9 Important Questions About Chiropractic Careers

Chiropractic careers give you the opportunity to join the healthcare field and play an integral role in improving people’s health and well-being. If you’re thinking about chiropractic as a possible career path, you should know that this is an exciting time to join the profession.

1. What is a chiropractor?

Chiropractors are healthcare professionals who view health and illness from a holistic perspective. They focus on how musculoskeletal structures; body function and the nervous system are closely interrelated. Disturbances in one system can impact the others, as well as affect a person’s overall health and well-being.

Chiropractors maintain that the human body possesses an inherent ability to heal itself. By using treatment methods that are non-surgical and non-pharmacological, body function can be restored or rehabilitated – and further disability can be prevented.

In the process of providing patient care, chiropractors may consult with other healthcare professionals and refer patients to them as well.

2. How do chiropractors provide care to their patients?

Chiropractic treatment focuses on examining and addressing issues related to the neuromusculoskeletal system, which includes the bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It aims to both treat existing disorders and prevent potential issues in this system. During a visit, chiropractors typically provide hands-on treatments such as adjusting and manually manipulating the spine and other joints, along with using manual therapies to treat soft tissue structures. They may also incorporate specialized instruments to aid in the treatment process and offer health and wellness assessments to help patients maintain overall well-being.

Note that chiropractors can serve as primary contact providers, which means they may be a patient’s first contact in seeking healthcare.

3. Chiropractic employment opportunities

The field of chiropractic is rapidly expanding, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting a 7% job growth rate from 2018 to 2028, making it a promising choice for aspiring professionals. Chiropractors enjoy strong job security, as U.S. News and World Report ranks this career among the best for stability, thanks to consistently low unemployment rates and positive growth forecasts.

Moreover, the landscape for chiropractic employment opportunities is bolstered by greater insurance coverage; today, many insurance plans include chiropractic care, with estimates indicating that up to 87% of insured Americans have coverage for these services.

Recent legislative changes have also expanded Veteran Administration (VA) services to include chiropractic care for veterans, which may influence broader healthcare systems positively.

As the opioid crisis continues to escalate, chiropractors offer a non-invasive alternative for pain management, enhancing their appeal in today’s healthcare market. Additionally, with the aging Baby Boomer population, the demand for musculoskeletal care is set to rise. Chiropractic Economics notes that 14% of older Americans are currently receiving chiropractic care, a figure that is expected to increase, further enhancing chiropractic employment opportunities.

At NWHSU we offer additional emphasis or certification options that open our chiropractic student graduates up to even more employment opportunities. Whether you are interested in pursuing a sports emphasis or adding functional nutrition to your practice, you can broaden your knowledge base and expand your care.

4. What is a chiropractor’s salary or yearly income?

Online sources vary on an average chiropractor’s income. To better understand a chiropractor’s earning potential, research is key. Look into how a source determines the average salary—i.e., where do its numbers come from? Salaries can differ in relation to whether you’re an owner-operator of your own practice, an associate chiropractor employed at a chiropractic office, or a chiropractor employed at a hospital, clinic, or other setting. Incomes can also vary widely based on geographic location.

5. Where do chiropractors work?

Chiropractors work in varying types of environments. Some chiropractors choose solo practice offices, and are self-employed where others may choose group practice offices with multiple chiropractors, or integrative clinics where chiropractors collaborate with other healthcare providers such as massage therapists and acupuncturists. Additionally, chiropractors may work in primary care clinics, multidisciplinary clinics, hospitals, VA medical centers, corporate settings, fitness centers, and sports team facilities or sports clinics. Each setting offers unique opportunities for patient care and collaboration with other health professionals.

6. What are some unique advantages to a career as a chiropractor?

As a chiropractor, you have the opportunity to enjoy career advantages like these:

Greater flexibility. Chiropractors can enjoy a high degree of autonomy, especially compared to other healthcare practitioners. Being self-employed and owning your own practice is a popular choice. This option affords you the freedom to be your own boss and set your own hours of service.
Growing career options. Chiropractors have more and more options to work in a variety of settings and develop specializations. Children, expectant mothers, the elderly, hospital patients, underserved populations—these are just a few examples of the patient groups you can focus on.
Being part of the solution. Healthcare as we know it is changing. For example, there is a growing demand for treatment options for pain management that don’t involve drugs or surgery. Chiropractic care—and its emphasis on non-invasive therapy—is poised to play an integral role in healthcare’s evolution.

Watch Katie Burns Ryan, DC, Dean of the College of Chiropractic at Northwestern Health Sciences University, talk about why she became a chiropractor and also why it’s a great time to join the profession.

7. What qualities should you have to be a chiropractor?

Attending chiropractic school will obviously help you acquire the technical skills and knowledge you need to be a chiropractor. But there are also other considerations. As you explore the possibility of a career as a chiropractor, keep qualities like the following in mind:

Interested in gaining a deep understanding of the human body. A chiropractic education involves extensive study in human anatomy and physiology, in addition to training in areas like diagnosis and orthopedics. You’ll apply this knowledge every day when you provide chiropractic care.

Enjoy providing hands-on treatment to numerous patients each day. Being a chiropractor means delivering actual treatment during patient visits. In fact, manual, or hands-on, therapy is at the core of chiropractic treatment. This makes it a much more patient-centered clinical encounter compared to, say, a medical doctor visit in which a patient is sent off with a prescription.

Like talking with people and listening closely to their needs and concerns. Interpersonal skills are crucial for chiropractors. They also need to have empathy and patience and an ability to put people at ease. In other words, chiropractic care involves both a physical and an emotional component.

Have an entrepreneurial spirit. Though not every chiropractor wants or needs to open their own practice, many do. They must understand the factors that go into running a business successfully and address responsibilities related to things like billing and accounting, marketing, and office administration.

8. What are the academic requirements for a career as a chiropractor?

You will need to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree to become a chiropractor. Programs to earn the Doctor of Chiropractic degree typically take between three and four years.

Coursework and degree prerequisites for attending chiropractic school vary from program to program, depending on which school you choose.

You may not need a bachelor’s degree to be accepted into many Doctor of Chiropractic programs.

However, The Council on Chiropractic Education states that all accredited chiropractic schools require that students “have completed the equivalent of three academic years of undergraduate study (90 semester hours)” with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

Some Doctor of Chiropractic programs provide a path to complete your bachelor’s degree while you pursue your chiropractic education.

Note that you will want to attend a school that meets official standards established within the chiropractic profession. Be sure the school you choose is accredited by The Council on Chiropractic Education.

9. What licenses and certifications do you need to be a chiropractor?

In addition to completing a Doctor of Chiropractic degree program, you must secure a license from the state (or relevant jurisdiction) where you plan to practice chiropractic care.

Specific requirements may vary from state to state, but generally speaking, you will need to pass a series of exams administered by the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE).

Other requirements may include passing a background check and taking exams on specific state laws related to practicing chiropractic care.

So how do we know so much about chiropractic careers? Since our founding in 1941, more than 5,000 chiropractors have graduated from the Northwestern Health Sciences University chiropractic program.

We are a mission-driven university, preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals to not only deliver but also advance healthcare.

For more information on the path to a chiropractic career, see How to Become a Chiropractor.

Originally Published in 2019 and updated in 2024.