Chiropractor

Assess, treat, and care for patients by manipulation of spine and musculoskeletal system. May provide spinal adjustment or address sacral or pelvic misalignment.

On the job, you would:

Evaluate the functioning of the neuromuscularskeletal system and the spine using systems of chiropractic diagnosis.
Diagnose health problems by reviewing patients' health and medical histories, questioning, observing, and examining patients and interpreting x-rays.
Perform a series of manual adjustments to the spine or other articulations of the body to correct the musculoskeletal system.

Important Qualities

Communication skills. Chiropractors must listen to patients and explain procedures clearly both orally and in written reports.

Decision-making skills. Chiropractors must evaluate each patient’s needs and recommend treatment based on those needs. They must also decide when to refer patients to other healthcare professionals.

Detail oriented. Chiropractors must pay attention when diagnosing and treating patients to avoid mistakes that could harm them.

Dexterity. Chiropractors must have good coordination when performing manual adjustments to a patient's spine and other joints.

Empathy. Chiropractors often care for people who are in pain. They must be understanding and sympathetic to their patients’ problems and needs.

Interpersonal skills. Chiropractors must be personable in order to put patients at ease and expand their practice.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		96%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		96%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		95%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		88%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		88%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		86%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		86%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		86%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		83%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		82%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		80%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
		77%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		75%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		75%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		71%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		69%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		83%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.
		78%	Investigative - Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.
		72%	Realistic - Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		89%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		89%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		78%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		75%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
		67%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		75%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		75%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		75%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		75%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		75%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		72%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		69%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		69%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		66%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		66%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		60%	Trunk Strength - The ability to use your abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time without "giving out" or fatiguing.
		53%	Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
		53%	Multilimb Coordination - The ability to coordinate two or more limbs (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while sitting, standing, or lying down. It does not involve performing the activities while the whole body is in motion.
		53%	Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
		53%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		64%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		59%	Active Listening - 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.
		59%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		55%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		55%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
		55%	Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
		55%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		54%	Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
		54%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		52%	Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
		52%	Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Schedule patient procedures or appointments.

Treat patients using physical therapy techniques.

Examine patients to assess general physical condition.

Gather medical information from patient histories.

Examine patients to assess general physical condition.

Diagnose medical conditions.

Record patient medical histories.

Advise patients on effects of health conditions or treatments.

Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.

Record patient medical histories.

Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.

Provide health and wellness advice to patients, program participants, or caregivers.

Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.

Refer patients to other healthcare practitioners or health resources.

Apply bandages, dressings, or splints.

Recommend types of assistive devices.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		100%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		100%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		99%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		99%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		99%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		96%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		96%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		93%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		90%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		89%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		82%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		82%	Importance of Repeating Same Tasks - How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job?
		81%	Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls - How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?
		77%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		74%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		73%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		68%	Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions - How much does this job require making repetitive motions?
		67%	Consequence of Error - How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable?
		65%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		65%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		64%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		63%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		61%	Spend Time Bending or Twisting the Body - How much does this job require bending or twisting your body?
		59%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		55%	Level of Competition - To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures?
		53%	Exposed to Disease or Infections - How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		93%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		88%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		83%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		83%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		79%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		78%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		77%	Performing General Physical Activities - Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling materials.
		77%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		75%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		73%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		73%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		72%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		72%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		70%	Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
		69%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		69%	Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
		68%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		67%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		67%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		64%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		64%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		64%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		63%	Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
		62%	Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
		62%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		61%	Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
		61%	Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
		61%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		61%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		60%	Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
		57%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		56%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

What Chiropractors Do

Chiropractors perform manual therapy to help patients with back and neck pain.

Chiropractors evaluate and treat patients' neuromusculoskeletal system, which includes nerves, bones, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. They use spinal adjustments and manipulation, as well as other clinical interventions, to manage patients’ health concerns, such as back and neck pain.

Duties

Chiropractors typically do the following:

Review a patient's medical history and listen to their concerns
Perform a physical examination to analyze the patient's posture, spine, and reflexes
Provide neuromusculoskeletal therapy, which involves adjusting a patient’s spinal column and other joints
Give additional treatments, such as applying heat or cold to a patient’s injured areas
Advise patients on health and lifestyle issues, such as exercise and nutrition
Refer patients to other healthcare professionals if needed

Chiropractors treat a variety of problems related to the neuromusculoskeletal system. They focus on pain in the back, neck, and joints and how relieving this pain can improve patients’ overall health. The goal is to improve the body’s motion and function.

In diagnosing a patient's condition, chiropractors often use both external and internal assessments. For example, a chiropractor may observe the patient's range of motion related to shoulder pain and then follow up with x rays to provide more detailed information.

Some chiropractors treat patients using procedures such as massage therapy, rehabilitative exercise, and electrical muscle stimulation in addition to spinal adjustments and manipulation. They also may apply supports, such as braces or tape, to treat patients and relieve pain.

