Chiropractors
Chiropractors (SOC 29-1011) earn a median $79,200 a year ($38.08 an hour) in the United States, with 39,630 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is New Jersey.
What chiropractors do
Chiropractors treat disorders of the spine, joints and surrounding soft tissue, mainly through hands-on manipulation rather than surgery or prescription drugs. Their patients come with complaints of the spine and other joints. A visit usually begins with a health history and a physical and posture examination, sometimes supported by x-rays, to rule out fractures or disease before any adjustment is made. The practitioner then adjusts the spine or other joints by hand, and may add exercises or stretches. Many also talk with patients about nutrition, exercise and sleeping habits. Chiropractors keep accurate case histories, advise patients on recommended courses of treatment, and counsel them on stress management. Their approach centers on manual adjustment, which sets it apart from the drug-based or surgical care that physicians provide.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a doctoral degree as the typical level of education for this occupation (82 percent).
Also called: Chiropractic Doctor (DC), Chiropractic Neurologist, Chiropractic Physician, Chiropractor.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.90 | $28.88 | $38.08 | $50.51 | $70.23 | $43.52 | 39,630 |
| Annual | $43,460 | $60,070 | $79,200 | $105,050 | $146,080 | $90,520 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where chiropractors earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $37.83 | $48.25 | $64.90 | $64.90 | $74.12 | $60.59 | 1,370 | 0.32 | 1.26 |
| Annual | $78,690 | $100,370 | $134,990 | $134,990 | $154,160 | $126,020 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $30.40 | $39.73 | $58.15 | $62.92 | $103.67 | $59.92 | 1,360 | 0.14 | 0.55 |
| Annual | $63,240 | $82,630 | $120,950 | $130,870 | $215,640 | $124,630 | ||||
| Maine | Hourly | $24.88 | $36.74 | $51.59 | $59.61 | $80.86 | $52.08 | 250 | 0.40 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $51,740 | $76,410 | $107,300 | $123,980 | $168,200 | $108,320 | ||||
| Washington | Hourly | $30.11 | $39.35 | $50.03 | $51.51 | $66.10 | $49.49 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 1.25 |
| Annual | $62,630 | $81,850 | $104,070 | $107,140 | $137,480 | $102,930 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $42.31 | $49.03 | $49.76 | $64.28 | $77.44 | $57.83 | 90 | 0.26 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $88,010 | $101,990 | $103,500 | $133,690 | $161,080 | $120,280 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Florida | Hourly | $25.00 | $31.76 | $40.52 | $49.04 | $62.70 | $44.19 | 3,220 | 0.32 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $51,990 | $66,060 | $84,280 | $102,000 | $130,410 | $91,920 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $24.93 | $29.02 | $42.08 | $53.08 | $70.23 | $46.35 | 2,840 | 0.20 | 0.79 |
| Annual | $51,850 | $60,370 | $87,520 | $110,410 | $146,080 | $96,420 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $25.00 | $29.60 | $36.28 | $49.92 | $86.17 | $48.65 | 2,760 | 0.15 | 0.59 |
| Annual | $51,990 | $61,560 | $75,470 | $103,830 | $179,230 | $101,190 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $18.09 | $21.55 | $32.04 | $38.46 | $65.54 | $37.12 | 2,190 | 0.36 | 1.41 |
| Annual | $37,630 | $44,820 | $66,650 | $79,990 | $136,330 | $77,220 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $16.72 | $20.42 | $32.32 | $44.88 | $54.63 | $35.19 | 1,770 | 0.29 | 1.15 |
| Annual | $34,770 | $42,480 | $67,230 | $93,350 | $113,640 | $73,180 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $38.03 | $50.00 | $62.92 | $64.90 | $103.67 | $63.81 | ** | ** | ** |
| Annual | $79,100 | $103,990 | $130,870 | $134,990 | $215,640 | $132,720 | ||||
