National University of Natural Medicine

What National University of Natural Medicine does

National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) is a private nonprofit university founded in 1956 in Portland, Oregon, recognized as the oldest accredited naturopathic medical school in North America. The institution delivers graduate and undergraduate degree programs spanning Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND), Doctor of Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM), Master of Acupuncture (MAc), Master of Science in Nutrition (MScN, available in-person or online), Master of Science in Global Health, Master of Science in Clinical Research, and bachelor's completion programs in Integrative Health Sciences and Nutrition. NUNM serves an admitted-student customer base pursuing careers as naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists, nutritionists, and clinical researchers, with supplemental continuing-education enrollees maintaining licensure.

The university's underlying academic infrastructure integrates classroom instruction with clinical training through NUNM Health Centers, which operate multiple Portland-area teaching clinic locations handling approximately 40,000 patient visits annually, supported by an on-site laboratory and a dietary supplement dispensary (NUNM Medicinary). Research is conducted through the Helfgott Research Institute, which has secured multi-cycle NIH funding (notably an $864,000 four-year R-CAMP grant), and student work has earned recognition at the International Congress of Integrative Medicine and Health. The campus includes the 11,000-square-foot Min Zidell Healing Garden. NUNM holds institutional accreditation from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU, reaffirmed March 2025) and programmatic accreditation from the Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) and Accreditation Commission on Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine (ACAHM), each at maximum 7-year terms.

NUNM's business model combines four revenue streams: (1) tuition and fees at $538 per credit hour for Chinese Medicine programs across 129.5-199.25 credit hour doctoral/master's tracks, plus application and enrollment deposits; (2) professional services revenue from NUNM Health Centers clinical operations; (3) philanthropy and grants including major gifts from the Murdock Trust, Meyer Memorial Trust, Bob's Red Mill founders ($1.35M), Peterson-Shelley ($1.5M), and NIH research grants; and (4) continuing education program revenue for practitioner CEUs. Go-to-market is admissions-led with prospective student recruitment through the university website, virtual and in-person admissions events, social media channels, and community outreach programs. In December 2025, the university purchased the Woolworth Building in downtown Portland as its new campus, with classes beginning at the 1621 SW First Avenue location on June 1, 2026 and a ribbon-cutting ceremony held June 26, 2026 to mark the institution's 70th anniversary.

Name

National University of Natural Medicine

Legal name

National University of Natural Medicine

Website

https://nunm.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Short description

National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) is a private nonprofit university in Portland, Oregon, founded in 1956 as the oldest accredited naturopathic medical school in North America. It offers doctoral, master's, and bachelor's programs in naturopathic medicine, classical Chinese medicine, nutrition, and research, supported by teaching clinics serving 40,000 patient visits annually.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Natural Medicine Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical Schools (MD/DO Granting) (EDAHAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nutrition & Dietetics Schools (EDAHAGAK), Allied Health & Rehabilitation Sciences Schools (PT/OT/SLP, etc.) (EDAHAGAH)

Keywords

• Naturopathic medicine education
• Chinese medicine degrees
• Integrative health training
• Clinical nutrition programs
• Natural medicine research

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from graduate and undergraduate tuition for naturopathic medicine, Chinese medicine, nutrition, and research programs. Revenue also includes application fees, deposits, and various program-specific charges.
2. Healthcare Services: Revenue from NUNM Health Centers providing integrative medicine services. The clinical operations include naturopathic physicians, acupuncturists and interns offering patient treatment options.
3. Research Grants and Philanthropy: Significant revenue from NIH grants, foundation donations (Murdock Trust, Meyer Memorial Trust, etc.), and alumni gifts supporting campus expansion and research initiatives.
4. Continuing Education: Revenue from continuing education units (CEUs) for practitioners and alumni seeking to maintain licensure and expand skills.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National University of Natural Medicine is a nonprofit higher education institution that offers accredited degree and certificate programs in natural medicine — including the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND), Doctor of Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine (DAcCHM), Master of Acupuncture (MAc/MAcCHM), Master of Science in Nutrition, Global Health, and Clinical Research, plus undergraduate completion degrees in Integrative Health Sciences and Nutrition. Programs combine classroom instruction with clinical training through NUNM Health Centers teaching clinics and are supported by the Helfgott Research Institute, an on-site Medicinary, and continuing education courses.

Product overview

National University of Natural Medicine (NUNM) is a higher education institution offering a portfolio of graduate and undergraduate degree programs in natural medicine disciplines. The core educational offerings include doctoral programs in Naturopathic Medicine (ND) and Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM), master's programs in Acupuncture (MAc), Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine (MAcCHM), Nutrition (MScN), Global Health, and Clinical Research, plus undergraduate completion programs in Integrative Health Sciences and Nutrition. NUNM operates clinical services through its Health Centers network providing integrative medicine patient care, supported by an on-site laboratory and medicinary. The institution also houses the Helfgott Research Institute for evidence-based CAM research, maintains a botanical healing garden (Min Zidell Garden), and provides continuing education programs. Campus expansion includes a new downtown Portland location at 1621 SW 1st Ave. with planned Phase 2 facilities including the Peterson-Shelley Center for Integrative Medicine.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine (ND) Four-year doctoral program in naturopathic medicine preparing graduates for licensure as primary care naturopathic physicians, covering natural therapeutics, pharmacology, and clinical training.
• Doctor of Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (DAcCHM) Four-year doctoral program focusing on acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine with doctoral-level coursework, classical text studies, and advanced clinical training.
• Master of Acupuncture (MAc) Two or three-year master's program providing foundational mastery of Chinese medicine modalities with focus on acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, Qigong, Shiatsu, and Tuina.
• Master of Acupuncture with Chinese Herbal Medicine Specialization (MAcCHM) Three or four-year master's program combining foundational Chinese medicine training with comprehensive education in Chinese herbal medicine, including herbal formulas and poultices.
• Master of Science in Nutrition (MScN) Graduate program in nutrition available in-person or online, preparing students for careers in nutritional counseling and wellness.
• Bachelor of Science in Integrative Health Sciences Undergraduate completion program in integrative health sciences available in-person or online.
• Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Undergraduate degree program in nutrition available in-person or online.
• Master of Science in Global Health (MScGH) Graduate program providing insights into community health systems, traditional medicine, and social determinants of health.
• Master of Science in Clinical Research (MSCR) Program teaching medical and health study design, critical evaluation of scientific literature, and clinical research implementation.
• Doctorate in Clinical Nutrition Doctoral program in clinical nutrition for graduates seeking advanced credentials.
• NUNM Health Centers Integrative medicine clinics offering naturopathic physician and acupuncture services with student intern participation; includes services, providers, medicinary, and laboratory.
• NUNM Medicinary Dispensary providing nutritional supplements and herbal medicines to patients.
• Helfgott Research Institute Research institute conducting evidence-based research in natural medicine and complementary/alternative medicine to advance the science and improve clinical practice.
• Continuing Education Continuing education courses and programs for practitioners seeking CEUs and professional development in natural medicine fields.
• Certificate Programs Various certificate programs for practitioners seeking continuing education units and specialized training.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40,000 patient visits per year through NUNM Health Centers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Women in Balance AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 June 2012Transfer of net assets agreement with Women in Balance Association, a nonprofit dedicated to educating women about hormone health. NCNM assumed ownership and renamed it the Women In Balance Institute - the first natural medicine educational institution dedicated to women's hormone health education and research.
• Emerson EcologicsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 March 2012Emerson Quality Program (EQP) adopted by NCNM as its premier supplier qualification program for dietary supplements in the NCNM Clinic Medicinary. EQP Partners include brands meeting stringent quality standards for compliance with FDA Dietary Supplement cGMPs.
• Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Collaborative partnership with OHSU for the R-CAMP (Research in Complementary and Alternative Medicine) program. OHSU's Cynthia Morris, PhD served as R-CAMP program director for the first cycle and continues as co-investigator.
• The CHP GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009The CHP Group sponsored the 'Medicine on the Move' community outreach event sending naturopathic students to Portland community centers to learn about affordable, accessible healthcare services.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU): OHSU is a major Oregon-based research university and NUNM's core research partner (R-CAMP collaboration), representing a broad incumbent in the same healthcare education ecosystem with overlapping research and clinical training.

Direct peers

• Bastyr University: Bastyr University is another leading accredited naturopathic medical school offering ND and complementary medicine programs, directly competing with NUNM for students, faculty, and research funding in the natural medicine education category.
• National University of Health Sciences: NUHS is an accredited institution offering naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, and other integrative health sciences programs, with overlapping curriculum and a similar multi-disciplinary health sciences positioning.
• Five Branches University: Five Branches is an accredited graduate school offering doctoral and master's programs in Traditional Chinese Medicine and integrative healthcare, comparable to NUNM's DAcCHM and MAcCHM programs.
• Pacific College of Health and Sciences: Pacific College is an accredited health sciences school focused on acupuncture, Chinese medicine, massage therapy, and holistic nursing — overlapping with NUNM's Chinese medicine and continuing education offerings.
• AOMA Graduate School of Integrative Medicine: AOMA is a regionally accredited graduate school of Chinese and integrative medicine offering master's and doctoral acupuncture programs, competing with NUNM's School of Classical Chinese Medicine.
• Maryland University of Integrative Health: MUIH offers graduate degrees in integrative health disciplines including acupuncture, herbal medicine, and nutrition, making it a comparable niche competitor in natural medicine education on the U.S. East Coast.
• Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine: CCNM is a Canada-based accredited naturopathic medical school offering a comparable four-year ND program, representing the closest international peer and a cross-border competitor for North American naturopathic students.
• Sonoran University of Health Sciences (formerly SCNM): Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine (now Sonoran University) is one of the few accredited ND-granting institutions in North America and competes head-to-head with NUNM on naturopathic doctoral enrollment.

Regional players

• Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine: Boucher is a Canadian naturopathic medical school serving the British Columbia market; while geographically distinct from NUNM's Portland base, it competes for a portion of the same North American ND applicant pool.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NCNMchannel
• Facebookfacebook.com/nunm.edu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/nunm
• Instagraminstagram.com/nunm_edu
• Xtwitter.com/nunm_edu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National University of Natural Medicine