American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

What American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine does

The American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) is a private, post-baccalaureate educational institution founded in 1991 and headquartered in Houston, Texas. It offers regionally and programmatically accredited graduate degree programs — including the Doctor of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM, ~$87,230 total tuition), Master of Acupuncture with a Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (MAcCHM, ~$83,390), Master of Integrative Wellness Management (MIWM), the 100% online Master of Integrative Healthcare Leadership (MIHL), and a Transitional Doctor of Acupuncture (t-DAcCHM) — at $467-$480 per credit hour. The curriculum covers 347+ acupuncture points, 288+ herbs, and 192+ formulas, delivered in English by doctoral-level faculty and integrating Traditional Chinese Medicine disciplines (acupuncture, Chinese herbal medicine, Tai-chi, Qi-gong, Tui-na) with evidence-based biomedicine. ACAOM holds dual accreditation (SACSCOC regional since 2014, ACAHM programmatic), Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board authorization, and licensure approvals in Texas, California, and New Mexico; it also participates in Federal Student Financial Aid programs (Stafford and Grad PLUS loans).

ACAOM operates an integrated clinical business alongside its academic programs. The on-campus college clinic treats approximately 1,000 patients per month and over 135,000 patients since 2005 across roughly 90 conditions in pain management, women's health, and internal medicine. Outreach acupuncture services are delivered at 6 Houston Methodist Hospital locations (Medical Center, West Houston, Sugar Land, Willowbrook, San Jacinto, Woodlands), with corporate wellness relationships also covering Texas Children's Hospital employees and Rice University students. Supplemental revenue streams include semi-annual Continuing Acupuncture Education conferences ($220-$350 per attendee, providing 18 Texas CEU points) and non-degree courses ($20-$450 per course) in wellness, cannabis medicine, naturopathic medicine, and acupressure. ACAOM maintains sister-school agreements with 8 universities in China, Taiwan, and Brazil, plus collaborations with Rice University's Glasscock School of Business, University of Houston Clear Lake, and University of St. Thomas. Leadership comprises Founder Shen Ping Liang, L.Ac., and current President John Paul Liang, Ph.D., M.S.O.M., L.Ac.; the institution is currently conducting a College President search, indicating a pending leadership transition.

Name

American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

Legal name

American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine

Website

https://acaom.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ACAOM is a private Houston-based graduate institution offering regionally accredited master's and doctoral programs in acupuncture and Oriental medicine, serving degree-seeking students via in-person and online formats and operating a high-volume acupuncture clinic and Houston Methodist outreach facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

akta.pro primary industry

Academic Medical Centers & Teaching Hospitals (University-Affiliated) (EDAHAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Holistic & Integrative Wellness Education (Ayurveda, Traditional Practices) (EDAAAHAH)

Keywords

• Acupuncture education
• Traditional Chinese medicine
• Graduate degree programs
• Continuing acupuncture education
• Integrative healthcare training

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Degree Program Tuition: Primary revenue from tuition for graduate degree programs including Doctor of Acupuncture (DAc), Master of Acupuncture (MAc), Master of Integrative Wellness Management (MIWM), and Master of Integrative Healthcare Leadership (MIHL). Tuition ranges from $467-$480 per credit hour depending on program.
2. Healthcare Services: Revenue from the college clinic treating approximately 1,000 patients per month. Outreach services at Houston Methodist Hospital locations charge $50 per visit with discounts for employees.
3. Non-Degree Programs and Continuing Education: Revenue from non-degree certificates and continuing acupuncture education conferences. CAE conferences cost $220-$350 per attendee, with various courses ranging from $50-$450.
4. Federal Student Financial Aid: Participation in Federal Student Financial Aid program including unsubsidized Stafford and Grad PLUS loans, disbursed each semester.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ACAOM is a regionally accredited private post-baccalaureate institution that offers graduate degree programs (Doctor of Acupuncture, Master of Acupuncture, Master of Integrative Wellness Management, Master of Integrative Healthcare Leadership) and a Transitional Doctor program in Traditional Chinese Medicine. It also runs a college clinic treating approximately 1,000 patients per month, outreach acupuncture services at six Houston Methodist Hospital locations, non-degree certificate programs, and semi-annual continuing acupuncture education conferences.