| Sheboygan, WI | Hourly | $30.27 | $42.65 | $57.90 | $59.84 | $76.39 | $54.23 | 30 | 0.51 | 2.01 |
| Annual | $62,970 | $88,720 | $120,440 | $124,470 | $158,880 | $112,790 | ||||
| Anchorage, AK | Hourly | $35.90 | $49.03 | $56.77 | $76.10 | $93.20 | $58.22 | 50 | 0.28 | 1.11 |
| Annual | $74,680 | $101,990 | $118,080 | $158,280 | $193,860 | $121,090 | ||||
| Green Bay, WI | Hourly | $26.78 | $36.16 | $55.47 | $57.79 | $76.48 | $50.89 | 70 | 0.39 | 1.55 |
| Annual | $55,710 | $75,220 | $115,380 | $120,200 | $159,080 | $105,840 | ||||
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | Hourly | $19.23 | $27.63 | $54.59 | $64.83 | $64.83 | $48.18 | 90 | 0.14 | 0.56 |
| Annual | $39,990 | $57,480 | $113,560 | $134,840 | $134,840 | $100,220 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $21.50 | $21.55 | $34.83 | $50.00 | $66.49 | $38.17 | 1,470 | 0.33 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $44,720 | $44,820 | $72,440 | $104,000 | $138,300 | $79,400 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $29.02 | $29.02 | $46.91 | $63.64 | $74.77 | $50.50 | 1,110 | 0.28 | 1.08 |
| Annual | $60,370 | $60,370 | $97,580 | $132,380 | $155,510 | $105,040 | ||||
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | Hourly | $10.35 | $16.77 | $25.00 | $31.06 | $45.00 | $28.23 | 1,060 | 0.37 | 1.44 |
| Annual | $21,530 | $34,880 | $52,000 | $64,610 | $93,600 | $58,710 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $15.38 | $32.00 | $38.20 | $48.87 | $64.60 | $41.06 | 870 | 0.30 | 1.18 |
| Annual | $31,990 | $66,550 | $79,450 | $101,650 | $134,360 | $85,410 | ||||
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | Hourly | $28.28 | $36.57 | $49.09 | $51.87 | $57.76 | $45.55 | 830 | 0.35 | 1.37 |
| Annual | $58,810 | $76,060 | $102,110 | $107,880 | $120,150 | $94,730 | ||||
Top industries employing chiropractors
Offices of Other Health Practitioners employ 92.0% of chiropractors nationally (36,460 jobs) at a median $78,560 a year ($37.77 an hour), followed by Outpatient Care Centers (1.3%) and Management of Companies and Enterprises (0.5%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners NAICS 621300 | 36,460 | 92.0% | $78,560 | $37.77 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 520 | 1.3% | $104,810 | $50.39 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises NAICS 551100 | 200 | 0.5% | $102,120 | $49.10 |
| Employment Services NAICS 561300 | 180 | 0.5% | $81,940 | $39.39 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 130 | 0.3% | $118,060 | $56.76 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (39,630). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $75,000 for chiropractors in May 2021 and $79,200 in May 2025, with employment of 35,810 and 39,630.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $75,000 | $36.06 | 35,810 |
| May 2022 | $75,380 | $36.24 | 37,740 |
| May 2023 | $76,530 | $36.79 | 41,480 |
| May 2024 | $79,000 | $37.98 | 37,630 |
| May 2025 | $79,200 | $38.08 | 39,630 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
50 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey profile | $64.90 | $134,990 | $78,690 | $154,160 | 1,370 | 0.32 | 1.26 |
| 2 | New York profile | $58.15 | $120,950 | $63,240 | $215,640 | 1,360 | 0.14 | 0.55 |
| 3 | Maine profile | $51.59 | $107,300 | $51,740 | $168,200 | 250 | 0.40 | 1.55 |
| 4 | Washington profile | $50.03 | $104,070 | $62,630 | $137,480 | 1,130 | 0.32 | 1.25 |
| 5 | Alaska profile | $49.76 | $103,500 | $88,010 | $161,080 | 90 | 0.26 | 1.03 |
| 6 | Arizona profile | $48.20 | $100,260 | $58,470 | $120,130 | 1,050 | 0.33 | 1.28 |
| 7 | North Carolina profile | $44.01 | $91,540 | $47,020 | $161,720 | 1,020 | 0.21 | 0.81 |
| 8 | Virginia profile | $42.32 | $88,030 | $37,330 | $151,790 | 900 | 0.22 | 0.86 |
| 9 | Texas profile | $42.08 | $87,520 | $51,850 | $146,080 | 2,840 | 0.20 | 0.79 |