In addition to operating a general chiropractic practice, chiropractors may specialize in areas such as sports, neurology, or nutrition. Chiropractors who are self-employed or work in private practice may have additional responsibilities that include marketing their business, hiring staff, and keeping records.

Work Environment

Chiropractors held about 55,000 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of chiropractors were as follows:

Offices of chiropractors	63%
Self-employed workers	31

Chiropractors typically work in office settings. They may need to stand for long periods and lift or turn patients.

Work Schedules

Most chiropractors work full time, but part-time work is common. Work schedules may vary and include evenings or weekends to accommodate patients. Self-employed chiropractors may have the flexibility to set their own hours.

Getting Started

Education:

82%

Doctoral Degree

First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.

How to Become a Chiropractor

Chiropractors must earn a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree and get a state license.

Chiropractors typically need a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree. Completing a D.C. program typically takes about 4 years, in addition to at least 3 years of undergraduate study. Every state requires chiropractors to be licensed.

Education

Chiropractors must have a Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree from an accredited chiropractic college. A D.C. degree usually takes 4 years to complete. Chiropractic colleges are accredited by The Council on Chiropractic Education.

Admission to D.C. programs requires at least 3 years of undergraduate education, although applicants commonly have a bachelor’s degree. Typical bachelor’s degrees for prospective D.C. students include biology, healthcare and related fields, or kinesiology, exercise physiology, or other subjects focusing on physical movement. Chiropractic programs generally require applicants to have completed coursework in sciences such as physics, chemistry, and biology, as well as general education studies.

A D.C. program includes coursework in anatomy, physiology, biology, and similar subjects. Courses in business management, such as marketing and finance, also may be included. Chiropractic students gain supervised clinical experience in areas such as diagnosis, spinal assessment, and adjustment techniques. D.C. programs may offer a dual-degree option, in which students earn either a bachelor’s or a master’s degree in another field while completing their D.C.

Some chiropractors complete postgraduate programs that lead to diplomate credentials. These programs provide additional training in specialty areas, such as orthopedics, acupuncture, and pediatrics.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

All states require chiropractors to be licensed, although requirements vary by state. At a minimum, all require the completion of an accredited Doctor of Chiropractic (D.C.) degree program and passing all four parts of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners (NBCE) exam. States also may require candidates to pass a background check and state-specific law exams, called jurisprudence exams.

All states require practicing chiropractors to earn a specified number of hours of continuing education credits to maintain a chiropractic license. Contact your state’s board of chiropractic examiners or health department for more specific information about licensure.

Job Outlook

Employment of chiropractors is projected to grow 9 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 2,600 openings for chiropractors are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment

Demand is expected to increase for chiropractic services as a nonsurgical, drug-free way to treat pain and improve overall wellness. Rising interest in integrative or complementary healthcare has led to more acceptance of chiropractic treatment of the back, neck, limbs, and involved joints. As a result, chiropractors are increasingly working with other healthcare workers, such as physicians and physical therapists, through referrals and complementary care.

Opportunities for chiropractors also will be created by the continued aging of the large baby-boom generation. Older adults are more likely than younger people to have neuromusculoskeletal and joint problems, and they will continue to seek chiropractic care and other types of treatment for these conditions.

Contacts for More Information

For more information on a career as a chiropractor, visit

American Chiropractic Association

International Chiropractors Association

Discover Chiropractic

For a list of chiropractic programs and institutions, as well as for general information on chiropractic education, visit

Association of Chiropractic Colleges

The Council on Chiropractic Education

For information on state education and licensure requirements, visit

Federation of Chiropractic Licensing Boards

For information about licensing exams, visit

National Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of chiropractors.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Athletic Trainers	Athletic trainers specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating muscle and bone injuries and illnesses.	Master's degree	$53,840
Massage Therapists	Massage therapists treat clients by applying pressure to manipulate the body's soft tissues and joints.	Postsecondary nondegree award	$49,860
Occupational Therapists	Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities to help them with vocational, daily living, and other skills that promote independence.	Master's degree	$93,180
Physical Therapists	Physical therapists help injured or ill people improve movement and manage pain.	Doctoral or professional degree	$97,720
Physicians and Surgeons	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.	Doctoral or professional degree	$229,300
Podiatrists	Podiatrists provide medical and surgical care for people with foot, ankle, and lower leg problems.	Doctoral or professional degree	$148,720
Exercise Physiologists	Exercise physiologists develop fitness and exercise programs that help injured or sick patients recover.	Bachelor's degree	$51,350
Dentists	Dentists diagnose and treat problems with patients’ teeth, gums, and related parts of the mouth.	Doctoral or professional degree	$159,530
Optometrists	Optometrists diagnose, manage, and treat conditions and diseases of the human eye and visual system, including examining eyes and prescribing corrective lenses.	Doctoral or professional degree	$125,590

Chiropractor

What they do: