Chiropractors salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,460 | $20.90 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $79,200 | $38.08 |
| Mean (average) | $90,520 | $43.52 |
| 90th percentile | $146,080 | $70.23 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Chiropractors pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 51 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $80,990 | $51,850 | $155,260 | 430 | 0.8 |
| Alaska | $103,500 | $88,010 | $161,080 | 90 | 1.03 |
| Arizona | $100,260 | $58,470 | $120,130 | 1,050 | 1.28 |
| Arkansas | $76,290 | $27,040 | $112,910 | 320 | 0.95 |
| California | $75,470 | $51,990 | $179,230 | 2,760 | 0.59 |
| Colorado | $74,040 | $32,990 | $101,650 | 1,340 | 1.82 |
| Connecticut | $79,560 | $36,800 | $134,840 | 240 | 0.55 |
| Delaware | Data unavailable | 140 | 1.14 | ||
| Florida | $84,280 | $51,990 | $130,410 | 3,220 | 1.27 |
| Georgia | $61,660 | $21,530 | $123,100 | 1,500 | 1.2 |
| Hawaii | $72,800 | $59,800 | $109,060 | 220 | 1.39 |
| Idaho | $80,770 | $58,730 | $91,640 | 220 | 0.98 |
| Illinois | $66,650 | $37,630 | $136,330 | 2,190 | 1.41 |
| Indiana | $77,790 | $43,850 | $119,990 | 780 | 0.95 |
| Iowa | $75,050 | $35,990 | $122,740 | 970 | 2.45 |
| Kansas | $57,600 | $37,250 | $122,120 | 570 | 1.56 |
| Kentucky | $81,740 | $36,510 | $118,620 | 470 | 0.92 |
| Louisiana | $80,280 | $46,190 | $169,720 | 370 | 0.74 |
| Maine | $107,300 | $51,740 | $168,200 | 250 | 1.55 |
| Maryland | $85,330 | $47,940 | $123,000 | 390 | 0.55 |
| Massachusetts | $75,940 | $53,520 | $155,580 | 780 | 0.84 |
| Michigan | $71,220 | $42,400 | $126,500 | 1,270 | 1.13 |
| Minnesota | $79,510 | $46,250 | $172,610 | 1,160 | 1.54 |
| Mississippi | $78,450 | $47,510 | $198,260 | 130 | 0.45 |
| Missouri | $65,090 | $48,140 | $156,000 | 660 | 0.88 |
| Montana | $76,120 | $35,610 | $129,440 | 240 | 1.86 |
| Nebraska | $66,050 | $44,700 | $121,960 | 500 | 1.91 |
| Nevada | $74,190 | $51,690 | $96,920 | 240 | 0.62 |
| New Hampshire | $69,990 | $26,240 | $218,990 | 130 | 0.72 |
| New Jersey | $134,990 | $78,690 | $154,160 | 1,370 | 1.26 |
| New Mexico | $75,040 | $30,980 | $127,460 | 140 | 0.65 |
| New York | $120,950 | $63,240 | $215,640 | 1,360 | 0.55 |
| North Carolina | $91,540 | $47,020 | $161,720 | 1,020 | 0.81 |
| North Dakota | $77,990 | $35,490 | $136,340 | 360 | 3.3 |
| Ohio | $77,710 | $43,460 | $160,670 | 1,380 | 0.97 |
| Oklahoma | $85,580 | $44,990 | $262,620 | 500 | 1.15 |
| Oregon | $81,540 | $58,250 | $130,910 | 610 | 1.22 |
| Pennsylvania | $67,230 | $34,770 | $113,640 | 1,770 | 1.15 |
| Puerto Rico | $69,470 | $62,250 | $79,660 | 110 | 0.45 |
| Rhode Island | $81,840 | $65,400 | $199,990 | 170 | 1.34 |
| South Carolina | $79,310 | $44,930 | $126,460 | 680 | 1.16 |
| South Dakota | $76,210 | $58,770 | $113,180 | 260 | 2.24 |
| Tennessee | $83,990 | $60,560 | $117,950 | 500 | 0.6 |
| Texas | $87,520 | $51,850 | $146,080 | 2,840 | 0.79 |
| Utah | $53,900 | $29,990 | $103,500 | 490 | 1.1 |
| Vermont | Data unavailable | 120 | 1.6 | ||
| Virginia | $88,030 | $37,330 | $151,790 | 900 | 0.86 |
| Washington | $104,070 | $62,630 | $137,480 | 1,130 | 1.25 |
| West Virginia | $83,160 | $52,350 | $157,050 | 60 | 0.36 |
| Wisconsin | $83,020 | $57,740 | $166,520 | 1,210 | 1.61 |
| Wyoming | $62,640 | $49,330 | $129,460 | 110 | 1.57 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for chiropractors
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 2,600. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 36.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for chiropractors
- Typical entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Chiropractic CIP 51.0101
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculoskeletal system.
- Obtain and record patients' medical histories.
- Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and examining patients and interpreting x-rays.
- Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagnosis.
- Maintain accurate case histories of patients.
- Consult with or refer patients to appropriate health practitioners when necessary.
- Advise patients about recommended courses of treatment.
- Counsel patients about nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, or other matters.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- ACOM Solutions RAPID EMR
- Acrendo A.I.med
- Addison Health Systems WritePad EHR
- Advantage Software Chiropractic Advantage
- Billing software
- BioEx Systems Exercise Pro
- ChiroSoft
- ChiroTouch EHR
- DataCom Software Business Products M.I.S. Clinic
- DocumentPlus
- E-Z BIS Office
- EZClaim medical billing software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Instructing, Persuasion.
Common job titles: Chiropractic Doctor (DC), Chiropractic Neurologist, Chiropractic Physician.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chiropractors make?
The national median annual wage for chiropractors was $79,200 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $43,460 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $146,080. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do chiropractors need?
BLS lists doctoral or professional degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is chiropractors a growing career?
BLS projects employment of chiropractors to change +8.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 2,600 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay chiropractors the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Jersey ($134,990), New York ($120,950), Maine ($107,300). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.