How Much Do Chiropractors Make?

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that chiropractors make a median annual income of $75,000 as of May 2021 or $36.06 per hour.The lowest 10 percent of chiropractors earned less than $37,400, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $128,750.

Do Chiropractors Get Paid Well?

Chiropractors are paid well—they earn more than the average worker in their industry as well as the country. The average salary, according to the BLS, for chiropractors, $75,000 per year, which is slightly less (-0.5%) than the average salary for all health care practitioners, $75,040 per year. Chiropractors make 79% more than the average salary for all professions, $45,760.

How Much Do Chiropractors Get Paid Starting Out?

The BLS does not provide average compensation data for entry-level positions for chiropractors just starting out, but the bottom 25% of chiropractors earn $50,470 each year according to the BLS.

How Many Chiropractors Are There In The United States?

In 2021, there were 51,400 chiropractors in the United States. The states with the most chiropractors are Florida (3,350), Texas (2,520) and California (2,350). Chicago (1,480), New York (1,210) and Atlanta (1,190) are the metropolitan areas with the highest employment level of chiropractors

Where Can Chiropractors Earn the Most?

Chiropractic salaries depend on location and work setting. According to the BLS, chiropractors earn the most in the following industries: hospitals, physician's offices and outpatient care centers. The metropolitan areas with the highest average chiropractor salaries are Hartford, New York and Las Vegas.

Is Going to Chiropractic School Worth It?

Deciding whether or not to become a chiropractor depends on a number of factors such as job growth, salary information, job requirements and required education. As a chiropractor, you can expect demand for your services—employment for chiropractors is growing 11% between 2020 and 2030. This growth will result in 1,800 new chiropractor jobs per year. The growth in chiropractor jobs is faster than the projected growth for all jobs (8%), but slower than the projected growth for health care jobs (12%). By 2030, the BLS projects that there will be 57,000 chiropractors in the United States.

Becoming a chiropractor can be a long journey. Chiropractors must first earn a college degree before studying for a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree, which takes four years. In total, it can take seven to eight years after high school to become a chiropractor. Even after graduating with a D.C., chiropractors typically need to maintain an active license with their state chiropractic board.  

Finally, you should consider whether you’re interested in a chiropractor’s day-to-day duties. Chiropractors evaluate and treat patients who have health problems of the neuromusculoskeletal system. In addition to working with patients, chiropractors must maintain patient records. And since many chiropractors are solo practitioners, many chiropractors are also small business owners—they often must spend time marketing and managing their practices.

How Much Do Chiropractors Earn In Each State?

The table below compares chiropractor salaries across states and U.S. territories (Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wages May 2020). You can also find data for the number of chiropractors in each state as well as the number of chiropractors per 1,000 jobs—a figure that can help you determine the job's popularity in a given location. Not all locations have salary and employment statistics.