by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, chiropractic was the 175th most popular major nationwide with 2,658 degrees awarded. This represents a 2.3% increase in chiropractic degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 2,596.
Our 2023 Best Chiropractic Schools ranking analyzes 13 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for chiropractic students. Explore this or one of our many other custom chiropractic rankings further below.
When studying Chiropractic, you’ll learn that understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Required skills include giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and talking to others to convey information effectively.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most chiropractic degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic chiropractic program qualifications, to serve in some chiropractic careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are various different levels of chiropractic degrees. Chiropractic programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest chiropractic degree you can get. The type of chiropractic degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A doctor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to chiropractic, with approximately 53.5% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for chiropractic workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Doctoral Degree | 52.0% |
| Master’s Degree | 18.9% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 10.1% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 6.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 4.7% |
63.1% of chiropractic workers have at least a doctorate. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in chiropractic have received.
This of course varies depending on which chiropractic career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your chiropractic degree? Chiropractic careers are expected to grow 23.6% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to chiropractic.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | 294,000 | 25.9% |
| Chiropractors | 53,300 | 12.4% |
Chiropractic graduates between 2017-2019 reported earning an average of $40,463 in the 2019-2020 timeframe. Earnings can range from as low as $28,770 to as high as $54,844. As you might expect, salaries for chiropractic graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for chiropractic graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers chiropractic grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Health Specialties Professors | $122,320 |
| Chiropractors | $85,870 |
With over 17 different chiropractic degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased chiropractic school rankings to help you with this.
Chiropractic is one of 30 different types of Health Professions programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Nursing | 322,592 |
| Health & Medical Administrative Services | 89,359 |
| Allied Health & Medical Assisting Services | 84,492 |
| Practical Nursing & Nursing Assistants | 84,274 |
| Allied Health Professions | 82,308 |
Image Credit: By Michael Dorausch under License More about our data sources and methodologies.
