Best institutions to study Herbalism/Herbalist
A program that prepares individuals to utilize the materia medica and clinical practices of Western, Native American, African, Australasian, and other herbal medicine traditions to prevent and cure illness and temporary physical disorders.
5 U.S. institutions graduated 56 Herbalism/Herbalist students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.3702, a specialization of Energy and Biologically Based Therapies (CIP 51.37), and leads most directly to the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other occupation (BLS SOC 29-9099).
About Herbalism/Herbalist programs
A program that prepares individuals to utilize the materia medica and clinical practices of Western, Native American, African, Australasian, and other herbal medicine traditions to prevent and cure illness and temporary physical disorders. Includes instruction in basic anatomy, physiology, pathology, and toxicology; nutrition; terminology and materia medica; therapeutic herbalism; herbal pharmacy; botanicals and ethnobotany; wildcrafting and harvesting; labeling and dispensing phytotherapy; counterindications; practice management; consultation skills; and professional standards and ethics.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).
The Herbalism/Herbalist program, part of the Energy and Biologically Based Therapies field, prepares individuals to utilize various herbal medicine traditions, including Western, Native American, and African practices. This program is designed for those interested in holistic health approaches and aims to equip students with the knowledge to prevent and treat illnesses using herbal remedies.
Students in this program will learn about materia medica, clinical practices, and the fundamentals of anatomy, physiology, and pathology. Coursework includes therapeutic herbalism, herbal pharmacy, wildcrafting, and professional standards, providing a comprehensive foundation for a career in herbal medicine.
Credentials awarded
What Herbalism/Herbalist graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).
- Master's degree19 graduates / yr · 1 institution34%
- Award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year19 graduates / yr · 1 institution34%
- Postbaccalaureate certificate8 graduates / yr · 1 institution14%
- Bachelor's degree6 graduates / yr · 1 institution11%
- Award of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years4 graduates / yr · 2 institutions7.1%
Graduates over time
Herbalism/Herbalist completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.
| Year | Graduates |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 73 |
| 2013 | 53 |
| 2014 | 47 |
| 2015 | 65 |
| 2016 | 50 |
| 2017 | 65 |
| 2018 | 51 |
| 2019 | 52 |
| 2020 | 60 |
| 2021 | 68 |
| 2022 | 84 |
| 2023 | 96 |
| 2024 | 113 |
| 2025 | 56 |
Top 5 institutions for Herbalism/Herbalist, ranked by graduates
Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Notre Dame of Maryland University Baltimore, MDPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sPost-degree cert. | 27 | 50% | $24,333 |
| 2 | Southwest Institute of Healing Arts Tempe, AZPrivate for-profitAward of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year | 19 | 67% | $58,427 |
| 3 | Bastyr University Kenmore, WAPrivate not-for-profitBachelor's | 6 | — | — |
| 4 | Pacific College of Health and Science New York, NYPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 2 | 56% | $46,003 |
| 5 | Eastern School of Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine Bloomfield, NJPrivate for-profitAward of at least 1 but less than 2 academic years | 2 | — | — |
Offered in 5 states
Where Herbalism/Herbalist graduates come from. Each state links to all Energy and Biologically Based Therapies programs offered there.
| State | Institutions | Graduates / yr | Top institution by graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 1 | 27 | Notre Dame of Maryland University27 / yr |
| Arizona | 1 | 19 | Southwest Institute of Healing Arts19 / yr |
| Washington | 1 | 6 | Bastyr University6 / yr |
| New York | 1 | 2 | Pacific College of Health and Science2 / yr |
| New Jersey | 1 | 2 | Eastern School of Acupuncture and Traditional Medicine2 / yr |
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-9099, Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other, and its national outlook.
Graduates of the Herbalism/Herbalist program can pursue careers as healthcare practitioners, with an average annual wage of $64,030. The job outlook for this field is about as fast as average, with an expected growth rate of 3.6% and approximately 2,600 annual openings.
Top-paying metros
Career pathways for CIP 51.3702
The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.
| Occupation | US median pay | Growth | Openings / yr | Typical entry education |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Otherprimary SOC 29-9099 | $65,790 | +3.6% About as fast as average | ~2,600 | Postsecondary nondegree award |
Healthcare Diagnosing or Treating Practitioners, All Other SOC 29-1299 | $115,210 | +2.0% About as fast as average | ~2,400 | Master's degree |
Related careers
Other Energy and Biologically Based Therapies specializations
The 4 other 6-digit CIP codes under Energy and Biologically Based Therapies (CIP 51.37).
Show 3 more CIP codes with no U.S. programs reported+
- Polarity Therapy51.3703
- Reiki51.3704
- Energy and Biologically Based Therapies51.3799
No institution reported completions for these codes in the latest IPEDS year, so they have no page.
Common questions
What degrees can I earn in this program?+
You can earn a Master's degree, a postbaccalaureate certificate, or an award of at least 12 weeks but less than 1 academic year.
How many colleges offer this program in the U.S.?+
Currently, there are 5 colleges offering the Herbalism/Herbalist program in the U.S.
What is the typical education required for careers in this field?+
Most careers in this field typically require a postsecondary nondegree award.
How many graduates complete this program each year?+
On average, there are about 56 graduates per year in the Herbalism/Herbalist program.
What is the CIP code for Herbalism/Herbalist?+
Herbalism/Herbalist is CIP 51.3702 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Energy and Biologically Based Therapies (CIP 51.37). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares individuals to utilize the materia medica and clinical practices of Western, Native American, African, Australasian, and other herbal medicine traditions to prevent and cure illness and temporary physical disorders. Includes instruction in basic anatomy, physiology, pathology, and toxicology; nutrition; terminology and materia medica; therapeutic herbalism; herbal pharmacy; botanicals and ethnobotany; wildcrafting and harvesting; labeling and dispensing phytotherapy; counterindications; practice management; consultation skills; and professional standards and ethics.
How many institutions offer Herbalism/Herbalist programs?+
5 U.S. institutions reported Herbalism/Herbalist graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 5 states, awarding 56 credentials in the year. That is 80.0% of all Energy and Biologically Based Therapies graduates.
How much do Herbalism/Herbalist graduates earn?+
Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other occupation, which Herbalism/Herbalist most directly leads to, pays a median of $65,790 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
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