How do CA schools compare?
Choosing a school by whichever pass-rate number pops up first is a common trap here — with a cohort of five or ten graduates, one retake can swing the percentage by 20+ points, so a single strong or weak semester doesn't tell you much about whether a program is actually reliable over time.
Choosing a school by whichever pass-rate number pops up first is a common trap here — with a cohort of five or ten graduates, one retake can swing the percentage by 20+ points, so a single strong or weak semester doesn't tell you much about whether a program is actually reliable over time. The more honest way to compare is by the cumulative number of test-takers and the pass rate together.
Here's the Northern California cluster, based on California Acupuncture Board exam data aggregated across 2021–2025 (published by Five Branches, last checked 08/2026):
| School | CALE test-takers, 2021–2025 (cumulative) | Cumulative first-time pass rate | Est. 4-yr tuition | Character |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Five Branches University | 169 | 85.8% | $72,822 (DAcHM/MAcHM dual degree, checked 08/2026) | Bilingual EN/中文, Silicon Valley, large alumni network |
| AIMC Berkeley | 99 | 82.8% | ~$65k–72k | Integrative, Westernized academic style |
| ACCHS, Oakland | 88 | 83.0% | ~$80k+ | Traditional/classical, small classes |
| CUSV, Sunnyvale | 15 (mostly estimated) | 73.3% | ~$60k–68k | Smallest, most volatile cohort — worth confirming current details directly with the school |
Notice the spread in test-taker counts: 169 and 99 are large enough that the percentage means something; 15 is small enough that a couple of results move it a lot.
Southern California has its own options with less multi-year data on file here — SCUHS in Whittier (MAcCHM/DAcCHM) reported a small single-period CALE cohort (60–69%, 2H 2025), and Pacific College of Health and Science runs programs in San Diego and elsewhere with its own tuition schedule — but I don't have a comparable five-year aggregate for either yet, so treat any single-semester number for them as a snapshot, not a trend.
For the fuller statewide picture — 14 California institutions on an interactive map with exam participation and history — Five Branches' own TCM Education Guide has that laid out.
Are you weighing Northern and Southern California both, or is one region already the practical choice for you?
Sources
- California Acupuncture Board checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Tcm Education Guide Compare Acupuncture Schools Clinical Training Career Outcomes checked 2026-08
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