| 10 | Oklahoma profile | $41.15 | $85,580 | $44,990 | $262,620 | 500 | 0.29 | 1.15 |
| 11 | Maryland profile | $41.02 | $85,330 | $47,940 | $123,000 | 390 | 0.14 | 0.55 |
| 12 | Florida profile | $40.52 | $84,280 | $51,990 | $130,410 | 3,220 | 0.32 | 1.27 |
| 13 | Tennessee profile | $40.38 | $83,990 | $60,560 | $117,950 | 500 | 0.15 | 0.60 |
| 14 | West Virginia profile | $39.98 | $83,160 | $52,350 | $157,050 | 60 | 0.09 | 0.36 |
| 15 | Wisconsin profile | $39.91 | $83,020 | $57,740 | $166,520 | 1,210 | 0.41 | 1.61 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $39.35 | $81,840 | $65,400 | $199,990 | 170 | 0.34 | 1.34 |
| 17 | Kentucky profile | $39.30 | $81,740 | $36,510 | $118,620 | 470 | 0.23 | 0.92 |
| 18 | Oregon profile | $39.20 | $81,540 | $58,250 | $130,910 | 610 | 0.31 | 1.22 |
| 19 | Alabama profile | $38.94 | $80,990 | $51,850 | $155,260 | 430 | 0.20 | 0.80 |
| 20 | Idaho profile | $38.83 | $80,770 | $58,730 | $91,640 | 220 | 0.25 | 0.98 |
| 21 | Louisiana profile | $38.59 | $80,280 | $46,190 | $169,720 | 370 | 0.19 | 0.74 |
| 22 | Connecticut profile | $38.25 | $79,560 | $36,800 | $134,840 | 240 | 0.14 | 0.55 |
| 23 | Minnesota profile | $38.23 | $79,510 | $46,250 | $172,610 | 1,160 | 0.39 | 1.54 |
| 24 | South Carolina profile | $38.13 | $79,310 | $44,930 | $126,460 | 680 | 0.30 | 1.16 |
| 25 | Mississippi profile | $37.72 | $78,450 | $47,510 | $198,260 | 130 | 0.11 | 0.45 |
| 26 | North Dakota profile | $37.49 | $77,990 | $35,490 | $136,340 | 360 | 0.84 | 3.30 |
| 27 | Indiana profile | $37.40 | $77,790 | $43,850 | $119,990 | 780 | 0.24 | 0.95 |
| 28 | Ohio profile | $37.36 | $77,710 | $43,460 | $160,670 | 1,380 | 0.25 | 0.97 |
| 29 | Arkansas profile | $36.68 | $76,290 | $27,040 | $112,910 | 320 | 0.24 | 0.95 |
| 30 | South Dakota profile | $36.64 | $76,210 | $58,770 | $113,180 | 260 | 0.57 | 2.24 |
| 31 | Montana profile | $36.60 | $76,120 | $35,610 | $129,440 | 240 | 0.48 | 1.86 |
| 32 | Massachusetts profile | $36.51 | $75,940 | $53,520 | $155,580 | 780 | 0.21 | 0.84 |
| 33 | California profile | $36.28 | $75,470 | $51,990 | $179,230 | 2,760 | 0.15 | 0.59 |
| 34 | Iowa profile | $36.08 | $75,050 | $35,990 | $122,740 | 970 | 0.63 | 2.45 |
| 35 | New Mexico profile | $36.08 | $75,040 | $30,980 | $127,460 | 140 | 0.17 | 0.65 |
| 36 | Nevada profile | $35.67 | $74,190 | $51,690 | $96,920 | 240 | 0.16 | 0.62 |
| 37 | Colorado profile | $35.60 | $74,040 | $32,990 | $101,650 | 1,340 | 0.47 | 1.82 |
| 38 | Hawaii profile | $35.00 | $72,800 | $59,800 | $109,060 | 220 | 0.36 | 1.39 |
| 39 | Michigan profile | $34.24 | $71,220 | $42,400 | $126,500 | 1,270 | 0.29 | 1.13 |
| 40 | New Hampshire profile | $33.65 | $69,990 | $26,240 | $218,990 | 130 | 0.19 | 0.72 |
| 41 | Pennsylvania profile | $32.32 | $67,230 | $34,770 | $113,640 | 1,770 | 0.29 | 1.15 |
| 42 | Illinois profile | $32.04 | $66,650 | $37,630 | $136,330 | 2,190 | 0.36 | 1.41 |
| 43 | Nebraska profile | $31.75 | $66,050 | $44,700 | $121,960 | 500 | 0.49 | 1.91 |
| 44 | Missouri profile | $31.29 | $65,090 | $48,140 | $156,000 | 660 | 0.22 | 0.88 |
| 45 | Wyoming profile | $30.12 | $62,640 | $49,330 | $129,460 | 110 | 0.40 | 1.57 |
| 46 | Georgia profile | $29.64 | $61,660 | $21,530 | $123,100 | 1,500 | 0.31 | 1.20 |
| 47 | Kansas profile | $27.69 | $57,600 | $37,250 | $122,120 | 570 | 0.40 | 1.56 |
| 48 | Utah profile | $25.91 | $53,900 | $29,990 | $103,500 | 490 | 0.28 | 1.10 |
| – | Delaware profile | * | * | * | * | 140 | 0.29 | 1.14 |
| – | Vermont profile | * | * | * | * | 120 | 0.41 | 1.60 |
Part of Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 29-1011 Chiropractors.
*- Wage estimate not available.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 29-1011, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 29-1011.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.