming a naturopathic physician typically involves completing a doctoral program after your undergraduate degree. The timeline and specific requirements vary by location and program, so if you're exploring this path, Pathly can map the naturopathic physician path that fits you and work through the details with your counselor to build a plan that fits your situation.
You do not need a license to work as a naturopathic physician, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're drawn to investigative work that combines scientific thinking with patient care. You enjoy solving complex health puzzles and learning deeply about how the body works.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
Start with a quick quiz and assessments that surface your personality, your EQ, and what really motivates you, so your next steps are built around who you actually are.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).