by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 5 U.S. colleges awarded 98 degrees and certificates in Alternative Medical Support Services. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 39% of graduates. College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Alternative Medical Support Services Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Its 3 related occupations pay an average median salary of $137,569 a year.
Alternative and complementary medical support services can include midwifery or doctor of alternative medicine - also referred to as a naturopath. While non-traditional, each career is growing in popularity.
You may wonder what the difference between a nurse midwife and direct-entry midwife is. Direct-entry midwives become midwives without first getting a nursing degree. At a minimum, direct entry midwives must attend school to get a midwifery certificate as well as apprentice with a full-time midwife to get on the job training. Depending on state law, midwives may be required to get a related degree in nursing or natural medicine.
Most direct-entry midwives practice directly with clients and perform birth services in the client's home or in their private practice. Nurse-midwives have a nursing degree with a specialization in midwifery and tend to practice in hospitals.
Naturopathic doctors look at non-traditional ways to treat their patients. They may rely on holistic medicine, herbs, traditional Chinese medicine and homeopathy to treat their patients. For example, a patient exhibiting symptoms of thyroid issues may be treated by a naturopath with a combination of lifestyle changes and natural medicines.
Students looking to enter the alternative medicine field have several options from bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees. If you wish to practice as a naturopathic doctor you will need much of the same education a medical doctor will need, but with special emphasis on alternative medicines.
Studying Alternative Medical Support Services explores Alternative And Complementary Medical Support Services.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Nationwide, alternative medical support services is a popular field of study, with 98 degrees awarded annually. 5 colleges award alternative medical support services degrees, an average of 20 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 34.
By level, the 98 awards include 7 certificates, 19 associate degrees, 34 bachelor’s degrees and 38 master’s degrees.
Women earned 96% of alternative medical support services degrees and certificates in the latest year (94 of 98). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (54) and Black or African American (25).
College Factual ranks 3 schools in its 2027 Best Alternative Medical Support Services Schools ranking, including 1 for associate degrees and 1 for master’s degrees. It also ranks alternative medical support services schools within 1 state. In all, 5 colleges offer alternative medical support services programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Alternative Medical Support Services Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common alternative medical support services credential is the master’s degree: 38 of the 98 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to alternative medical support services call most for Active Listening, Critical Thinking and Speaking, and for knowledge of Medicine and Dentistry, English Language and Customer and Personal Service, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Problem Sensitivity, Oral Expression and Deductive Reasoning.
Both midwives and naturopaths require a similar set of skills. You must excel at working with people. You must also be able to make decisions under pressure and be able to problem solve. In both cases, people's lives are literally in your hands - you must be able to work well under stressful conditions and must have empathy for the people you work with.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long an alternative medical support services degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 7 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 19 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 34 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 38 |
Doctoral degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to alternative medical support services, at 45.2%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral degree | 45.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 41.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 3.8% |
| First professional degree | 3.8% |
| Master’s degree | 1.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 1.9% |
| Post-doctoral training | 1.9% |
Source: O*NET Online.
3 occupations are related to Alternative Medical Support Services, with an average median salary of $137,569; the strongest outlook belongs to Naturopathic Physicians, at 6.6% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Naturopath, Naturopathic Doctor, Medicine Man and Hospice Fellow.
The occupation related to alternative medical support services with the most projected jobs is Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other, at 3,105,142.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | 3,105,142 | 1.0% |
| Orthoptists | 2,932,094 | 4.8% |
| Naturopathic Physicians | 2,656,215 | 6.6% |
Alternative Medical Support Services graduates earn a median $52,766 four years after completing their program, $38,727 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 4 years | $52,766 |
| 5 years | $38,727 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The same occupation is also the highest-paying one related to alternative medical support services, with a median salary of $138,809.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other | $138,809 |
| Naturopathic Physicians | $138,086 |
| Orthoptists | $135,811 |
Alternative Medical Support Services includes 2 concentrations that together award 98 degrees a year; by graduates, the largest are Direct Entry Midwifery (69) and Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services, Other (29). It has 30 similar majors in the Health Professions field, which together award 1,037,362 degrees a year; the largest are Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (318,053), Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants (110,132) and Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions (98,474). Browse all Health Professions majors or the full list of college majors.
| Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Direct Entry Midwifery | 69 |
| Alternative and Complementary Medical Support Services, Other | 29 |
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