National University of Natural Medicine

Private · OR

Photo: Andrickmike (CC BY-SA 4.0)

School data & stats

TypePrivate

LocationOR · West

SettingUrban

Undergrads41

Student:faculty9:1

Outcomes

4-yr grad rate—

6-yr grad rate—

Drop-out rate—

Study abroad—

Cost

In-state tuition—

Out-of-state tuition—

Application fee—

Community

Racial diversity61%

Gender diversity95.1%

International0%

Identity—

Overview

The National University of Natural Medicine, in Portland, Oregon, is the oldest accredited naturopathic medical school in North America. It focuses on naturopathic medicine, classical Chinese medicine, and integrative and complementary health research, and functions almost entirely as a graduate institution for students already committed to a career in natural or integrative medicine.

Academics

Programs combine biomedical science coursework with training specific to naturopathic and Chinese medicine traditions — herbal medicine, acupuncture, nutrition, and physical medicine among them — alongside a growing research arm studying complementary and integrative approaches. Clinical training happens in supervised teaching clinics, similar in structure to other health-professional programs, rather than through a traditional liberal-arts curriculum.

After graduation

Graduates become licensed naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, or other integrative-health practitioners, entering a field that operates alongside conventional medicine rather than replacing it, with licensure and scope of practice varying significantly by state. The school's research output has helped it build more academic credibility in the natural-medicine field than most of its peer institutions.

Worth knowing

As the oldest school of its kind in North America, it carries an unusual amount of institutional weight within a field that is still establishing broader academic legitimacy; students should know that naturopathic licensure and practice rights differ substantially from state to state.

nunm.edu ↗

Admissions

Acceptance rate—

Enrolled mid-50%—

Test policynot reported

Rec letters—

Deadlines (2026–27 cycle)

Applying