Healthcare Practitioners
Chiropractors
Also called: Chiropractic Doctor (DC), Chiropractic Neurologist, Chiropractic Physician
US median pay
$79,200
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+8.7%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
2,600
61,700 employed
Typical entry education
Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
Assess, treat, and care for patients by manipulation of spine and musculoskeletal system. May provide spinal adjustment or address sacral or pelvic misalignment.
What they do day to day
- 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.
- Provide guidance to patients on exercises they can perform to improve mobility.
- Analyze x-rays to locate the sources of patients' difficulties and to rule out fractures or diseases as sources of problems.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.9/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Service Orientation3.8/5
- Instructing3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Systems Evaluation3.0/5
- Systems Analysis3.0/5
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry4.8/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.7/5
- Biology4.0/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.0/5
- Administration and Management3.7/5
- English Language3.7/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Doctoral or professional degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Doctoral degree82%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.