Product overview

American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) is an educational institution offering a portfolio of graduate degree programs in acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The core academic offerings include doctoral programs (DAcCHM, t-DAcCHM) and master's programs (MAcCHM, MIWM, MIHL) that train students for careers as licensed acupuncturists and healthcare administrators. The institution also provides continuing acupuncture education conferences, non-degree certificate programs, and direct healthcare services through its college clinic and outreach facilities at Houston Methodist Hospital locations. Programs are delivered in-person and online, with the MIHL being 100% online.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 74% Doctoral program graduation rate, 62% Master's program graduation rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Da-Yeh University (Taiwan)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Sister school agreement signed for academic collaboration and exchange programs between the institutions.
• China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Sister school agreement for research and academic exchange in Traditional Chinese Medicine.
• Brazilian College of Chinese MedicineminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Collaboration agreement for academic exchange and mutual recognition in Traditional Chinese Medicine education.
• Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Sister school agreement for student and faculty exchange. Tianjin University provides optional training abroad opportunities for ACAOM students.
• Taipei Medical UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Sister school agreement for student and faculty exchange programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine education.
• University of Houston Clear LakeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Agreement to offer acupuncture services at their clinic, extending healthcare services to the university community.
• Houston Methodist HospitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACAOM has provided acupuncture services at Houston Methodist Hospital since 2005. Services are available at 6 locations: Medical Center, West Houston, Sugar Land, Willowbrook, San Jacinto, and Woodlands. The partnership integrates Eastern medicine into mainstream hospital healthcare delivery.
• Rice UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerACAOM collaborates with Rice University's Glasscock School of Business on leadership and communication courses. Students receive training on best practices in healthcare leadership. The partnership also provides acupuncture services for Rice University students through the corporate wellness program.
• Texas Children's HospitalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerACAOM provides clinical benefits for employees at Texas Children's Hospital through the corporate employee wellness program, offering discounted acupuncture services.
• Henan University of Chinese MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister school agreement signed for student and faculty exchange opportunities, enhancing international collaboration in Traditional Chinese Medicine education.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pacific College of Health and Science: Pacific College of Health and Science is one of the largest acupuncture and Oriental medicine schools in the U.S., offering master's and doctoral programs across multiple campuses (San Diego, New York, Chicago) and online. It is a direct competitor to ACAOM in graduate acupuncture education with similar programmatic accreditation and degree offerings.
• Bastyr University: Bastyr University is a regionally accredited institution in Kenmore, Washington offering naturopathic medicine, acupuncture, and integrative health sciences programs. It competes with ACAOM for prospective students interested in natural and integrative medicine graduate education, with similar dual-accreditation credentials.
• Five Branches University: Five Branches University operates campuses in Santa Cruz and San Jose, California, offering master's and doctoral programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. It competes directly with ACAOM in graduate acupuncture and Oriental medicine education, with similar degree programs and clinical training requirements.
• Dongguk University Los Angeles: Dongguk University's LA campus offers master's and doctoral programs in Oriental Medicine with ACAHM accreditation. As a Korean-rooted institution with similar Traditional Chinese Medicine focus, it competes with ACAOM for international and Asian-American students seeking acupuncture degrees.
• Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH): MUIH is a regionally accredited institution in Laurel, Maryland offering graduate programs in acupuncture, Oriental medicine, and integrative health. It competes with ACAOM for students interested in graduate-level integrative medicine education with hybrid and online program formats.
• National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM): NUNM is a regionally accredited institution in Portland, Oregon offering master's and doctoral programs in naturopathic medicine, Classical Chinese Medicine, and integrative medicine research. It is a direct peer offering comparable acupuncture and Oriental medicine graduate programs with regional accreditation.
• AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine: AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine in Austin, Texas offers master's and doctoral programs in acupuncture and Oriental medicine. As a Texas-based regionally accredited institution, AOMA is a direct peer competing for the same Houston/Texas prospective student market for acupuncture and integrative medicine education.
• Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine: Emperor's College in Santa Monica, California offers master's and doctoral programs in Traditional Oriental Medicine with ACAHM programmatic accreditation. It competes directly with ACAOM for students seeking ACAHM-accredited acupuncture degrees, particularly on the West Coast.
• Yo San University of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Yo San University in Los Angeles offers master's and doctoral programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine and acupuncture. It is a direct peer to ACAOM offering comparable ACAHM-accredited programs with similar focus on Chinese herbal medicine specialization.

Broad incumbents

• New England School of Acupuncture at MCPHS: MCPHS University acquired the New England School of Acupuncture and offers acupuncture and integrative medicine programs as part of a broader health sciences university portfolio. This broad incumbent competes with ACAOM by combining acupuncture education with broader health sciences credentials and larger institutional resources.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about American College of Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine